I gotta say I loved writing this chapter! It was funny and you'll get to see granda get down! Anyways used a cute little red riding hood picture to the right seeing as this story has been based very loosely on that tale. It also happens to my favorite if I hadn't said so already. So enjoy and don't worry that little gap will be filled but not for another chapter or two. My characters need more happy things at the moment not sad. Song of the chapter is..... Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                           Jake

“Are you ready for this?” Danny, my first and hopefully only love said to me. I also mean only love in the way that we hopefully would last a very long time.

His eye’s were on me and I thought I was done with the blushing scenario. 

“I know you wont let me fall,” I told him and I held on to his arm tightly.

“What if I fall?” Charles suddenly behind me.

Danny shook his head while Heather fussed at him about joking an important event like this. Then there it was the wedding march music…

“Wait a minute,” Jimmy further behind us said, “Who’s fooling around up there?”

There was a fit of giggles from Katie, I was the only one to stop and look at her.

“You’re laughing,” I told her, “it looks good on you.”

Her smiled grew wider and I wished I knew the reason.

“Will they hurry up these heels are killing me,” Lillian was fidgeting with her feet.

“Graduation is a right of passage,” Heather said. Apparently because everyone liked her new hair, she kept it. And just like every day in school she wore the baby bump with pride.

Lillian moved up front as we were all in alphabetical order because the teachers were moving in on us to get order. Luckily I had Danny right behind me who I turned to smile at quickly. 

Finally the real music for our graduation began. 

I blew out a long breath. Its been maybe two weeks since Prom Night and I haven’t had any anxiety attacks since. Of course I was right about seeing Danny’s room more often including much more his body at the same time. Honestly we’ve been at it like newly weds so thank goodness his mother was a heavy sleeper and far from his room. 

Lillian and Jimmy were not together anymore but they remained friends. Lillian seemed to grow more into a natural beauty as she got older and more experienced in the world. It had to be because of Jimmy because he was so well connected. His roots went way back in this smallish town would be the reason.

Heather and Charles on the other hand were still together. I had a feeling they would have surprises along the way for us all any day now. I could tell by the knowing smile they gave each other. 

Daniel and Danny were still distant from each other. It took some time for them to get over a bad situation. Daniel still had his doubts about his father but at least he was more aware of his condition now, which was declining. It brought out a part of Daniel that changed him a lot. Such as, it got him interested in medical school. He continued to see Katie who had blossomed about as much as Lillian had. I never approached her about the thing between Daniel and her again since prom.

Then there was Nikko who had the least bit of a recovery. With more time I was sure, as we all were, he would able to accept his losses and gains. This had been the best and the hardest year of our lives. Now it was ending. Hopefully there would be much better times ahead. 

Our names got called one by one. I felt my heart racing both from about-to-have-the-rest-of-my-life-changed-forever and because I could feel Danny behind me nearby. He always brought that out of me. The nerves I mean and not in the way that made my stomach feel weird. It was my heart, literally. It wouldn’t stop pounding. I barely heard the names being called anymore.

Come to me, don’t let me go.

My brain had that song stuck in my head from last night. I watched a movie with Danny called Beautiful Creatures and that movie had made me tear up. Danny hated horror movies because they annoyed him. I didn’t care for most of his comedies so we both went for something we wouldn’t have reached for. Danny claimed to like it but sometimes I wasn’t so sure about him. At least he was trying to make me happy. I just didn’t like how out of his way he would go for me when he already did so much. Someday we were going to have that talk.

Run to me, never let me go.

Everyone would clap at every students name and I moved closer to the stage while we threw this graduation thing in the gym. Holy cow! This was where I first danced with Danny. Oh man I think I was going to miss this place.

“Jake Sampson!” my named was called. Oh wow that was fast. I walked out about as normally as I could thankful I wasn’t going to trip on my graduation gown. It made me feel bloated though. Whenever a little motion of air blew up my stuff, it felt like I was going to fly off like a blip.

I saw my grandmother out in the crowd with my aunt, my dads sister. She was still pretty much a stranger to me. She didn’t even look anything like my dad. I stayed respectful to her even though we had nothing to relate to. 

My grandmother was needing more help these days. Guess who stepped in? Danny’s mom of course. They did get along pretty well last Thanksgiving after all. It wasn’t like Mrs. Sky had much else to do other than her house. It helped Danny and I have the house to ourselves well enough.

They’re all gonna laugh at you! Which was the first thought that reached my mind before I grabbed my diploma.

Ha! I made another joke at myself! I smiled maybe too brightly because the teacher I never had looked at me funny.

I took my diploma and stepped off the stage just as Danny’s name was called when, FLASH. I just knew somehow that my graduation picture was going to have me looking pretty surprised. 

Well heck I cant believe I made it either! 

My grandmother wouldn’t care and it would be one of the most embarrassing pictures I ever had ten years down the line. I hoped she kept it next to my prom picture I took with Danny in which both our mouths were hanging open. Right after our first little fight.

It was funnier when we finally saw it and of course it was framed on the living room wall where we had it taken.

Ok now where are we supposed to go? I cant see too well!

“Jake! Jake!” 

Oh I had almost headed in the wrong direction as I bumped into Danny who had to steady me. We made our way over to row where we were supposed to be. Obviously I messed things up from some of the glares the teachers gave me. I glared back as they no longer had power over me which I did. At least in the direction I think they were in. But I was still seeing white spots.

Once they cleared I noticed the monument to the fallen students and teachers in loving memory which we students had to walk past the stage over to receive our diploma‘s. My heart dropped at that. I mean I was glad they were showing respect but it was still touched a sore spot. I understood now why it went quicker. Some of us didn’t want to go down that road again. Some of the other students were like me, blinded by the light. I mean how did we manage our teenage years if some of us didn’t even know which direction we were walking?

Afterwards it was speeches mostly by teachers. Boring. I was tapping Danny’s shoulder then looked away innocently. But then he caught my hand and held it. I smiled brightly at him and held his hand which he held in return. I didn’t listen to most of the speeches but I could tell Danny did.

“We’re not going to remember all of this anyway,” I mumbled.

Heather nudged me with her heel in a freakishly long way as she took it off and reached for me with it in her hand. I tried to take cover but managed too late. There wasn’t much room to move anyway.

“Um… Ow.” I think that was Charles not long after. My neck was sore.

Poor Charles. Never mind he was laughing at me, he deserved everything that was coming to him now.

None of us students made any speeches for pretty good reasons I suppose. I thought Heather or Katie would had been really good at it. Now those two I would have listened to.

Then came the part to throw all our caps in air to. Let me tell you, its over rated. 

The families of ours came rushing in right away. Danny and I stayed linked by arms waiting for our families. My Grandmother and aunt arrived with Danny’s parents. Mr. Skye still had his uniform which looked great on him. I checked for grey hairs or any bald spots seeing he was a much older version of his son.

There were a lot congratulations from all of them and then the hugs. I didn’t really want to let go of Danny but I had to. 

“We’ll see each other again,” he told me and I saw he was leaving with his parents. 

My face had a crooked smile that wasn’t really a smile but I let him go.

I faced my Grandmother and aunt so we could go out of town to eat something together. Let me tell you, it wasn’t like my aunt was really weird or anything. I just didn’t understand her just it seemed the other way around. I may had met her only twice my entire life. I didn’t get any bad feelings from her or anything. It wasn’t like she deserved to be treated badly.

“Mom! Mom! Mom!” I heard Charles yelling and most of us turned to look to see what the problem was. He was wearing sunglasses and he was reaching out with his hands like a blind man. “Mom why did you leave me? Why did you leave me? Mama! Mama!”

A woman with the same skin complexion and nose as his was walking suspiciously in the other direction. 

My grandmother was laughing because she knew him well enough to not take him seriously as a lot of other people did. People like my aunt who kept looking in his direction torn between wanting to help or leaving it be.

                                                             Danny

“Jake seems like a fine young man,” my dad the lieutenant said with his hands on the steering wheel.

“He is,” My mother said, “He’s always been very polite when he comes over with our son.”

My dad watched the road in thought.

“How many times has he been over?” My dad suddenly asked me through the rearview mirror.

I already knew that it wasn’t an insult and my mother gasped catching on just the same.

“As often as he likes,” my mother said between her teeth.

“So you getting some?”

“Dad!” But I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Jean!” My mother slapped him on arm with the graduation book. Thank goodness it wasn’t the high school year book. At least my dad was built pretty tough.

My dad smiled wide which was rare for him. He kept both hands on the wheel as he took a quick glance or two at me through the mirror. I conveyed the truth to my father the best I could with a tiny nod of my head. My dad was never one of the army strict fathers. He’s a pretty laid back guy that would live and let live.

The rest of the ride went quietly with classical music, my mothers request.

We arrived at a sushi bar in which entertainment would also be provided. There would be fire tricks as the food would be cooked and served to us at our own tables. It was expensive but my parents loved this place. 

Right away when we stepped in there was most of the Skye family holding a congratulations sign in the air for me. Normally I didn’t care much for the spotlight but I took it as gracefully as possible. My aunts, uncles, and cousins rushed in before we could even sit down.

Some even asked me about Jake which brought a little heartache. I kind of wished he could be here with me to meet everyone. I knew everyone flew in from New York and would be staying the night with us. So quite literally it was going to be a full house. 

The food was great, the family was great, the little show they gave us was pretty kick ass, and I kind of wanted to bring Jake here someday if only he liked sushi. 

“Tell us what’s been going on with you and Jake,” My cousin Adam started after the fire show, “Are we going to see him again anytime soon? He‘s got that hot chick Lillian as a friend still right?”

I noticed one of my aunts stop in mid conversation with her husband to listen. It didn’t bother me though because I had my full families support.

“Well maybe if you guys stick around long enough tomorrow I could bring him on by,” I answered while picking at my rice with chopsticks, “He’s great actually.”

Another one of my cousins apparently eavesdropping whipped her hand in a motion that told me to tell more.

“Well what is you guys you wanna know?” I smiled knowing I might regret those words.

“Like more of how you met? I love a good romance story,” My eavesdropping cousin Autumn asked, “Do you see this going further anytime soon? And didn‘t you both get into a really big fight? What was that all about? Need me to cut him for you?”

“I bet he’s a keeper the way you keep smiling like that,” my Aunt that was originally talking with uncle.

“Now look at him turn red,” Autumn had to point out.

“The fact that you had to point it out Autumn,” Adam said grinning, “is only making it worse.”

My Aunt scoffed first and said, “You two are awful for doing that,” Then she leaned forward to say, “They say that every time is always like the first time is that true?”

“Aunt Jane!” both my cousin’s faked their shock.

“Poor boy,” my aunt said while I was still too stunned to say anything else, “He is so head over heels for this boy. I wish you the best of luck that things only get better because the worst is behind you two now.”

Something in those words struck me but instead all I could do was nod. She just didn’t know how right she was.

Both my cousins went back to their meal and everything went back to normal. I agreed that the worst was behind us now. Maybe someday I would tell Jake that as a words of wisdom thing. 

My phone started to ring and I saw it was Jake.

                                                           Jake

We got in my aunts car while she drove. There were just a lot of social dead ends when she and I talked. So we kept it to small talk. It was my grandmother who was the queen of social skills here. I didn’t listen to them talk so instead I just started out the window during the entire car ride.

She didn’t even turn on the radio and her car smelled… was there even a smell to it?

Sniff. Sniff. Nope nothing. Really weird. You’d never know there was a body in the trunk. She worked in a shop that sold windows. That was all I knew about her from when I heard my grandmother ask.

I wondered where Danny was and what he was doing. Was his family talking about me? His dad did put a firm pat on my back when he congratulated me. I wasn’t sure how to take that so I just smiled politely back at him. Mrs. Sky was so much less intimidating and she was really good to my Grandmother. 

I played the entire graduation in my head all over again inside my head to pass the time. The talk I had with Danny before we went off in different directions was what I thought about. Mainly because I just wanted to think about Danny. Which my mind automatically did.

“You know much about your aunt?” Danny has asked me before our families came in.

“Not anything really but it feels like she wants something,” I said while waving over at my grandmother while my aunt was looking in a whole other direction.

“What makes you say that?”

“I don’t really know its just a feeling I get.”

“Jake, that’s not really much to go on.”

“Don’t go sounding all disapproving,” I defended myself, “Its just out of everything that’s happened now she chooses to show up. It just doesn’t make much sense.”

“She lives halfway around the other side of the country,” he reminded me.

I sighed in defeat.

“Give her a chance,” he had to rub in.

When I wouldn’t look at him he gently had my chin at the tips of his fingers. He never had work hard at getting me to listen to him. This would be another one of those times. 

“I’ll try Danny but I cant make any promises.”

His lips were suddenly on mine. My arms automatically wrapped around the back of his neck to pull him closer. Usually we never did this in public so I knew he was playing dirty. I almost forgot where we were when I heard a throat clear up beside us.

“Whoops,” I heard Danny same.

I wasn’t going to apologize for anything.

“Trish,” My grandmother introduced with a glance at her, “This is Jake’s boyfriend Danny.”

Trish had a poker face. I wasn’t trying to see the worst in her like Danny was assumed I was doing. My alarms just seemed to go off whenever she got with my sights. That hardly ever happened when I was around people. Honestly, I wanted to see the good in her too.

Danny was amazingly polite as always. Maybe some day his good behavior would rub off on me like my Grandmother was hoping. Sorry to disappoint thee Grandmother.

Then that was when we separated and here I was in the car with my Grandmother and Aunt. 

I heard them talking now about Trish’s possible promotion that would have her doing more hours. She didn’t have a husband or a boyfriend. Heck she didn’t even own a goldfish so she was going for it.

When we arrived at the restaurant which of course was a lobster bar.

‘Danny…’ I whined to myself and rolled my eyes at the heavens.

I looked at my Grandmother when we got out of the car. She and I shared the same face expression when Trish wasn’t looking. My Grandmother and I silently agreed not to say anything about it.

‘Be nice,’ I could hear Danny telling me now, ‘She’s just trying to be nice by going out of her way for you guys. This is a pretty expensive place.’

Ok my imagination added that last part because Danny would never say something like that. Danny didn’t believe in anything being too expensive for me. He’s such a great boyfriend!

‘Sounds like she’s sucking up,’ I argued mentally back at my imaginary Danny.

It ended there when my Aunt came around the other side of the car and smiled at me.

I smiled back the best way I could even though it didn’t feel real.

My Grandmother gave me another stern look and I cringed inwardly at it.

We followed out hostess to a booth by the window where the sun was very nearly gone by now. I spotted a few fellow classmates and we said our little hello’s along the way. I could tell my Aunt was getting a bit impatient. My Grandmother sensed it from her too and told her that we’d catch up.

I didn’t see any of my best friends which was kind of a let down. Lillian and Heather could have given me their thoughts on my aunt. I knew they would side with me.

‘Ha! Take that Danny!’ I said while also smiling to myself.

Of course there was no answer because knowing Danny, he wouldn’t have answered.

Finally in the booth which was comfortable we looked at our menu‘s. Trish decided what she wanted real quick which was some kind of stuffed crab. Nasty! Only evil villains ate stuff like that. In fact looking at the picture at how it was prepared it reminded me of something Ursela the Sea Witch would eat. My Grandmother and I took our time because we hardly knew what anything on the menu was.

“I’ll stick with a soup,” my Grandmother said then took a sip of water that was suddenly