Good Girls Gone Bad (A Luke Hemmings Fanfiction)

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Finally. After five years of nonstop studying, working and tests, the day had come. Graduation. My high school career was nearly over. I had almost finished it without a single bump in the road. I had good grades, a few incredibly close friends, president of Key Club and a semi decent attendance. Eighth through eleventh grade had gone off without a hitch. I had almost thought I was going to have a normal, boring high school career. Then my mom died. Then I decided to self-medicate my pain with alcohol and partying. Then I got pregnant. As I sat through the speeches and the calling of names, I noticed that I was the only pregnant teenager graduating. Six months ago I had gotten pregnant. It felt longer than that. It felt as though I had been for years. I looked over at Luke, who was sitting way up near the front, holding his diploma in his hand. I had hardly said two words to him since I broke up with him and though Ashton told me he was bitter, he was finally coming to terms with it. He must have felt my eyes on him, because he turned around and looked me straight in the eye. I smiled at him and he smiled back, though it was a weak smile. Almost sad. I looked away immediately, not wanting to see him that way. My heart broke whenever I saw that look on his face. And the only time he got that look on his face was when he looked at me. When we locked eyes in class, when we saw one another in the hallways. I didn't dare go to his house anymore. I didn't want to be there anymore. I would meet Ashton either out in public or at Zoe's house. I would also meet Rick and Liz out at restaurants and cafes when I wanted to see them, but I would never go to their houses. Not while Luke was there. I avoided him like the plague all to avoid that look.

My name was called and the audience began clapping. It was different from the people before me. Everyone else's parents cheered. I didn't have parents. Sure, Rae and my grandparents were here, but that was it. They were the only people I had left and I hardly saw them. I could hear Rae's shouting over the clapping, making me smile as I accepted my diploma and shook my principal's hand before sitting back down. My grandmother shushed her as they called the next name up, but I could still faintly hear her cheers echoing in my ears.

"Dani!" Rae's shrill shriek called out.

I turned around to see a six year old barrelling towards me, launching herself at me when she was close enough. I caught her and hugged her close, not wanting to let go.

"I missed you so much!" I exclaimed, holding her tightly.

"I've missed you mostest." She assured me.

I laughed before setting her down and hugging my grandparents, thanking them a thousand times over for coming. They told me over and over that it was no big deal. I stayed with them for a while, before I spotted Dean, who was kneeling down next to Amie. I smiled at him and excused myself, going over to them. I ran over and scooped Amie up, hearing her squeal loudly before giggling like crazy. I kissed her cheek obnoxiously multiple times before setting her back down. She was just learning how to crawl and I was incredibly proud of her. I had grown close to her and her daddy in the past few months. I turned to Dean and smiled.

"You came." I smiled. "I didn't think you were going to show up."

"Got off work early, picked up Amie from daycare. Come on, Dan, you didn't think I'd miss your graduation, did you?" he asked, pulling me into a hug.

I hugged him back tightly, hearing Amie's protests because we were ignoring her and pulled away, picking her back up. I escorted the two of them over to my grandparents and Rae and introduced them to one another. My grandma thought that he was the one who got me pregnant and almost began scolding him, but I immediately intervened and told her that Dean was just a friend and that I had met him in the grocery store. She got a lot kinder after that, happily introducing herself and Rae. My grandpa introduced himself as well, but then he turned back to me and asked when they were finally going to meet Luke.