Bea & the Broken Record

Chapter 25: AH + BM

Before I moved to Griffin, I never thought I would be anything. I never thought I'd be in a band no matter how much I dreamed about it - not to mention a possible record deal that could make us superstars. I never thought I'd graduate high school, either.

I also never thought I would fall in love, let alone with someone like Beatrice Montgomery. Every time I think of her I think of her long brown hair blowing in her face and her bright hazel eyes glowing. Her pearly white smile got me the most; it had the power to make me stop and stare.

But lately, I could only see her smile fading as I walked away and followed my dreams. The record deal stood between us and she didn't even know it. Beside the fact that I had to leave for New York soon and leave Bea behind, I was happy. I was excited for what was to come and I was excited for the guys who had become my brothers in the years I got to know them. I was also scared for what was to come. Scared to lose Bea. Scared to screw up the future for my band, and scared to lose the people in my life.

But there was, on my graduation day, staring at the my cap and gown while I stood in the parking lot of my high school for what was likely to be the last time.

The sun was hidden behind the white fluffy clouds in the ocean of blue skies. It was a beautiful to graduate from high school.

"Hey there, handsome." A familiar voice said behind me as a pair of familiar lips pecked my cheek. I twisted around to wrap my arms around Bea who was already dressed in her glossy blue cap and gown. Her hair was loosely curled and her makeup was done lightly. Needless to say, she looked beautiful.

"Hey there, beautiful," I replied as I kissed her lips.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" She asked. Bea straightened up the collar of my plaid button-down navy blue and white shirt. I handed her my cap and gown and shrugged my shoulders, feeling anxious.

"I guess I'm just gonna miss everything. Not really the high school, but life as it is. Everything's going to change," I said sadly. The thing that hurt me the most was that she didn't even realize just how much things were about to change.

Bea took my hand and sat down on the hood of my car, her converses hanging off the edge. "Have you ever heard the saying 'everything happens for a reason'?"

I laced our finger together and held them close to my heart. "Yeah," I answered.

"We will all take our different paths after today. But no matter what happens, I want you to promise me something." Bea looked up into my eyes and held them there.

"Whatever it is, I promise." She giggled at my response.

"Seriously, though," she chuckled. "I want you to promise me that you'll be happy. No matter where you are or what you're doing, just be happy. And I will too."

"I promise, Bea." I kissed the top of her head and hugged her, a moment of silence filling the space between us.

"Mr. Hawkins and Miss Montgomery," our principal calls for us from the back doors of the cafeteria. "Please join us, will you?"

"Ugh," I groaned jokingly. "I guess we have to go graduate high school."

Bea put my cap on my head and grabbed my hand to run up the steps to the cafeteria doors. Inside, I didn't have a hard time spotting my friends.

Grayson was standing in front of Ben and Quentin who were sitting at a lunch table with their robes on. As I approached them, I saw the grimace on Grayson's face and the tightness of Ben's robe. It looked like a skin-tight dress a girl would wear that came up to your knees. Ben did not look happy.