I glanced at myself in the mirror. I couldn't really tell what she'd done, but I looked...more. My green eyes were brighter, my smile seemed a little warmer and my face flushed. I'd gotten something of a tan going running with the guys a couple of times a week and spending a few hours in the pools after school. This was different though, everything just seemed brighter.
"I love it and I am never going to understand how you do this." I leaned forward to inspect my eyelids. There was a hint of green eye shadow on my lids, but it made my lashes duskier somehow. What kind of sorcery did Rachel know?
"When I have a beautiful canvas," she said with a shrug, “it's not hard."
"Thank you," I told her as I glanced at her. "I am so nervous."
"About what?"
"Graduating. I almost hate to admit it. I’ve told the guys forever that this is just a stupid ceremony." Even my robes had been bought by Jake, and Coop had made sure to pick up all my honor cords. "We're done, right? We passed. We graduate whether we walk across the stage or not."
"Sure," Rachel said as she zipped up my robe and reached for the honor cords to start arranging them. There was also a stole and other extras. Rachel and I were in the top twenty students and Rachel ranked even higher than me. "This is all pomp and circumstance."
With care, she straightened the gold stole and arranged the purple cord over it. I had two—one for honors and the other for special nomination.
"Yes, we're not getting actual diplomas today and the whole point of the ritual is to parade us in front of our parents and the community to show them look, we're all adults now. We survived our twelve-year educational sentences. Some of us are going onward," she said the last with a grin. "Some aren't. But here's the thing...ceremonies aren't just for the people around us."
Smoothing the stole, she began laying the honor cords around my neck one at a time.
"They're for us to take the time to reflect on how far we've come. To look at what we've accomplished. When else do we see that we're the ultra nerds who not only killed it with our sense of style, but also our academic achievements?"
That made me laugh. "Your sense of style cannot be argued with."
"Thank you, I love you too. Now, the other part of a ceremony?" She gripped my shoulders gently. "It's a chance for us to say goodbye to one part of our life as we prepare for the next. This was a crazy year for you."
"It was a great year in so many ways." I refused to think about the rest. "I had this fantastic secret admirer who left me the most amazing roses and wrote me sweet notes. Then when I needed them most, she told me who she was and she's the best best friend I could have had."
"Even better than Coop?" she dared me and I grinned.
"Best girlfriend," I conceded.
"I'll take it." Pressing her forehead to mine gently, she said, "You're the best friend I could have too. Thank you for letting me be a part of your year and for wanting to keep hanging out with me even if I still hit on you occasionally."
"And keep secrets," I teased her, and she grinned.
"Fine," she huffed out a breath. "His name was Garrett, we are not seeing each other anymore. He was a freshman at UNT and we fooled around."
"How did you meet a freshman at UNT?"
"I went to a party with Audra."
"Audra?"
She let out a sigh. "Audra was the girl I started dating for a bit, also a freshman at UNT. We went to a party together and turned out she's pretty bi...or very open when she's been drinking. She hooked up and that left me on my own, Garett's girlfriend dumped him at the party and we ended up hanging out. There was a lot of heavy petting and some oral... how you suck four cocks I will never know. One was more than enough for me."
The most delicate of shudders racked her.
"But, it didn't work out. He wanted more than I was willing to give, and Audra decided to hook up with him too, after I wouldn't and well..." she gave a shrug and the sadness in her eyes pissed me off.
"That bitch," were the first words that came out of my mouth. "And fuck him. Garrett? At UNT? I'm totally telling Jake after graduation."
Rachel's smile was still a little sad, but her eyes brightened. "You don't have to kick his ass. Trust me, he's not worth it. It was fun to explore though and maybe I'll do it again sometime or maybe I'll just indulge my fantasies about you and focus on school."
I laughed. "We're gonna be freshmen in a few months."
"This is true," Rachel said.
"And there will be parties."
"Oh, this is also true..."
"We will have your back."
She flashed me a real smile. "That I do know."
"Rach?"
"Hmm?"
"I like all of their cocks and if he was worth it, I think you might have liked his too."
Her laugh was real. We got her cords sorted out then our caps and once we were both ready, she said, "He was total shit at head. Though, he really was good at my breasts so... what are you going to do?"
"Find someone who is the whole package and understands what a fucking wonderful woman you are."
"See," Rachel told me as she threaded her arm through mine and we headed for the door. "This is why I love you."
"I love you too."
Chapter Three
Pomp and Circumstance
Archie
"I like him," Bubba commented as he leaned against the wall opposite the bathroom. We weren't trying to crowd the area. Still we were a little gun shy about leaving her even if she
