Hey guys, here's Chapter 56! I hope you enjoy it. Comments and feedback are always appreciated! I read every single one. Also, please let me know if you spot any mistakes. I upload revisions all the time, and I will correct any errors that are pointed out to me. Just make sure to be specific so that I can find what you're talking about.
Early in the series, I had POVs run concurrently. It was a mistake. It made things confusing and didn't really add to the story. I feel my writing improved quite a bit when I switched to having POVs run consecutively. But, this is the graduation party! A lot is happening, so I'm having concurrent POVs for this one. I used various overlaps, observations, and mentions of the time to make it clear of exactly when things are happening. I hope you like it!
Also, since the graduation party is the finale before the epilogue, there will be quite a bit of sex. I try to keep a balance with sex and plot, but I usually don't do too well. Either way, there will be a lot of sex! I do think there are plot reasons for it; moving on, exploring limits, people finding themselves, letting loose in celebration of graduating. Hopefully, you agree.
Please note that this story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental. As always, this is a world without STI's, and everyone involved in sexual activity is at least eighteen years old.
-Witty
~Ashley~
"Fuck yeah, now it's a party!" I declare, gesturing with my wine cooler appreciatively.
"Your turn, Ash," Lexi teases from her spot beside Stephen on a comfortable chaise lounge chair.
"I'll pass, thanks," I roll my eyes at the bikini-clad redhead.
"They're already hanging out of your shirt, what's the big deal?" Lexi snorts. "Everyone loves a titty show!"
The brat's not wrong; everyone does love a titty show. At the prodding of a couple of football players, Brittney is now standing by the pool with her shirt and bra pulled up, flashing her bare boobs. A few people are cheering and the two players are standing on either side of Brittney, each holding a tit as they grin. They're clearly enjoying the thrill of publicly groping a porn star.
I'm standing with Josh on the other side of the pool. Lexi and Stephen are cuddling on one chair while Nicole is stretched out with a book on the neighboring chair. All three of them are in bathing suits. It's Friday evening and everyone is having a relaxing time celebrating our high school graduation.
My outfit consists of a red skirt with white flowers on it. I'm wearing a matching white shirt that exposes my cute belly button. It's a scoop-neck, showing a decent amount of cleavage. Stylish sandals cover my feet, giving me another couple inches of height so I can break six feet. I'm confident I look adorable, not slutty.
"Lexi, knock it off," Stephen admonishes, his hand gripping her shoulder.
"I think I look nice," I comment, gesturing at my outfit.
"For a streetwalker," Lexi snorts.
"Lexi!" Nicole and Stephen hiss simultaneously.
"You look beautiful," Josh insists, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my cheek.
"Blech!" Lexi makes a fake vomit noise as I feel butterflies in my stomach.
"Knock it off, brat," Nicole echoes Stephen's earlier words.
"She just needs dick," I reason. "It's been, what, twenty minutes? That's a record for you, right, Lexi?"
The redhead just blows a raspberry and shows me her two middle fingers as everyone else laughs. Shaking my head at the little pain in the ass, I glance around to take in how people are doing. The parents and old folks are gone, and it's time to really party.
Brittney still has her tits out across the pool and she has quite the audience. A few people are still in the pool, with Stacey and April back in once again. Derek Parker, Billy Fisher, and Kevin Miller are all trying to score with one of the blondes. I'm curious if any of them will succeed. Stacey and April might be disappointed if they go with Billy; in my mouth for fifteen seconds and he starts squirting. But maybe he's improved since then.
There are a ton of seniors here and the pool is only one place they are congregating. Various games are going on in the yard and some people are just sitting on the grass to enjoy the day. The tables are still crowded, with some people playing board games while others are snacking and chatting.
The sun is starting to go down, but I'm hoping that a lot of people will stay late. I know we'll be having a bonfire soon. While some people do leave early, a lot of our close friends are still here. I see them around, and a few wave when I lock eyes with them.
Katie Ehrlich smiles at me, a couple of football players wave to Josh and me, and Phillip Collins gives Josh a head nod. I notice Abigail Brown is flirting with Kyle Davis. Kayla's cousin and Lexi's older brother? Interesting. The twins really do have a thing for redheads, so maybe Kyle will get some. Speaking of Kayla's cousins, Alexander is sitting at a table with Hazel, both of them snacking on pretzels.
I'm annoyed that Emily Hawthorne, Josh Morris, and Shannon Gardner are still here. I also see Stephanie sitting in Ian's lap; I'm mad at both of them for hurting Kayla. Marcia is flirting with Kwan while they sit with his two friends. Fuck, Kyle Baker, Hazel's ex-boyfriend, is also still here.
The back door slides open and Kayla steps out with Anne Harrell, the gym teacher and cheer coach. Kayla is wearing jean shorts and a black bikini top. Strings from her bottoms are visible over the top of her shorts. Her dark hair is in a ponytail and I notice she's a little shaky on her feet. Yeah, Kayla definitely has an after-sex look and Miss Harrell has an expression of pure joy on her face. Well, at least until she spots the head cheerleader.
"Brittney O'Connor!" Miss Harrell barks in her most authoritative voice, causing the two football players to jump and back away from the cheerleader. "Put those away!"
"Yes, Miss Harrell," Brittney mumbles sheepishly as she turns to face the coach and lowers her shirt and bra. They're both smiling. "Just celebrating graduation."
"Maybe do that in private," Miss Harrell suggests with a laugh. "Do I need to remind you about last month?"
"Nope!" Brittney blushes. "We do not need to talk about that!"
Everyone is laughing while Kayla and Miss Harrell make their way over to us. I waggle my eyebrows at Kayla who makes a face at me. Stephen is completely oblivious to the fact that Daddy's little girl just went full-dyke with the cheer coach. I can't wait for details!
Our group keeps talking and laughing while the party continues. At one point, Olivia from The Jewelry Box is led by the hand by her boyfriend into the house, obviously for a roll in the sack. Marcia brings Kwan over to join us and soon multiple conversations are going on at once. Not long after, Stephanie and Ian join us as well.
"I should probably get going," Miss Harrell eventually says. "I know having a teacher here is killing the mood."
"At least the cop is gone," Lexi chirps.
"We'll stay in touch?" Kayla asks Miss Harrell, ignoring Lexi.
"Of course," Miss Harrell smiles, hugging Kayla.
The cheer coach says goodbye to everyone and makes her exit, although Brittney turns down the suggestion to take her tits out again. We laugh at the sad expressions the football players before resuming our talks. Kwan seems nice enough, but he's a little shy. It's understandable, since everyone here knows each other.
"That's a nice bracelet, Marcia," I compliment when the quiet girl reaches up to brush a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Thanks," Marcia smiles, glancing at the charm bracelet on her wrist. The dark-haired girl is wearing a white sundress with pink flowers on it.
"I've never seen that before, is it new?" Kayla frowns, craning her neck to get a look.
"Uh, yeah," the quiet girl blushes pink. "Ah, it was a graduation present. From Shawn. He gave it to me before he left."
"That was nice of him," I smile, noticing Stephen place a hand over Lexi's mouth to stop the brat from saying something stupid.
"It was. He's a good friend," Kayla adds, emphasizing the word friend when she notices Kwan's look of jealousy.
"That reminds me," Josh says from my side. "We all have gifts. Should we get them, Ian?"
"Right, yeah," Ian nods. "Mine are in Stephanie's car."
Marcia already has her gift from Shawn, so she stays with the others while Ian, Kayla, Josh, Stephanie, and I retrieve what we have. The five of us find a free table beneath one of the tents and sit down with our gift bags and boxes. Kayla looks a little sad and I can tell she's feeling like a fifth wheel.
"I guess I'll go first," Josh says quietly as he passes me a wrapped box with a card. "Happy Graduation, Ashley."
"Thanks, cutie!" I smile happily.
I open the card first, which turns out to be really sweet. Josh even has something written in it, thanking me for being the extrovert who adopted his introverted self. I give him a quick kiss before I open the box to reveal a charm bracelet. It's silver and has several charms; a couple of animals, a shoe because I love shoes, and the classic key to represent the key to his heart.
"I hope you like it," Josh whispers.
"I love it, baby," I tell him, grabbing the back of his head and kissing him passionately.
"Uh, guys?" Ian mumbles, trying to get our attention.
"Either start fucking or stop kissing, let's go!" Kayla interjects loudly.
"Kayla!" Stephanie giggles as I reluctantly release my sexy, skinny man.
"Sorry," I mutter, not feeling sorry at all. Then I grab a small bag. "This is for you, Josh."
"Thank you," Josh replies, taking the bag. He blushes when he extracts the first item, a book. "Uh..."
"You're a lucky man, Josh!" Stephanie laughs, clapping her hands.
"A book on sex positions, awesome," Kayla grins.
"We'll have all summer to get through these," I wrap an arm around Josh's shoulder and peck his cheek. "There's one more thing in there."
"Perfume?" Josh frowns in confusion as he looks at the small bottle.
"It's my favorite scent," I explain. "I read that a familiar scent is the best way to bring back a memory. This way, no matter how far away, you can remember me."
