Well, it was finally that time. The time everyone is always looking forward to. The time all teenager's look forward too. The time Monica was dreading! She knew that once she watched Nick walk across that stage, get his diploma and flip his tassel, would be a step closer to him heading back down to Florida. She didn't want that. She didn't want him to leave, not without them actually being an official couple.
"Hey you two, come on, let's get a picture!" Brian said as he pushed Nick and Monica together on the lawn outside their penthouse.
Nick put his arms around Monica and his cheek was touching hers. Monica's hand was up brushing with Nick's hair.
"I don't understand why you two just don't hook up already, I mean, look at you!!!!" Steffany said while recording it with her cam-corder.
"Ugh! Steff, please!" Monica said while turning bright red.
"What's the matter Mon, a little embarrassed are we?" Nick said while tickling her under her rib cage.
"NO! I am NOT! I just, No, I'm not!" Monica said while laughing.
"I think Steff is right! You two have alot of bottled up sexual tension!" Brian said while quickly running out of Nick's view after he made his final comment.
Steffany laughed hysterically as Brian grabbed her arm and dragged her to the car. Nick ran after them with Monica hanging onto his hand for dear life. "BRIAN!" They both screamed.
**********************************************************
Nick and Monica sat in the outside pavillion in their registered seats. Monica wasn't anywhere near Nick, but she couldn't do anything about that. It was had to do with the i.d. numbers they had. The whole senior class watched as the valedictorian spoke about the whole year and about the years to come. The next speaker came as a surprise to just about everyone in the audiance. Even Steff and Brian. Monica's eyes grew wide when she saw Nick step up to the podium.
"Class! The star scorer on your Basket ball team, and probably the most talented, nicest, down to earth guy you'll meet. Nick Carter. Nick, I would love to tell you what a joy you've been to have this year. We wish you the best of luck with everything!" The pricipal said as he shook his hand.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you very much."
"What is Nick doing up their?" Steff asked as she snapped away some pictures.
"Ugh! Your guess is as good as mine, babe!" Brian said as he watch, dumbfounded as Nick tapped on the microphone.
In the audiance their were quite a few "I love you Nick's" and a few "Take it off's". Monica laughed and then smiled and brought her attention to why Nick was up their.
"Hey everyone. I'm, well, I'm Nick Carter! Yeah, like ya'll don't know!" He said while laughing, and everyone laughed along with him. "You know? When I came to New York, I though it was gonna be real easy to just get my diploma and then get the heck out of here. But, I was wrong, I was sooooo wrong!" Monica shifted in her seat. "I've met alot of new friends, a few who will always remain in my heart." He said while looking at Monica and then looking at Steffany. "Alot of you took me under your wings and made me feel welcome. Even though I'm sure, it was a big adjustmant having young children waiting for the highschool bell to ring. Alot of you had to put up with my fans waiting just to catch a glimpse of me, and for that I'm really sorry." Nick said slightly embarassed. "But, now I've realised that when i leave, I'm not just taking home a diploma, I am taking home memories that will last me a life time." Some kids cheered and a few teachers cried. "Well, I guess school isn't all that bad, right? I've always wanted to play basket ball for a high school team, and pleasent valley made it possible! I've always wanted to take an exam, I know your thinking that is dumb, but it's true. And, well, pleasent valley made that possible also. I've always wanted the emptiness in my heart to be filled by someone special, and I think it's safe to say that pleasent valley succeeded in finding someone to do so." Nick looked over at Monica and tears began to build up. "Although all of you will remain in my heart, their is one special person that steals it from me. And her name is Monica." Nick said.
Everyone looked over at Monica. They knew who he was talking about because their senior class only has one Monica. She blushed and hid her face in her hands. "Oh, god!" She said.
"What did he say?" Brian asked.
"Oh lord!" Steff said.
"ANd right now, I know Monica is hiding under all of her hair because she is embarassed, but you know? Their is nothing to be embarassed about Mon, cuz I like you and that's all their is to it. Their I said it! Now, my heart is complete, the year of my life that I always wanted to redo, and relive has been relived in the best way possible. I know alot of you know Monica, probably longer then I have. But, she is the first one who came up to me and didn't know who I was. She was the one who I literally bumped heads with. She was the one that saved me. In more ways then one. And I guess I just wanted to say, infront of all of you and her of course, thank you and I love you." Nick said as he blew a kiss to Monica and then walked off of the podium.
************************************************************************
Back at the after party. Nick was talking with some of the guys from the basket ball team and Monica was in the corner talking to Steffany.
"SO, that was some speach huh?" Steff said.
"Yeah, you think? What am I supposed to say to that?" Monica said.
"What do you mean? You say 'thank you, i love you too.'"
"Steff, Nick is leaving in a few days. Everything he said could just be spur of the moment. I mean, I don't want to believe all the hype if it isn't true, ya know? I'm not like that. I can't have someone tell me they love me without showing it. Ugh! WHy is my life so complicated." Monica said while hitting her head up against the wall.
Nick saw this and exused himself from the other guys. He walked over to Monica. "Hey, can I talk to you outside?"
"Yeah, sure!" She said. The two of them walked out to the swing in the backyard. They both sat down on it and it swung back and forth steadily.
"Happy graduation." He said while kissing her on the cheek.
"Yeah, you too. Nice...uh..speach." She said while blushing.
"It was nice, wasn't it? Haha, yeah, I was quite nervous about giving it. But, I knew what I was saying was from the heart and everything. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course Nick, you can ask me anything you want!" She said.
"I just want you to know. Everything and I mean everthing I said up their was true. That is how I feel about all of you hear, and that is how I feel about you and only you. Please Monica, I want you to feel the same way. I understand if you don't, but It is true." He said while holding her hand.
"Nick...it's not that I don't believe you. Because I do! It's just that, it's, I, I'm afraid that If I get close to you right now, I'm never gonna see you again. And honestly, that scares me, it scares me so much. It is so strange that i can lov-, I mean, like someone so much and have them lov- i mean like me back." She said.
"Love! Say it, that's what I feel! And if you feel it, don't be afraid to say it! Just believe in yourself, and what you feel! I love you, Mon. I love you! Please believe that. And I am NOT, I mean NOT going to hurt you like that. I could never hurt you. Let's give us a try, what do ya say?" He said sweetly.
"A try as in dating?" She said while smiling.
"yeah, as in dating! What do ya say? Come on.....come on." Nick said while nudging her in the stomache.
"If I told you I loved you, what kind of answer would you take that as?" She asked slyly.
"Well, I would take that as a yes and then tell you the same thing." He said while pulling her closer.
"I love you." She said while kissing his cheek.
"Alrighty! Good, cuz I love you too!"
Nick and Monica stayed outside on the swing, swinging back and forth in a comforting rythem. Sure they were kissing, sure they were hugging, but it was different. Now, they were a couple. An official couple.