"Turning Point" Aintzane Klein took a big breath, smoothed her neck-length curly red hair, and made sure she was presentable. So...the day had finally arrived! In mere moments, the senior class of Stanton High School would be graduating, concluding one phase of life and starting the next. Frankly, she was a little nervous. Sure, it was a day she had looked forward to for a long time, but now that it was here... In the pit of her stomach, she felt nostalgic. Would she miss Stanton? Of course. She had attended all four years, and felt like the place was her home in a sense. Now, in just a few short hours, she would be released into the world, a fully-grown woman, along with at least a hundred other girls her age, some of whom she would never see again. She looked around to see everyone's reactions. A lot of her classmates were just chatting normally, like this day was any other. A few stood quietly, arms crossed with impatience. Some sat down, already tired of standing. A few were already hugging and crying. Zane noticed several talking to their boyfriends...and several others who clearly expressed interest in other girls. Quite an assortment they had there...and then she saw Vai, talking with Avelina, looking peaceful. Vai, so beautiful, so out of her reach, like all the other girls. Zane sighed wearily and wished this whole debacle was over. And then, to her surprise, it started. As the orchestra tuned up and the choir began to hum their first notes, the students filed out, each one reaching her seat, arranged alphabetically. Zane was glad she was sitting close to Vai, although one other girl separated them. She could see the older girl relax, ease up, and smile eagerly. She deserved this moment, having been held back a grade. Zane wanted to talk to her, say something, but the ceremony (and three shushing classmates) silenced her before she could get much out. "Vai," she said, "good luck." The valedictorian for the senior class was a woman named Miranda Street. May noticed June sink in disappointment and clasped her hand in support; Avelina blew out some steam. She had personally tutored Miranda in calculus, and this was the thanks she got? Of course, even if she had made the top honors, she probably would've just frozen, standing on that podium in front of all those people. Maybe Avelina and June dodged a bullet, because Miranda looked a little nervous and giddy up there. Her speech was lame and forgettable; it Bernadette Marbel, the Headmistress, who made the biggest impact. "Good afternoon," she said, and every student sitting there before her replied back: "Good afternoon." Marbel and Madsen, quietly sitting with the other faculty, smiled with pride. "It has been my high honor," continued the Head, "to oversee these fine young ladies for the past four years. We have all grown together: academically, socially, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and morally. Time," she said dramaticall; "time is something that is given to us all, to invest as we see fit. Over the course of four years, these young ladies, now full-fledged women, have demonstrated their capacities for greatness again and again. Every one of them deserves praise. "But, as the great rock star George Harrison once sang, all things must pass. Just as these women graduated from grade school to reach middle school, and then from there to reach high school, so too will they now ascend even higher, attaining levels our humble services could never give them. I ask you, what will you make of your future? Do not feel ashamed if you have no plans. Oftentimes what we have planned and what actually happens will greatly differ. It is not our foresight or our ambitions we must exercise, but our adaptability, our willingness to bend and adjust, the very will to persevere. I am sure, whatever the circumstances, the world will be in very good hands when these young women go out into it. I am proud of them all. "We will now begin handing out the diplomas, certifying a satisfactory completion of our school's curriculum. I ask for family and friends to please restrain your applause and admiration until the very end; then, join as one and congratulate them all. No one woman here is more or less worthy than the greatest praise than the other." As Sir Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" rose up to a stirring crescendo, she smiled, nodded to Janet Keys and Andeira Torvald, and one by one, announced the names of the graduates, starting first with Felicia Abner. As Ms. Marbel went down the list, a few people in the large crowd could not contain themselves and burst out, whistling and cheering. Marbel expected this reaction and did not frown upon it; rather, she smiled. "Alisha Fox!" she said. Somewhere in the crowd, Erica whistled loudly and clapped her hands, giving her sister a lone standing ovation. Alisha walked up to Andeira Torvald, hugged the woman, received her diploma, and shook hands with Marbel. A few more students later... "Aintzane Rikke Klein!" The crowd was mostly silent; Zane felt awkward walking up, but she got a supportive smile from Mrs. Keys and a warm grin from the Head. "Vairocana Knox!" Another silent reception; Vai sighed glumly. Oh well. She didn't expect a roaring crowd. Her mothers, bursting with pride, held hands and snapped photos madly. "Lilian Nachtheim!" Gabrielle roared as loud as she could, making a few teachers chuckle. Lilian waved quietly and walked up, hugging Torvald and Marbel's hand. She even bent down to embrace Madsen, who whispered her support in the young woman's ear. "Kathlyn Parkin!" The whole soccer team, even the seniors, stood up and screamed her name—"Go, Katt!" Parkin grinned shyly and accepted her diploma at long last, and took the time to hug Leena. Marbel gave her a warm smile and her final blessings, fully confident that the two women would lead happy lives. "Avelina Marcella Rohani!" Ethan fought to stand and cheer; her parents sat with him, adding to his voice. Even Ethan's adopted mother came along, supporting her son and his beloved. Avelina blushed once she was on the stage, but took her diploma with grace and sat back down. "May Romia Tramble!" A quiet howl erupted from where Janine and the others sat; May just smiled humbly and waited for her sister to be called. "June Rhea Tramble!" A second howl came from Janine's area, and the crowd lightly applauded as June wheeled up, took her diploma, and wheeled back down, ecstatic beyond words. "Alexis Walker!" A tepid spattering of applause followed. X didn't care; she knew the person who cared for her the most was out there, beaming with pride. For this moment alone, she was glad, and actually wept a little as she dismissed herself and went back to her seat. And finally... "Raisa Lanceten Zanders!" Ana Lu shouted at the top of her lungs; Rai giggled and waved in her girlfriend's general direction. Since her name was so far down the alphabet, she figured she was the very last to receive her diploma—but two more came after her, Harriet Zephyr and Beth Zworykin (no relation to the "television man"). At last, once all the girls were seated, Marbel bade them to stand and move their tassels. "Friends, family, beloved ones, everyone...I am proud to present to you the Class of 2005! Class...you are dismissed!" And with that, the women threw their caps into the air, finally ready to take that next amazing step into life. ............ Avelina got tackled by her parents and Ethan almost instantly. She screamed and laughed for joy, feeling heavenly heights well beyond the limits of Cloud Nine, and kissed them all madly. The two lovebirds were soon joined by Carlisle Renchina, who came as promised to see her friends take that great big leap. She had already expressed her happiness to Rai and Alexis; now it was their turn. "So what next?" she asked them. The two looked at each other and smiled. "Um...marriage!" "Avi!" She giggled and waved politely. "Just kidding. It's still too early for that. Actually, I was thinking about enrolling in a local college. I finally feel like my days of being a rolling stone are over. It's time I gathered some moss!" Carly gave Ethan a puzzled stare; he just smiled and said he'd explain it later. They were later joined by X, Ana, and Rai, who all shared one great big hug and countless photos. "What about you two?" asked Ana, who thought X and the Wrench were a couple. The two mechanics traded a glance. "I'm taking milady out to dinner tonight. Maybe I could give some of you a lift on our way home. Where do you all live?" They all gave her four different responses, none of which sounded that appealing. She stared back and crooned, "It's your future! I see...a cab ride! Get yourselves a nice apartment, kids, and move out of the sticks. Zanders, Lu, you ladies take care. Rohani, Nick, I wish you both the best." "Thank you, Carly. Thanks for everything. See you soon?" "As soon as soon is," she replied vaguely. Taking Alexis into her arm, she walked away, pointing to the younger woman. "Now you see that? Respect! Respect for one's elders and one's debtors. It shows character." "I have character," X argued. Carly grinned. "Just because you are a character, that doesn't mean you have any." "So," said Rai, Ana clinging onto her, "you two up for some lunch? I'm taking Ana out to Applebee's." "Sounds nice. Ethan, why don't we take that car?" He chuckled and gave her a soft kiss. "Of course, of course. Do you two have a ride?" "Naturally. Just follow us, all right?" "'Kay. Let me tell Avelina's parents first." Ana and Rai followed them, smiling all the way. When they finally made it out to the parking lot, Ana was mildly surprised that Rai no longer had her car. Instead, she opted for a motorcycle, something that instantly seemed to suit her masculine aura. Ana whistled and hopped on, embracing her lover from behind. "Cool," she regarded. Rai smiled. "Thanks, but it's not mine." "Whose motorcycle is this?" "It's a chopper, babe." "Whose chopper is this?" "Ned's." "Who's Ned?" "Ned's dead, baby," said Rai as she started the chopper up. "Ned's dead." Ana shook her head in confusion, shrugged, and held on tight as she and her girlfriend rode off into the horizon. Ned wasn't really dead. ...... Alisha Fox had been through a lot, but it was now safe to say that she liked her life. She and her sister were on good terms again, she had a wonderful girlfriend, she was now graduated and already had a promising career ahead of her...life was definitely nice. The celebration they all shared that day was mild but fun, the Fox sisters trading barbs as usual and Olivia soaking it all up. She was glad to be away from her friends for once: those tittering little girls were really starting to influence her in a bad way. Alisha and Erica weren't that different, but at least they were new, and Olivia could look at them differently, particularly the elder sister. The trio went home for the evening, and were soon joined by Jocelyn, Allie, and Corona: the perfect recipe for a wild sleepover. What the girls did there was not suitable for written records, but it was safe to say that they all had fun and grew closer in love. Erica spent the night making sweet love to Jocelyn, the girl of her dreams, and finally felt like the two of them would have a real, honest chance at a relationship. Alisha and Olivia shared a bed as well, but opted to skip sex. Just being in each other's arms was sufficient. "I am so lucky," Olivia whispered, "to have a sweetheart like you as a girlfriend." "Hmm...yeah? You should see me when I get pissy." "I've seen you pissy. I still love you. It's cute in a way." "Oh? Really? Well what about your dark side?" "Mmm," purred Johnson, "that's a story for another time, beautiful." Alisha laughed and snuggled closer, feeling happiness and sleepiness overwhelm her much as the loving arms of her girlfriend enveloped her and rocked her slowly into slumber. ...... May felt she owed Janine for skipping out on their first night spent as lovers, so she stayed in bed the whole time until Janine woke up. What an experience! It was one thing to spend the whole night naked, and another to spend it with her friend by her side, but to curl up with that heavenly scent and that magical touch of bare womanly skin...oh, it made her dizzy! She smiled sweetly as she and Janine woke up, and shared several timid kisses before crawling out to freshen up. Most of their day was spent in leisure, watching movies or playing games. They didn't even stop to eat; they both microwaved a big bowl of popcorn and shared it as they blew through yet another romantic comedy film. The only real break in their activities came when May hopped out to get the mail. Her eighteenth birthday was just around the corner, so she was expecting cards and presents any day now (naturally, Janine had already given May her "present"). She toddled back inside the house, shutting the door with her foot as she sorted through the mail. It was mostly junk, but one letter stood out to her. "Oh my goodness," she whispered breathlessly, feeling her body lift with delight. It was from one of the colleges she had applied for, the one she had her heart set on! Janine walked over as her girlfriend numbly tore it open and folded the letter out. A few suspenseful seconds passed as she read it...and then finally squealed, jumping for joy. "I got in! I got accepted! I'm going to college! YAAHH!!!" Janine hopped up and down as well, overjoyed for her girlfriend. She knew how important this was, and was glad that May got into the one she wanted. The two kissed passionately for awhile, sharing quiet smiles together...but May gradually became distant. "Wait," she whispered, suddenly feeling her heart sink. "Wait. There's bad news too. Janine...this was the college I wanted to go to, more than any one, but...well, it's two states over. I'm going...to have to move." The full scope of May's words didn't sink in until later. Oh no. May was going to have to move, to another state. "Oh," managed Janine, feeling crushed. Sure she was glad that her girlfriend got accepted to the college of her choice, but...this would now separate them. "May...you know, it won't be so bad. You're only two years ahead of me. It won't be that long before we can...be together again." "It's going to be so tough," said May, her voice thick with emotion. "We just got together, and now this. I mean...I'm overwhelmed, and I want to enroll, but—" "No, honey, no buts," said Janine, taking her hand as she scooted closer. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. This is the opportunity of a lifetime! I am so...happy for you!" She leaned in to kiss May's cheek, and boldly moved to her lips, sucking their sweet taste in greedily—knowing that in just a few short weeks, the love of her life would be gone. She tried to grin, for May's sake, as she added, "Besides, it's only two years, and we can see each other over the winter and summer holidays. And we'll keep in touch, right?" "...Yeah," she croaked, nearly on the verge of tears. She laughed out of sadness and kissed Janine's hands. "Yeah. Two years. We can wait that long. And we'll certainly communicate. Yeah...it won't be so bad. I think we need to have a talk, though." "Yeah," she agreed. Janine suddenly realized there was something missing—and before it was too late, she wanted to fill that in, to make up for the loss. "...I'm in love with you," she announced. May stared at her, first in amazement, then in love. "Then we really need to talk!" she exclaimed. The two shared a giggle, scooted close, took hands, and looked once again into each other's eyes—together. ...... Kathlyn Parkin packed the last of her boxes in the car, took a deep breath, and looked at her old run-down house for the last time. Her brother Matt was now a permanent resident of his friend's house, leaving Mom and Dad to take care of things on their own. Kathlyn was overjoyed with her newfound freedom: with her eighteenth birthday and graduation now just memories, there was nothing holding her back from the life she yearned for. After double-checking everything, she hopped into the car she borrowed from her older brother and drove off, swearing to never set foot inside that destructive place again. It didn't take her long to find the familiar apartment complex. Her hands shook with excitement as she turned the ignition off, opened the door, dashed out (forgetting everything else), and burst into the main door. In spite of her weak lungs, she vaulted up the stairs and made her way to the abode of her love, her life, her savior and her sweetheart, and knocked. The smile on Leena's face was priceless as she welcomed Kathlyn into her arms. "I'm home!" she exclaimed, meaning every word. ...... June smiled up at Victoria as they met in the park, but young Grissom was not so enthusiastic. She shied away when June tried to kiss her, and kneaded her hands anxiously. The young woman clearly had things on her mind, and with a heavy heart, she knelt down, took June's hand, and looked her in the eye. "Sweetie, what's the matter?" asked Tramble. Victoria knew this was going to be hard for both of them, but she had to be true to her heart. She could no longer deny her real feelings. She had to be honest. "June," she squeaked sadly, "I...I'm breaking up with you." ...... The faculty of Stanton gathered together at a local Chili's to celebrate the passing of one year and the prospect of another. As they all sat around the table, laughing and chatting, Bernadette Marbel couldn't help but smile with pride. So many wonderful women here, each dedicated to mentoring the world's future leaders and workers, every one of them a cherished part of her life. There was Hitomi and Abigail, affianced and beaming; there was Janna and Abi, timidly testing the waters of their own relationship, and Janet Keys, her dear friend and advisor, taking time to relax and unwind. Over in the corner were Elspeth and Sonia, holding hands and flirting as always. There was Emma and Sarah, talking politics with Dr. Andrews; and Samantha, dear woman, who was now at peace with herself and her new path in life. Leena was there too, laughing with the others, sparing Marbel glimpses of gratitude and thanks. Finally, there was Andeira, the person whom Bernadette felt the most satisfaction towards. The brave woman was sacrificing her own chance at a new life to resume this one, selflessly trudging on despite whatever might be thrown in her direction. She loved them all, and as soon as she could, stood to toast them and the year that had passed. "I want to thank you all for continuing your excellent work this year," she began. "Stanton's school for girls would never function without you. You are the true heroes of today's world, spreading the greatest tools our future leaders can have to shape the world into a better place. I salute you all." They all raised their glasses and drank; she resumed, less formally. "I must admit, I'm glad those crazy seniors are out of our hair!" The whole bunch laughed and applauded; some even whistled. "But of course, we'll have a whole new batch of first-year students coming shortly, so don't think you're all getting off easily! I want to see all of you working our students hard, pushing them to new levels, preparing them for the world outside of school. Take this summer vacation well, my friends," she advised them. "We only have two and a half months to rest up before we do it all over again." EXEUNT Once upon a time you dressed so fine You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you? People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall" You thought they were all kiddin' you You used to laugh about Everybody that was hangin' out Now you don't talk so loud Now you don't seem so proud About having to be scrounging for your next meal. How does it feel How does it feel To be without a home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone? You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely But you know you only used to get juiced in it And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it You said you'd never compromise With the mystery tramp, but now you realize He's not selling any alibis As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes And ask him do you want to make a deal? How does it feel How does it feel To be on your own With no direction home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone? You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns When they all come down and did tricks for you You never understood that it ain't no good You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat Ain't it hard when you discover that He really wasn't where it's at After he took from you everything he could steal. How does it feel How does it feel To be on your own With no direction home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone? Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe You used to be so amused At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal. How does it feel How does it feel To be on your own With no direction home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling stone?
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