Billie stood beside his bed, his day clothes already on. I could tell he'd already showered since his hair was still slightly wet, hanging a little over his forehead. His arms were folded firmly as he looked down at me.

I, who was still laying lazily in his bed, looked back up at him with a groan. "What Billie?"

"Get up,"

"Five more minutes," I mumbled, placing my arm over my own eyes.

Quickly feeling my arm tugged back, I looked at Billie who took my hand and pulled me into a sitting up position. I huffed again looking back at him. "What is it,"

"You've got your graduation to go to,"

"Psh- I'm not going,"

"What!?"

I squinted back at him confused. "What?"

"Mallory you can't not go- it's graduation!"

I threw myself back into the mattress with a third groan. "You sound like Esme," I muttered afterwards.

"Get up." He sighed, picking my hand up again as he pulled me back to sitting up. "You've got to go. You need your degree,"

Funny enough, after all the if, buts and maybes of me possibly graduating this year. I was. Making a few phone calls in our free time yesterday, we had found out I had finally done it.

And like Billie, with the news. I really wasn't really that much excited.

I guess I knew I'd graduate this year. That or I would've failed school. I had already been held back enough.

"We can just pick it up later," I waved him off, attempting to lay back down, but Billie pulled me back before my back even hit the mattress.

"No- you've got to collect it at graduation,"

"Aww Billie, can't I just skip it?"

"You wanna skip?"

"I don't wanna go!" I whined, sounding like a child. "Most of those teachers didn't even think I would. I hate mostly all the students and it's just such a waste of time,"

He stared at me for a few silent seconds. Thinking about whatever, assuming it was what I'd just said. Although I could tell he wasn't too happy with my choices of wanting to skip it, he must've come to the realisation in his brain storm that there was nothing he really could've said to change my mind.

"I guess I should've seen it coming," He shrugged with a tiny smile. "Now get up, you got a shift at the café in half hour,"

~

After completing my shift at the Café, Billie came and picked me up. My shift had taken over my graduation, orignally Billie wanted me to ring up and cancel today's shift to attend grad, but of course I didn't go.

I finished up wiping the last table with a sigh, before looking over at Lana who had her faces stuffed into a magazine behind the till. Waiting for more customers too come in.

"Think I'm done." I spoke out, dropping the cloth on the table.

She looked up at me and over at the tables, nodding confirming I was done for the day as I sighed in relief. Taking my apron off as she looked back down at her magazine.

"What happened to graduation?" She asked randomly.

I looked back at her confused. But her eyes were still down on the pages. "How do you know about graduation?"

She shrugged. "Some staff cancelled to attend, did you not graduate?"

She mustn't of been that interested. Maybe just nosy, since her eyes were still reading the latest fashion weeks outfits.

"I did graduate." I grunted slightly, folding the apron in my arms. "I just didn't wanna show up,"

Billie walked in the door around the same time I finished my sentence. The mini bell dinging above as I looked over. A smile on my face as he looked over at me. "Hey there." I smiled walking over with him to the till.

Since when always picking me up, he picked himself a coffee up as well.

"How's the shift been?" He greeted.

"Long,"

He turned over to Lana behind the toll who was already looking at him waiting for his order. Like the senile lady she was. He asked her for a plain coffee before she placed her magazine down and walked away.

"We're going up to school next," He told me, leaning his elbow on the counter.

"Excuse me?"

He chuckled slightly at my reaction. "We've gotta go pick up your diploma, idiot,"

I grunted in frustration, like a child being dragged to the grocery store by their mom as Billie took his coffee from Lana in a paper cup. Walking away as I dragged my feet behind him.

We got in his car as I moaned the whole time about having to show my face to reception after skipping my own grad, but Billie of course zoned me out with radio music.

The car parked up outside the school as Billie looked over at me. I only rolled my eyes opening the cars door and getting out his car.

"Coffee?" Billie asked offering me his coffee cup as he walked along side me to the front of the school.

I denied. "Rather a loaded gun please,"

"It'll only take five minutes Mallory,"

We buzzed into schools main reception, walking to the front desk to the obviously tired lady waiting to go home. She dragged her eyes up over at me as I coughed. "I'm here to pick up my diploma please,"

"From graduation?" She questioned. I nodded awkwardly, Billie standing close behind me.

She wheeled her chair over to another desk. Searching through desk draws and through paper files. I watched her fumble around for a long moment. Loosing my patience fast as I began tapping my foot. Before Billie nudged me and I refrained from continuing.

The door re opened as a voice spoke in our silence. "Well hello There Billie Joe,"

Oh I knew that voice from anywhere.

"Oh hi there Mr Armstrong." Miss Davis smiled to him as she repeatedly twirled the same bit of her scraggily blonde hair around her finger.

Was she- did she have a crush on him?

Oh and then again when I was doing my test-

"Wonder how Billie Joe's doing," Miss Davis spoke up in a breathable voice after a moment of nothing.

I felt my skin twitch for a second. Ripping the sentence of 'he's doing great' out my mind of saying.

"I'd almost forgotten about him," The other teacher replied laughing.

"Gosh- how could you? He was a fine piece of-"

I coughed. Purposely of course. Miss paused.

Then-

She walked back, grabbing a cup of already dispensed coffee. Saying goodbye to Miss Williams as she began to walk off.

Before I just- "He's doing great by the way,"

Miss paused, looking over at me confused not understanding. "Huh?"

"Mr Armstrong," I smiled. "He's doing great,"

Well there she was. My old English teacher. Now seeing me beside Billie Joe. Think she understands what I meant now?

Maybe I should budge a little closer.

I shifted slightly, brushing against Billies side closely. My eyes peering behind Billies back and over at her. But she wasn't even looking at me.

"Long time no see," Billie replies, pleasant tone. Of course not rude.

"Nice to see you again," She gave a bashful smile.

And then I gave my famous cough.

That's when her eyes looked to me.

"Mallory?" She noticed, sounding confused.

"Yes,"

"You weren't here at graduation this morning?"

"I'm collecting my diploma now,"

She squinted, but tried to regain from an obvious confusion as she looked from me to Billie Joe. "How come your back Billie Joe?" She asked him, tone changing to chirpy. "Forget something?"

"Oh no," he shook his head with a small laugh of entertainment. "I'm just here with Mallory,"

That's when she understood my comment.

"Mallory Valentine," The woman at the front desk finally spoke up. I looked over at her as she pulled a ravelled piece of paper out of some locker draw, a red ribbon tied around it. "Here it is," she smiled, wheeling back over to behind the glass. "Nicely tied for you,"

"Awesome," I smiled, taking it from here as she posted it through the window of the glass. Billie nudged me suttely with his elbow. "Thank you-" I spat out instantly from Billies action. "I meant thank you,"

She smiled with a nod. I looked over at Billie as he smiled back at me, looking over his shoulder at Miss Davis. "Nice seeing you." He departed, before walking away.

She opened her mouth confused, looking at me. I just really gave a smile before following Billie out.

~

"Isn't this fancy?" I asked Billie, sat next to him on his sofa as I re tied the red ribbon around my diploma for the third time.

"Y'know if you're gonna sit there passing yourself that piece of paper all day you would've really enjoyed grad," He chuckling with a head shake, looking down at some papers of his own to do with his album.

"Aww c'mon Bill- here," I poked him in his arm with the end of the paper. He looked over at me confused. "Pass it me,"

"Huh,"

"Take it,"

Confused, he dropped the papers in his lap Taking mine from my hand.

"Alright... now... pass it me,"

"But-"

"-C'mannnn Billie, don't be boring,"

"It's just-"

"-C'mon!"

He rolled his eyes, refraining from smiling effortlessly passing the diploma over.

"C'mon, you can put more umph into it then that,"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Put effort into it! Y'know? You can't just causally pass over a diploma it's gotta be fancy,"

"Maybe if you went to grad than-"

"-This is my grad." I told him. "Now pass me the diploma with effort,"

He huffed out, refraining himself from smiling as he placed his original papers down. I smiled satisfied, shifting in my seat ready to take the piece of paper from him.

But before he could even pass the stupid thing over to me.

His phone rang.

"For fuck sake." I sighed, snatching the paper from him.

He pushed his lips together. "Sorry Mal." Before answering his phone and beginning to leave the room. "Hello?"

I watched him walk out. Not closing the door fully behind him. I could easily hear his voice echoing through the hallway where we was stood speaking.

"I'm filling the paper work in now," he huffed, in what sounded like an aggravated tone. I only could've guessed it was some important paper work.

Then he continued. "Yes, I'm aware," The same tone. "When are we flying out?"

Flying out? Excuse me?

"Shit- I best get packing,"

What? Where an earth is he going? Packing what?

"Yes. I'll get on packing soon, I hadn't realised it was so close." There was a pause. "No, I've not told her yet- look Tre will you just leave it with me?"

If Billie goes, what the fuck happens to me?

Sure I don't just disappear, but who will I have? Why would he not say anything? If Billie leaves where do I go?

I guess realising Billies album taking off would be more serious than I thought.
Would he really leave me behind?