Neptune High Graduation

[watching_you]

Graduation at Neptune High is an event. Always has been. Neptune's rich and famous love to see their children all done up, and this event is no exception.

The auditorium is decked out in Pirate colours, green and yellow, and everything matches - the banners, the balloons, the gowns. There's an air of excitment, of pride, of anxiety.

Up on stage, Van Clemmons starts calling names.

Comments

[obligatoryass]

"It was awesome," he says, grinning. "I ruined mom's favorite rug. It was even more hideous than her taste in restaurants."

But Lynn never told Aaron what happened to it, not really, a fact he's also grateful for.

Logan's quiet for a long moment. They stop at a red light, and when it changes, and Trina's eyes are on the road again, he says, "Yeah."

Another pause.

"More than once or twice, really."

[dead_hooker_2]

"A whole three or four times, then," she says, looking over at him for just a second.

And then, because this isn't something they do, she changes the subject.

"I'd forgotten about that rug. The first time I stayed with them, after they got married, before you were born, I was like, terrified of that rug. I refused to walk on it. I made Dad carry me across."

[obligatoryass]

"Really?" he says, laughing. "I never heard that story."

Which is odd, because Lynn kind of loved telling those kinds of Trina stories in just the tone of voice that told everyone how dumb her adopted step-daughter was.

"I can't blame you, really. It was terrifying. I'm impressed we didn't go blind looking at it."

[dead_hooker_2]

Lynn's ability to make Trina sound stupid frankly pales in comparison to Trina's ability to make Lynn sound stupid.

Trina nods, and laughs. "Yeah. It was in the hall outside my room and I'd stand in the doorway and scream for Dad. After a day and a half, they moved it."

It was less about the rug than about proving to Lynn that Aaron would come get Trina if Trina wanted him to. And it worked.

"That rug looked like being really hung over feels."

[obligatoryass]

That's probably why Lynn stopped telling those stories, really.

"And I ruined it. I think I deserve a medal for that, don't you? At least a ceremony honoring my achievement."

[dead_hooker_2]

Probably.

Trina laughs, and turns abruptly into the parking lot of a McDonalds.

"How about if I buy you a chocolate milkshake? Or four?"

[obligatoryass]

"I'll drink as many as you buy," he promises, beaming. "But only if you promise not to bitch about how many calories are in every fry. And possibly eat a Chicken McNugget."

It's too bad the house burned down.They could go and let Logan ruin something else they hated.

[dead_hooker_2]

Let's hope McDonalds takes AmEx.

"No bitching," she promises, stopping the car. "Fries, milkshakes, McNuggets. Possibly a Happy Meal, with some sort of crappy plastic toy."

McDonalds cannot really be called "swank" and Logan's fake ID is gonna do him no good at all. But neither of those things really seem to matter, at the moment.

[obligatoryass]

If McDonald's will make Trina a good big sister for a fourth or fifth time, it becomes nearly holy, which is way better than swank, and booze is overrated compared to sibling bonding. Even for these two.

"Awesome," he says. "I'm thinking a double quarter pounder, too, so I can get good and sick. Too bad I can't ruin the dress mom wore to the Oscar's in the '80s. That thing was worse than the rug."

[dead_hooker_2]

It won't last, and they probably both know it, but it's nice, for a day, to be normal siblings.

"Oh that pink thing? God, what was she thinking? And, hey, it's not like it'll be the first time you've thrown up in my car, so no worries."

[obligatoryass]

Especially since it's the last chance they'll probably have for a really long time.

"Yeah, I mean, I know, it was the '80s and all, but still, someone should have known," Logan says, then laughs. "Dude, did you ever get that stain out? It was pretty skunky."

[dead_hooker_2]

That would seem to be a fair bet.

"Are you kidding? I sold the car."

[obligatoryass]

"Best possible move," Logan says. "That car kinda sucked anyway."

[dead_hooker_2]

"Well, it was no neon yellow Xterra or anything," she says. "Maybe we'll roll the windows down, though, for the trip home. I like this car."

It's a bright blue Audi. The Echolls kids don't go in for cheap or subdued, in their automobiles.

[obligatoryass]

"It's hot," Logan agrees. "The car, not the weather, but windows will be good. Sunroof too."

[dead_hooker_2]

"Thanks," she says.

She gestures expansively at the menu on the wall above the cash registers.

"So, what'll it be? Aside from milkshakes."

[obligatoryass]

"Double quarter pounder with cheese," Logan says. "Massive fries. And if you don't get a Happy Meal I might throw a fit."

[dead_hooker_2]

Five minutes later they're at a table, and true to her word, Trina is not bitching about the number of calories on the trays in front of them. (She is thinking about them, but she hasn't said a word.)

She's studying the Happy Meal toy. "What the hell is it supposed to be? Some kind of fish?"

[obligatoryass]

Logan is very please by her lack of audible calorie-counting.

Logan plucks the toy from her fingers. "Dinosaur, maybe?" he says, examining it closely. "I don't think it's anything that's alive in this era, anyway. Wonder why they made it chartreuse?"

[dead_hooker_2]

Trina laughs. "To give you something hideous to throw up on, obviously," she says, of the chartreuse dinosaur-fish thing.

[obligatoryass]

"Did you tell them I was coming?" Logan asks suspiciously. "That you had nefarious plans to stuff me full of junk food and then laugh at my misery?"

He flings the chartreuse dinosaur-fish thing at her. "Mean."

[dead_hooker_2]

"You're the one who insisted I order the damn thing," she point out, catching the chartreuse dinosaur-fish thing.

"It's oddly cute."

Sort of like her little brother.

[obligatoryass]

"You'd better keep it. It looks like it needs some looking after."

Also like her little brother. And Trina's better than no one.

[dead_hooker_2]

Maybe not a lot better, but somewhat.

Trina tucks the plastic toy into her bag.

"A momento of your graduation day. That won't require having the car detailed."

[obligatoryass]

"Aw, thanks, sis," he says. "I'm sure you'll treasure it forever."