fandomhigh | Fandom High Graduation Ceremony Class of 2007 Part I

The sun was shining high in the sky above the front lawn (not that this would matter to certain members of the audience since there was a nice awning and shaded pathways). A stage was set up with a podium and several seats for the administration and guests. Off to the side of the stage, a guitar for musical performances.

In front of the stage, blue and gold chairs were set for the largest graduating class in Fandom High history (not that it was a tough record to achieve), and to either side of those chairs were bleachers for students, family, friends, alumni, and residents of the town of Fandom who wanted to wtiness this event.

It was a beautiful day for a graduation.

[OOC: ~~Please wait for OCD.~~ You're good to go! This post is mostly for audience mingling, general graduation stuff, and such. Look for Part II with your standard Fandom Surprise early this afternoon.

It'll be kind of hard to miss the events of the second post, so you might want to hold off an any post-graduation posts for a while to avoid being Jossed.]

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"It's all I have," Callisto said. "Everything else gets taken from me."

"It's letting them win," Anakin said. "You are so much stronger than this, Callisto."

"No, I'm not."

"You took a gut wound and barely slowed down," Anakin said, voice intent. "This is just another kind of gut wound. You'll get through this if I have to drag you by the hair to do it."

Anakin sucked at motivational speeches.

Callisto's lips quirked at the visual. "If I was strong I wouldn't have let it happen."

Anakin shook his head again. "You didn't expect him to behave like that because who could? This is on him. If he's sleeping through the night, you should too."

"That's easier said than done."

Anakin gave her hand another squeeze. "I know," he said quietly. "But since when do you take the easy way on anything?"

Callisto rubbed her eyes with her free hand. "I mean it Anakin,I could barely sleep before, but now..."

"You see it all over again when you close your eyes," Anakin finished for her, eyes looking haunted. "I've been there." He shook his head. "Two weeks ago, I was there. I can help with that part, at least. If you'd like me to."

"And there's a lot of its."

"Ever feel a populated planet explode?" Anakin asked quietly. "I can help you."

"How?" Callisto asked, then "Why? I don't deserve it."

"Because you deserve more than this half-life you're allowing yourself," Anakin said vehemently. "Either live all the way or give up entirely. And you don't get the option of that second one."

"Why not?" Callisto said. "I'm a coward, a poison, a sickness, and I don't deserve to live."

"Don't make me start the hair pulling in front of all of these strangers," Anakin told her.

He wasn't kidding, either.

"I don't have many friends left and I'm not about to see you throw your life away for no reason," he continued, voice getting sharp.

Callisto rubbed at her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "I'm so bad, even the other monsters wanted me dead, is that the kind of person you want for a friend?"

Anakin put both of his hands on her shoulders. "It is," he said firmly.

Callisto bit her lip. "I want to believe you," she finally said, sounding ashamed. "I wish I could believe you."

Anakin leaned in, close enough that their foreheads were almost touching. "I'll believe enough for both of us for a while," he said. "Does that sound like an acceptable compromise?"

Callisto closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, guess it does."

Anakin ghosted his fingers across her cheek. "It's a place to start," he said softly.

Fandom High Graduation Ceremony Class of 2007 Part I - Saturday Afternoon

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