“So, are you looking forward to graduation?” Jayne asked, bringing Raven’s attention off her alluring boyfriend.
“Yes,” she sighed. “Tomorrow, I’ll walk away with that piece of paper in a silly hat and gown, and then it’ll all be over.”
Raven didn’t think it was necessary to go all the way back to Gable just for the ceremony. She was happy to receive her papers through the post, like Beck had, but he’d been adamant that she have the ceremony ‘that she deserved’.
Beck squeezed her hand.
“It’ll be great, I promise,” he said, nudging her knee with his. “Besides, Ava and the girls wouldn’t let you hear the end of it if you didn’t.”
“Oh God, don’t I know it! They’ve been planning their outfits all week,” she giggled.
“It’s a special occasion, honey,” Jayne smiled. “We can’t wait to see you up there.”
Yeah, looking like an idiot, graduating with the others who were juniors when I left.
“Dinner time!” Raven stood as the oven timer sounded. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“I’ll help you.” Jayne stood and began to follow Raven into the kitchen.
“You don’t have to, Mom,” she said, shaking her head. “Beck can…”
“
I’ll
help,” her mom insisted. “Let the boys catch up. Your dad needs some guy time.”
“He was with his work friends just this morning.”
“Yeah, but that was work; this is leisure.” Jayne linked Raven’s arm and led her to the kitchen. “Plus, I think your dad just wants to check up on you two.”
“Mom,” Raven complained. “We’ve been living together for a few months now. I don’t think either of you need to check on us.”
“Try telling your father that,” Jayne chuckled. “You’ll always be his baby girl.”
Raven playfully rolled her eyes. She looked over to where Beck and her father had moved to. They were by standing just outside the large glass doors, on the balcony. She couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but they looked engrossed, and whatever it was, her dad was leading the conversation. Raven smiled when she spotted Beck glancing to her. He did that a lot when they weren’t standing together. It was as though he was always checking where she was, that she was close.
Raven and her mother dished out the food and headed to the dining area. Raven had picked out a beige marble topped table with wooden chairs; the seat cushions matching the table color. She’d momentarily regretted her decision when Beck had decided to lie her on it; naked. The cold surface had made her scream, but Beck had quickly warmed her up, as always.
“Boys!” Jayne called out. “Dinner’s on the table.”
Beck and Georgio made their way to the table, pulled out the chairs for Raven and her mom to sit first, and then took their seats next to them.
“This looks good, babe,” Beck said, before kissing Raven on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“It does,” Georgio agreed.
“Have you decided if you’re staying over?” Jayne asked, when they began eating.
“We’ve booked a hotel near to the college,” Raven replied. “It’s probably going to be tiring driving all the way back after the ceremony. We’ll be sticking around the area, and then drive back the next morning.”
There was no addition from the men. Raven looked between them and saw that their attention was solely on what they were devouring on their plates.
She and her mom burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” her dad asked after swallowing.
“Did I miss something?” Beck asked, glancing to Jayne and then back to Raven.
“No,” she laughed. “We’re laughing at the pair of you.”
“We’re talking about the trip and you two are zoned in on your plates.” Jayne added.
“This is good stuff,” Beck said, pointing to his food. “Raven’s an amazing cook.”
“You are honey,” Georgio added, swallowing another fork full. “It tastes exactly like my mamma’s. Perfetto.” Georgio kissed his fingers tips.
“Thanks.” Raven shook her head, laughing at the pair of grown men eating like hungry teenagers.
“Now you know what I do to shut your dad up,” Jayne mock whispered. “Just cook him some of his mother’s food and he’s silent for at least five minutes.”
“Hey!” Georgio complained around a mouthful of food.
Beck grinned.
*****
Here goes!
Raven took a deep breath and walked up the steps to the stage to accept her scroll. Her knees were shaking as all eyes were on her as she made her way over to the Dean.
“Congratulations, Ray,” he gushed, shaking her hand with vigor. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you,” she replied, turning for the photographer to take their picture.
Looking out over the crowd, Raven found Beck, her parents, uncle Mike, and her friends. They were all clapping wildly and cheering for her.
‘I love you’; Beck mouthed to her. Raven mouthed the same in reply.
She managed to get down the other steps without falling and took her seat with the other students who were also graduating.
She hadn’t seen any of them since she left, and none of them would have known she was studying again until she arrived in her blue cap and gown.
“How have you been Ray?” A blonde girl asked from next to her. “I thought you’d left.”
“I did,” Raven replied. “I started again but studied off campus.”
She didn’t want to share anything more than that. It wasn’t anybody else’s business to know.
“I heard about what Kato did.”
Raven’s eyes snapped to the pretty girl. “What?” she asked.
“Yeah. Word got out that he’d faked some sort of letter. Something about you and Beck, and that’s why he left. Is that true?”
Raven blew out a controlled breath. “Kato’s a lying piece of shit and if I ever get my hands on him, he’ll be sorry he was born. Now, if Beck gets his hands on him…”
“Whoa.”
“Exactly.”
“So how are you both now?”
“Well we live together.”
“That’s great!”
“It is.” Raven couldn’t
help smiling as she answered.
The Dean took to the podium and began his long speech about the past year. What he hopes for the graduating students and wishing them luck on their journey.
Raven tried looking back to the family and friend’s section to catch a peek at Beck, but she couldn’t see him for the other blue caps.
The speech seemed to drag on for hours, but when it was finally over, Raven stood with the others, clapped and then rushed to find everyone.
Blue gowns were everywhere, and families were pushing through, making it difficult for Raven to get to them.
“Congratulations sweetie!” her mom screeched when she finally got through.
“Thanks, mom,” she said over the noise.
“Well done, honey. I’m proud of you,” her dad added, hugging her, along with her mom. Mike quickly joined in her suffocation.
Raven saw their eyes filled with tears as they group hugged.
“You look damn fine in your robes girl!” Ava squealed, then laughed as she and the girls banded round her for hugs. Donnie joined in, but there was somebody missing.
“Where’s Beck?” she looked around again, but couldn’t see him anywhere. “Where is he?”
Her heart raced. She knew he wouldn’t have left. No that wasn’t possible.
She placed a hand on her stomach as it flipped.
“Honey,” Ava said in a soothing voice. “He said to give you this.”
Raven looked down at the piece of paper Ava had held out for her. Her hand was shaking as she took it, and carefully unfolded it to see his neat scrawl across the small white sheet.
‘Meet me in the library’,
it said.
Raven looked up to see a smile playing at the corner of Ava’s lips.
“What’s this?” Raven asked.
“Go and find out,” Ava said with a shrug, as if she was as clueless as she. “He just asked me to give that to you before he disappeared.”
Taking off her cap and gown, she handed them to Ava before she left. Her long, flowing, red skirt swished against her legs as she went.
With her heart jack hammering in her chest, Raven rushed across the campus green to the library building. When she got there, there was a sign on a stand near the door.
‘Closed for graduation day.’
That didn’t make sense. Why would Beck ask her to meet him there if it was closed?
Looking around to make sure nobody was watching, Raven tried the door.
It was unlocked.
Carefully opening it, she walked inside, closing it behind her.
The lights were off, but the suns rays coming in from the skylights cast a low glow through the building.
“Beck?” she whisper shouted in the dark, vacant space.
There was no reply to her call, so she continued further inside.
Raven could hear her own heartbeat it was so quiet. It was so strong she could feel the pulse throbbing in her neck.
“Beck?” she asked again. “Are you in here?”
There was still no answer, and Raven was becoming scared. She walked a few more paces until she arrived at the back of the library.
Rounding the corner they had frequented, she saw books on the table, some paper, and a couple of pencils.
Looking closer, she saw they were the same books they used to study for their economics class.
There was something written on the papers. She couldn’t make it out from where she stood, so she stepped closer.
‘Beck loves Raven’,
one said, with a heart surrounding it.
'Raven loves Beck’,
said another, also inside a heart.
Raven smiled, her chest filling with emotion. She placed her hand over her heart as her eyes filled with tears.
“Hi baby,” Beck said quietly, making Raven jump.
“Beck!” she squeaked, turning quickly. “You scared me half to death.”
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I just wanted to make sure you got here. To this spot.”
“What’s going on?” she asked, narrowing her eyes as Beck’s lips turned up into a devilish grin.
“You’ll see.” Beck walked towards her with careful, controlled steps, and Raven’s mouth watered as her eyes took in the way his jeans hugged his hips and his impressive bulge as he walked. “My eyes are up here,” he smirked.
Raven’s eyes shot up to his, her face flaming -she had no idea why- but they lowered to roam over his ripped torso that was encased in a plain black tee, with a small D&G logo over his left pec.
Hang on…
Raven realized Beck had changed. He was wearing a navy blue tee earlier, with darker jeans. This outfit was…
The same one I dreamt about!
“Beck…” she said when he got up close. “What are you doing?”
“Oh baby,” he sighed. “I’m just making your dreams come true… and mine.”
Raven gasped when Beck backed her into the bookcase, pressing his hard body into hers, suffocating her with his clean, citrus scent. His hands stroked down her arms, until they reached her hands.
He lifted her arms above her head, and tilted to look into her eyes.
“I got you right where I want you,” he said against her lips, before crushing his mouth to hers.
Raven whimpered as his tongue entered her mouth, swirling and tasting hers as his lips covered hers.
All too soon, he broke the kiss, attacking the side of her neck instead.
“Oh
God!”
she squealed out loud, her voice echoing in the emptiness.
Beck pushed his hips forward, his hardness pressing into her, making her core flood, and the rest of her body to heat. Her skin prickled as the flushes spread through her, the tingles gathering in her center.
“Raven,” he growled against her skin. “I want you, baby. Right here, right now.”
“Holy shit!” Raven breathed. Her eyelids fluttered as Beck worked his mouth down her neck to her chest. He turned her hands so she could grip the shelf, then his hands slid down her arms until they reached her breasts. Cupping her orbs, he kneaded them through the red fabric of her vest, circling his thumbs over her hard peaks.
His fingers gripped the neckline, and he gently pulling the stretchy fabric, along with her bra, down to free her breasts.
Her back arched when his mouth closed round her nipple, licking her bud before blowing across it.
“Beck,” she moaned, her hips pushing towards him.
Her core throbbed with need. The pulsing between her legs growing stronger by the second.
Beck moved to the other breast, but his hands moved down.
Down over her stomach, her hips, and then her skirt began to lift, inching up her legs as he bunched it in his hands.
“You’re so wet for me, aren’t you?” he asked against her skin when his hand stroked up her leg, dipping into her panties. “So ready for me already.”
“Oh yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her breath hitched as his fingers slowly entered her, stroking inside her, rubbing her hard nub with his thumb.
Raven ground against his hand, chasing her release when his fingers left her.
Raven opened her eyes to see Beck looking at her intently.
His hands lifted her skirt higher, stopping when he reached her waist. He gently pulled her away from the bookcase and into his chest.
“Is this how it went?” he asked against her lips as he gripped the elastic on her waist band and pushed her skirt down until it pooled at her feet. “Did I do this to you?” He gripped the bottom of her tank and guided it up her stomach, over her breasts, and off.
Raven nodded, her breaths shaking as they left her, her hands trembling as she lifted them.
Beck removed her top, dropping next to her skirt. Her bra followed, and she was standing in just her white panties.
She gripped the hem of his tee, but Beck stopped her, and shook his head.
“It never happened like that,” he smiled. “You told me what I did.”
Raven licked her lips, and swallowed the saliva that pooled in her mouth as Beck removed his tee painstakingly slow. She didn’t mind too much because she got to watch his muscles twist and flex as he moved.
She stared at his hands as they undid the buckle on his belt, and lowered the zipper. He pushed his jeans down to his thighs, letting them fall the rest of the way.