Chapter One
It was the day after graduation. The entire group was together, making plans for their last summer together. The previous summer they all had summer jobs at the Evan country club, Lava Springs.
"So, Sharpay, are you and Zeke ready for New York?" Gabriella asked, taking a bite of her potato salad. Zeke was going to school in New York while Sharpay was going on Broadway.
Sharpay looked at her boyfriend and smiled. "As ready as we'll ever be." Zeke had a chance to go to school abroad but he wanted to be with Sharpay so he made a huge sacrifice for her and for that she loved him even more.
"Don't let her fool you." Zeke smiled. "She's ecstatic to be finally going on Broadway." Everyone laughed.
"What about you, Kelsi, where are you going?" Troy asked. No one had to ask where everyone else was going? Troy, Gabriella, and Jason were staying local. They were all three going to the University of Albuquerque. Taylor had gotten into Yale, and surprisingly so did Chad. Martha was going to school in Washington and Ryan was going to school in Oregon. Their schools were only an hour apart.
"I'm going to Penn State." She responded. She grabbed the last banana and started to peel it.
"Where's that?" Ryan asked.
"It's in Pennsylvania." Jason responded. The others looked at him, surprised he knew that bit of information.
"Yeah, We're getting an apartment in Lewistown and we'll commute back and forth. We also got jobs at the local Wal-Mart." Kelsi explained.
"We?" Taylor asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kelsi turned to Jason. He nodded to her unasked question. Kelsi took her right hand and reached it over to her left hand. She put her fingers around the ring on her ring finger and slowly began to turn it. When she turned it around a diamond sat on top. Sharpay's jaw dropped and the other three girls gushed.
"We're getting married." Jason announced. "I asked her last night."
"We're both going to Pennsylvania. Before we leave we're getting married." Kelsi added.
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"What do you think about this?" Kelsi asked. She handed Jason the magazine she was looking at. The picture she pointed to was of a three tier cake with lilac icing.
"I think what ever you choose will be perfect. He took her hand in his and looked at her. "I love you."
"I love you too." She replied. She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
Just then, Mrs. Neilson walked in. "Found it." She was covered in dust, holding a clothing bag. "I was in the attic all day but I finally found my wedding dress." She stuck it on a nail and started to unzip it.
She pulled it off the hanger and showed it to her daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Kelsi had seen it before, in her mothers wedding album. Jason, however, was seeing it for the first time. "Wow."
"Yeah, that is what I thought when I first saw it." Mrs. Neilson said. She suddenly got this look in her eye. They knew she was taking a trip down memory lane. "When Richard saw me in it walking down the aisle, he was stunned."
"Mom." Kelsi said, snapping her fingers. Mrs. Neilson shook her head, coming back to the present.
"Sorry." Mrs. Neilson laughed. "Have you decided on your flower arrangements?"
"Well…" Jason began, looking to Kelsi. "we actually decided it is going to be a small wedding. Just immediate family and close friends."
"You can't." Mrs. Neilson protested. "Kelsi is my only child and I want her to remember this."
Kelsi got up and put her arm around her mother. "I will remember this. And this is something we both agreed on. I don't need a big fancy wedding with flower arrangements and a church full of people."
"If you're sure." Mrs. Neilson said.
"We are." Kelsi and Jason said in unison. Jason slipped her hand in his. Mrs. Neilson saw this and sighed to herself. Her little girl was in love. They both were.
Mrs. Neilson sat down. "You two want to tell me what you have planned so far?"
Kelsi bent over to retrieve a folder with all their wedding plans in it when her glasses fell off. Without her glasses, the world was completely blurry. "Oh." She reached her hands out, reaching for her glasses.
Jason leaned forward and plucked them off the floor. "Here." Kelsi sat up and Jason gently set them in place.
Instantly the world came into focus. "Thanks." She said. He shrugged his shoulders, letting her know he would do that for her anytime.
She opened the folder and faced her mother. "We are having the ceremony at the Lava Springs Country Club. There won't be any flower girls, maid of honors or anything like that. Just me and Jason at the altar with the minister. Everyone else will be seated. We will have a cake and a reception and then of course the next day we will all be leaving for college."
"If that is the way you want it, then it sounds perfect." Mrs. Neilson. She looked at her watch. "I need to get to bed for work. I'll see you two in the morning." She got up and left the room.
Jason and Kelsi put their heads together and continued to make wedding plans.