Chapter 1: Graduation

POV: Tara

A small piece of sun had escaped in through the curtains. Shinning right into my eyes. I tried to roll over but was blocked. The smell of his pure sport cologne had seeped into my nose, smiling knowing that he was next to me. Lifting my body up ever so carefully to readjust myself to wrap my arms around him without waking him. It may be a little creepy but I loved how at peace he was when he slept. I had my self-adjusted halfway, when something across the room made I want to cry and squeal in excitement! I just sat up in bed, sitting there and staring at my graduation gown and cap. I was the class valedictorian so a white and blue sash and my gold cords were laid across the desk as well. I was completely excited in less than two weeks and I would be leaving for College, then to Med-school. Well, I was almost completely excited, the only thing that was stopping me from celebrating was Jax.

Jax had been mine for two years now, and he was a light in my dark life! I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Interrupted in thought by what I heard.

"Good Morning Graduate!" Jax proclaimed with a groggy voice.

"Good Morning" I replied trying to hide my internal struggle I was just having.

Before I turned to look at him I wipe the one lone tear off my cheek. I turn and I see the most enticing grin across his mouth. His long blonde hair was laying slightly across his face.

"You ready to take the plunge into adulthood?" He asked me. Trying to make light of things I flopped down to have my head in the nook on his shoulder, and sighed.

"Yes and No" is all I could muster up

"What do you mean No?" He was a little confused. The way he looked at me, with those piercing blue eyes and crinkled of his forehead made me feel a little more uneasy. It was hard to keep things from him. We has always been so honest with each other and I did not want that to ever change. He was so easy to talk to and that was one of the reason I love him so much.

"Yes, I am excited to graduate and go to college. Berkeley is my dream. I just hate having to leave you." I admitted.

"Well right now in this moment, today is your day we are not going to worry about that for now. You are graduating high school today. The club and I will be there to watch you stumble across the stage and forget your speech!" He said jokingly.

POV: Jax

If looks could kill Tara's look would make you giggle. She was trying so hard to be mad at me, but she could never be mad at me too long. Even though I know what today truly meant. I just wanted her to enjoy all her achievements. No One else at Charming high had gotten into a more prestigious school or had such goals as she did. I was happy for her. I wanted her to achieve all her dreams and not give up for me, for us!

"Are you going to lay in bed all day and make me late?" Tara asked me in frustration. It was getting close to the time we needed to head out. She was standing over me with her hands on her hips and shaking her head, trying to be tough. It was cute and it always worked on me. I was a sucker when she looked at me with those big green eyes.

"I'm up! Well, I am working on it." I teased her. Trying to give her my world class Jackson Teller Smile.

POV: Tara

I turned around and left the room with my clothing in hand to the bathroom to get ready. I had stayed the night with Jax and I was heading to the bathroom hoping not run into Gemma. Even though I was sure she is more excited than I was. I was heading to Berkeley and away from her son. Her graduation gift to me was a lease for a studio apartment for one year fully paid. I was thankful for the gift, but again I think it was more of a Thank you for leaving my son gift. I was feet from the bathroom when Gemma walked out with the biggest grin across her face. It reminded me of the Chester cat. Evil and kind of crazy. Some time's when she would give that smile, the rest of her face melted away and you would just see that smile bouncing around.

"Well good morning sweet heart." Gemma said, not startled at all I was there yet again staying with her son.

"Good Morning," I replied with a half-smile

"You better hurry, your future is waiting!" When she said that, her face light up like a kid on Fourth of July!

I walked past her with a smile that I was trying to plaster on my face for the day. Once inside the safety of the bathroom I took a moment to breathe. I leaned up against the sink looking into the mirror. I was on the verge of nothing being the same and it was very frustrating. I swear at 18 I already had a worry line across my forehead. It did not take me long to get ready. I was wearing a nice pair of black dress pants and a button down shirt. I figured that since it was hot outside I would put my hair up with a red flower clip. I let a few strands run wild across my head and my bangs were pushed to the side. I never wore makeup and was not about to start now. I honestly think Jax found my natural ivory skin and pink lips more attractive. I was ready to go out the door after only 20 minutes. I took one more deep breath in the mirror and headed down stairs. Gemma was in the kitchen cooking. She seemed to always be cooking something.

"We will see you at the school in an hour, Jax is outside waiting on you." She had turned to make eye contact with me and yet again, give me that evil grin!

I gave her a nod and walked out the door to see Jax sitting on his Harley. There was a slight breeze that pushed his white tee-shirt against his body and you could see the outline of his perfectly chiseled body! I froze for a minute admiring the ever so perfection that was Jackson Teller.

"You ready" I jumped at him trying to pull him out of his head.

It must have worked, because he jumped a little. He handed me my helmet that he had gotten personalized it for me, Inside the helmet he carved my initials. Well future initials. He had done that one night when we were talking about our future. TKT. I was perfect!

"Yes Mam," he said sincerely.

He jumped on his bike and I got onto my usual spot behind him. He started the engine, the power between my legs were almost unbelievable and I was addicted. He started to lift the kick stand when I lifted up and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. He backed his bike out of the driveway and down the road we went.

Since I was valedictorian I was seated in the front and one. I was getting nervous about my speech. Everyone who spoke before me just seemed like a blur. I was in my own little world when they called my name. I stood up and headed to the stage. I almost tripped on the stairs to the stage. You could hear other students starting to giggle. Even one had the gulls to 'yell see you next fall.' It made me blush with embarrassment. The dumb ass who yelled that had gotten a job with his father, at the local meat market. High hopes for him, I thought. I got to the stadium with no other problems, set my paper with my speech down and looked up. Seeing all those faces of everyone in my class. There was only two people who sat there in the robes who were ever kind to me. Hail, I was sure he was kind to me because he has a crush on me since junior high. The other was my best friend Donna, she was Jax best friend Opie's girlfriend. But the rest of them ever said a kind word, always putting her and her family down. I was just so angry that I crumbled up my speech I had worked so hard on, and tossed it behind me. For all the hell they had put me through not just in high school but since my mom died they deserved a little uproar. A little truth, I thought.

I smiled a devilish grin and winged it:

"Students, Staff, Family and Friends,

We are here to celebrate the highest achievement most of these losers will ever receive. So I would like to say one more thing. I started laughing out loud. SUCK IT CHARMING!" I almost started to laugh but pulled it together and walked around the podium and bowed to the audience and walked back to my seat. You could see the anger and dismay in everyone's face except for a small group who took amusement from the speech. Samcro, was there with grins and laughter, that could be heard over others grumbling and outrage. I caught myself smiling in approval of what I had just done.

It seemed that graduation was moved a little faster after my speech. I was kind of glad the metal chairs we were sitting in where very uncomfortable. As soon as we were dismissed I headed straight outside, where under the big oak just outside the high school was Jax and the rest of the club. When they saw me come out they all let out huge cheers. Jax ran over grabbed me up and spun me. I thought I was going to become sick for a moment.

"Best speech ever, I love you so much!" Jax said to me as he put me down. He could not hide how proud he was. Even when he dropped out of school, he was not even able to go out with a bang, and here quiet little Tara did just that. Jax looked a little jealous that it was not him that could stand in front of everyone and tell them all at once to 'suck it.' Even the rest of the crew had great things to say. Even Tigg. Who I was never sure of him, there was just something about him that sent chills up my spine.

"Mad respect, Tara. The look on their faces were priceless!" Tigg said as he hugged me. I kind of wish he did not. He smelt of weed, cigarettes and stale pussy!

"Thank you I could not let them get the best of me!" I proclaimed out loud.

For so many years that had done just that got the best of me and I got the last laugh I thought. But stepping towards me was Gemma at the moment. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever she had to say.

"Well, it was not lady like material, but it was old lady material." Gemma stated. She had put her hands on her hips and stood straight up and pride was on her face. I had never gotten a look like that from her so it made my day. I knew it must of been hard for her too say, Since Jax and I had been together she was always telling anyone who would listen I was not 'old lady material.' So in a way I felt like it was meant for her as well, which made me smile a little bigger. I could feel I was smiling so big my teeth were visible!

Gemma gave me a wink and started pushing everyone out.

"We have so much to get ready for the next 2 weeks. You have to finish packing and sending things to your apartment, I have a graduation/farewell party to get ready for. So much to do and so little time to do it in." Gemma stated as we headed out to the parking lot to the bikes. She was right, I was so busy the next couple weeks preparing to leave and trying to spend as much time with Jax as I could.

My days and nights were all running into each other. Before I knew it, it was the night before I would get on that bus and leave Charming. Gemma, was throwing a huge party. I was still staying with Jax at Gemma's house. So she had kept me busy and the only time Jax and I got together was at night and we both were too tired we would pass out not long after going to bed. Today was no different, Gemma had come in to get me around 8 in the morning to help her run the errands for the party. We went to 7 different stores in Lodi and by the time we got back, there was an hour till the party. Some of the guys had already started drinking, including Jax. I was so mad this party was supposed to be for me and I was having to do all the work.

I went into the kitchen laid all the bags on the counter for Gemma. She was busy getting ready for all the bikers and whore's that had been invited to my graduation and farewell party. I thought it was a little funny but it was the life.

"We got done just in time." Gemma, exhaustedly she stated!

The music was starting to play and people were streaming in. I went out to the bar and grabbed a drink, a bottle of beer sounded well. That one bottle turned into another and another. It was going to be a long and painful night. The party had been going on for hours, everyone kept coming over to where I was trying to hide to congratulate me on my achievement and my speech. I had been drinking for a couple hours now and I looked up and was furious. There was some blonde bimbo sitting on Jax lap. Jax was sitting on a bar stool and there she was straddling him and whispering something in his ear. I went over and started to make a scene in front of everyone. It was now or never.

"I can't believe you could not wait another 24 hours before having some skank crawl all over you. I can't believe you Jackson. You are just like every other male in my life. A complete scum bag. I never want to see you again!" I was screaming inches from his face.

"Tara, I can..." I slapped him across is perfect face to stop him. I could not or would not hear of it!

"Don't even try to explain yourself. I hope you rot in this hell hole! I just cannot look at you anymore." I was turning around as I finished that conversation to walk out.

Unable to control myself and be saying these things to him, tears started freely flowing down my face. I was in shock and hurt and my heart was breaking stormed out of the party as fast as my legs could carry me. I Ran to Gemma's house grabbed my bags that were ready to go. I would catch the next bus out of this town. I could not wait for tomorrow it had to be tonight! A little over an hour later I was on my way to Berkeley. As I got settled in my seat, I put my hand on the window and my head on my hand and the tears I had from before returned and this time, they were back with a vengeance. The bus started to move and all this was really happening I was leaving Charming. I had watched out the window till all I could see was darkness!