Hardwicke high school, Hardwicke

September 2nd, 2015

12 noon

"Seriously Tee, has nothing changed in Hardwicke in the past past ten years? It's so creepy how everything is still the exact same." I whispered to Teegan as we walked down the halls of Hardwicke high school, we were supposed to end up at the gymnasium to register for the reunion but like always we had side tracked ourselves and had ended up inside the main building somehow.

"I know, it's like some creeper horror film where a bunch of people go back home for a week but it turns out it's not really their home but like...some weird film studio where everything is set up the exact same." Obviously Teegan was being sarcastic but I didn't find it funny, slapping her on the arm as she started laughing like a maniac.

This was probably one of those things that only I would understand, the problem really was only in my head so I wouldn't be surprised if no one else thought the same thing.

"Beth is waiting on you two!" I jumped and Teegan screamed, we had been preoccupied as always and hadn't heard the man approaching from behind. The both of us jumped apart, we had been peering into Mr. Adrian's classroom through the glass pane on the door. I had been thinking how eerily similar it had been to the days Teegan and I had attended Mr. Adrian's art classes, back when we both couldn't stand the other.

"Samuel! Make a bit of noise next time, it might save my heart." My heart dropped when the name crossed Teegan's lips and I readied myself for the one man I wished never to see again. People always said that time healed all wounds but I doubt even time could piece together a broken heart, but there was no time like the present to test that theory.

Taking a deep breath I turned to look at Samuel, I hadn't been expecting him to change so much in ten years. Gone was the scrawny kid with the big head and bug eyes. He had been replaced by a handsome older version that came with a welcoming smile and beautiful blue eyes. Despite everything that had happened with  us in the past I still found myself thinking of him as my best friend, despite the fact that we hadn't been friends for some time.

"Teegan, Rose it's good to see you." Though Samuel had been speaking to Teegan I had the distinct feeling what he'd said was aimed solely at me.

Teegan snorted and grabbed my arm before dragging me away from Samuel, apparently she hadn't forgiven him either. "See ya around Sandwich," I couldn't help but snort at that nickname, it hadn't been insulting back then and it wasn't insulting now but I left Teegan to think what she wanted as I let her drag me off towards the gym.

"God, is he hot or what? Seriously, I blanked back there...I can tell you did too Rose. What are ya going to do? He has obviously changed his mind about you." Begrudgingly I agreed with Teegan, I felt a little sorry for having totally shut down but it had happened and we could now move past it.

"Sorry Tee, that's the first time I've spoken to him since...well ya know?" Teegan nodded, she knew all about our final encounter at the end of our junior year and how we hadn't spoke until moments ago.

"Wow, seriously? I thought you two might have made up in the last ten years, I guess I was wrong?" I nodded as Tee and I finally made it to where we had originally been going. A shoe scuffing on the pavement behind us drew my attention and I was mortified to see Samuel had followed us there, a serious look on his face and his hands stuffed into his pants pockets.

"Totally wrong and don't get any ideas. I'm here for our reunion, not to find my future boyfriend." Teegan laughed at that as we came to a stop in front of the registration table. I groaned when I saw who was sitting opposite us with a huge smile spread across her face, could today be any more mortifying than it currently was?

"Holy sh*t, is that you Bethany Ward?" Teegan had hated Beth with a passion back in high school, mostly because Tee had been that loner sitting at the edge of the student body while Beth had been at the center. They had never really been in the same circles back then, I don't think Teegan had ever gotten over  what Beth had responsible for back then and neither had I.

"Hi ladies! It's great to see you both again after so long, you're both looking great! Here are your name tags, I just need the both of you to sign off here and then we can get going. Here are you itineraries for the weekend, you don't have to attend everything but it'd be great if you did come along to as many things as possible." I took the booklets Beth held out towards us while Teegan signed herself off, I signed my name once she was done and we took our name tags.

"Feel free to help yourselves to refreshments, the induction will begin in the next half an hour. There are already a lot of people from our class here, so why not mingle too?" Honestly, I would rather carry on looking through classroom doors like a creep more than actually speaking with and reacquainting myself with peers from our year.

"Seriously, why do I get the feeling she belongs in Stepford Wives or something?" Teegan muttered to me as we left the table. We didn't get far though before people were approaching us and re-introducing themselves to us, I managed to leave the crowd and head over to grab something to drink. Really it was just so I could avoid talking to anyone but when I reached the table I was annoyed to find Samuel a few steps behind me.

"Still avoiding me Petal?" I hated that nickname, it was as bad as Teegan's 'sandwich' nickname only Petal wasn't meant as an insult.

"Don't call me that," I snapped at Samuel, which only made him smile widely. Why, I don't know but he didn't look a single bit ashamed of the past or of what he had said to me those few times before our friendship had ended.

"Come on Petal, that was ten years ago. Can't you forgive me?" I wanted to slap him, obviously Samuel and I were remembering two completely different encounters from the past. Maybe I was holding on to something that I should have let go but it had hurt so much back then that I had harbored dislike for Samuel since leaving Hardwicke and it had steadily increased over the years.

"Some of us don't forgive without an apology," I was stubborn, but being stubborn meant that things were done to a standard I considered acceptable. My terms and no one elses, that was the way I liked things done and if Samuel could not give me a convincing apology then I would likely carry my grudge forever.

I turned away then, sure that Samuel would forget all about it and go back to his small group of friends that were likely to include Bethany.

Grabbing a drink I went and sat on one of the bleachers, I could see Teegan splitting away from the group to go and grab a drink before she made her way towards me and the seats. When she finally reached me she sat down with a loud sigh, I remember as a teen she disliked huge social gatherings and they left her a little more drained than the average person.

"Regretting this already?" I asked, leaning over to nudge her playfully. If I remember correctly she was the one out of the both of us that had wanted to attend this disaster waiting to happen. As soon as the letter had arrived in my mail box I had known that I wasn't going, but two weeks of Teegan constantly bugging me had made me cave...any more complaining, asking and whining from Teegan and I would have hit someone.

"No way! It's just, you know how some people were so stupid in high school? Well it doesn't seem like they've grown out of that." I laughed at that, working with people I had come to that realization a long time ago but I guess because Tee was glued to a computer most of the day she never really got to experience that with other people.

"Yeah Tee, there's always that special someone in every class. Who was it this time?" I had a fair idea of who it could be but didn't jump to conclusions as it could have been someone completely different to who I had in mind.

"You remember Drake Andrews? That guy is still as thick as a puddle of mud." Laughing was easy, it was easier than explaining that he'd been that thick for a while.

"So I saw Samuel stalk you all the way to the drinks table, did he have anything amazingly interesting to say?" It felt like we were still in high school. I mean technically we were in high school but the way Teegan was currently acting made me feel ten years younger and less like a grown woman.

"Tee be serious here, we're grown women. We shouldn't be gossiping like we're sixteen years old again," that seemed to put a stop to Teegan's antics, she rolled her eyes and leaned away from me.

"Come on Rose, when did you become so old? Besides, we're in high school again! Why not reminisce a little? Besides, you might get that happily ever after you had always wanted? Well, the adult version of what you thought you wanted in high school." The thought of ending up with Samuel had its merits but I just couldn't get over the argument and subsequent cold shoulder from him that effectively ended our best friend friendship at the end of our junior year.

"Tee, what he said back then was pretty harsh. I can't just forget that, not to mention he blew my heart into smithereens...we're talking microscopic here! I can't just turn a blind eye to all of that, when he apologizes from the bottom of his tiny little heart then I might consider becoming friends with him but until then I'm going to ignore him in the hopes that I will have a lovely long weekend with a few select friends while I'm here at home." Teegan rolled her eyes at me but I didn't care a single bit, that was the promise I had made myself and that was the promise I was going to keep. 

"Seriously though, the way he has been looking at you since we came in. Phew! I wish a guy would look at me that way, he has been undressing you for the last five minutes and you've been totally oblivious to it." My attention quickly turned to Samuel, who was standing on the court next to Bethany. 

The way Samuel was looking at me made me squirm just a little, no doubt my cheeks had turned a bright shade of pink, my breathing had increased and my heart beat a million beats a minute. The longer I looked at Samuel the worse my discomfort grew.

"Seriously, you two need to get a room or something. You're clearly undressing each other and more with your eyes, do me a favor and keep your looks for later?" A sharp elbow to the ribs broke the trance I was in, Teegan could be contradictory sometimes. Hadn't she been encouraging me moments ago?

Whatever the case, Beth began speaking and everyones attention was squarely fixed on her. Glancing back at Samuel I was glad to see his attention fixed on the blond too as she instructed everyone to read their itineraries as she went through each and every activity that would be held over the long weekend. Most of it looked fun, a few of the events though were clearly aimed at those peers that had families and had brought their children along.

"Guess what I'm not going to? The soccer mom events we can just leave for the moms, or do you want to go? You never know, you might meet a nice soccer dad?" Frowning at Teegan I wondered what she was attempting to do, first she encouraged Samuel and I and now she was encouraging me to explore other options. I seriously couldn't keep up with her so ignored her for the rest of the welcome event,  she was staying with me anyway so it wasn't like I wouldn't hear it all again later.

My eye again caught Samuel, his attention was still squarely fixed on Beth as she carried on. 

I studied him for a moment, noticed the changes from teenaged Samuel and wondered what he had done with himself after high school. In my cowardice I hadn't bothered to find out what it was Samuel had actually planned to do after high school, I had simply run to save face.

Clapping accompanied the end of Beth's introduction, blinking a few times I looked back at Beth and clapped along for no other reason than to fit in. 

If I could avoid Samuel for most of the weekend I think things would go swimmingly well.

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I really am enjoying this story so far, if you're reading along then please let me know what you think.