High School Reunions Suck

I've not gone to any kind of reunion. To me, the idea of spending time with a bunch of people I could barely stand then makes no sense. Why would I go? To brag? That's too smarmy. To hope all those people I didn't like are doing worse than me? That's so petty! I'd rather just chill out with my friends and family and have a drink at home. Maybe catch up on my sleep.

Anyway, today's story is about a high school reunion that takes an unexpected turn.



Keep your Friends Close and your Enemies Closer

Welcome Grads of '05!

The sign was obnoxious at best. Glitter and sequins covered it making it look like a girl in high school made. Probably because a girl in high school did make it.

Peter Ingram glared at the sign. He hated high school. He hated everything about it. When he was younger he was picked up and tormented by his peers. He was short and awkward which didn't make it easier. He was still short, awkward, and more than nerdy.

After high school he went to college and earned a degree in computer software engineering. It was just a fancy way of saying he paid a lot of money to be a code monkey. And that was the long and short of it. He got a job writing code all day for Compu-Corp. Some faceless corporation he hated. He kept the job because the money was good.

Now he had a luxury sports car and a condo. Wait till the losers from high school got a look at him now. Peter picked up the pamphlet left at the door to the cafetorium and perused what everyone was up to.

Becky Ingersol was a doctor now. Who cares. Linda Forman was teaching at an elementary school. Wonder if she teaches her kids to hate the way she hated Peter.

Peter skipped a few pages and looked for the names of his primary tormentors. Billy Clark was a janitor for this school. HA! Derek Waters was a security guard at a department store in the city. Peter couldn't help but smile. He flipped the pamphlet to check out his chief tormentors name career.

He stopped, terrified. Xavier Black was the CEO of Compu-Corp. Not only was he making more money that Peter, was more successful than Peter, but he was also PETER'S BOSS! The blood rushed to Peter's head as he started to panic. The sound of his own heartbeat was thundering in his ears. He started to sweat. Peter looked around desperate for a way out of this.

Laughter broke Peter's frantic focus. He turned around to Xavier Black with Billy Clark and Derek Waters all greeting each other. Xavier smiled his stupid perfect smile and introduce them to his fiance, Julia O'Shea. Peter felt his heart shatter. Julia O'Shea was his high school crush. He never told her, he always hoped he'd meet her here and she'd swoon after seeing what a success he was. But here she was, on the arm of his nemesis. Peter almost tore off running, the embarrassment of being upstaged by Xavier 25 years after they graduated was too much.

"Peter! Hey Peter! Get over here!" came Xavier's call.

Peter looked around nervously for one last thing to get him out of this. No such luck.

"Peter Ingram you old bastard how are ya?" Xavier slapped Peter on the back. Billy and Derek chuckled and shook Peter's hand. Peter smiled awkwardly at this false show of friendship. "This is my fiance, Julia. I'm sure you know her."

Julia smile and shook Peter's hand. It was the most contact he had ever had with her. "We had English together, didn't we?"

Peter nodded, apparently still under her spell 25 years later.

Xavier nodded to her and Julia left to find some of her high school friends. Xavier, Billy and Derek all pulled Peter along to a secluded corner of the cafetorium.

They sat at a round plastic table with a dirty table cloth. Plastic cups and napkins waited at each seat. The four men sat down. Peter looked around nervous, not sure what to make of it.

"It's good to have the foursome back together." came Xavier's commanding voice. "It's been too long boys!"

"Yeah, man!" Billy nodded as he picked some earwax from his ear. Can't say I miss THIS place though.

The three laughed. Peter just sat quietly observing.

"Hey, at least you're not security at some woman's clothing store!" Derek joked. Billy and Derek nudged each other and laughed. "The only two smart enough to make something of themselves are Xavier and Peter over there!" Derek gestured to Peter and Xavier.

Peter felt sick. How could they all pretend they were his friends after the years of torment they put him through. He wanted to flip the table! If only he had the strength.

Xavier smiled and patted Peter on the back. "To be honest, I thought I'd fail at everything I did. I expected Peter here to be some big shot, the president or something. He was always the smartest of us."

Peter shot Xavier a confused glance. Xavier winked at him. "So what about you Peter? What HAVE you been up to?" Xavier smiled his stupid perfect smile. Derek and Billy looked on expectantly.

Peter looked at the three in confusion. "What do you care?"

Derek and Billy roared with laughter. "CLASSIC PETER!" Derek shouted as they continued to roar.

"I'm fucking serious! Since when do you guys care what I do? You never cared in high school!"

"We've always cared." Came Xavier's calm response.

"Only if you could make fun of it!" Peter could feel the heat in his face rising. It was all coming out now, the years of torment. It was time for Peter to speak up. "You never cared! not even once!"

"That's low man. We're your friends!" Billy looked hurt.

"No you're not! You always made fun of me!"

"We all made fun of each other, its what we did." it was Derek's turn to feel confused.

"But you picked on me the most!"

"Why do you think that?" Xavier leaned in.

"Everything!" How could they act innocent!

"Peter. We all did that to each other. I remember you making fun of me sometimes." Xavier explained.

"But it wasn't just making fun of! You guys always got me in trouble!"

"We were a trouble making group. We all used to do things to get in trouble." Xavier continued to explain.

"Yeah, ironic now I'm a security guard and stop that kind of shit!" Derek laughed.

"But you always used me! I'd always get the blame!"

"You always got caught. You never told them it was us. You could've but you never did." Xavier continued.

"I just thought you were really loyal." Billy added.

"Look, Peter. If we're not your friends, then who is?" Xavier asked.

Peter opened his mouth to respond but stopped. He thought hard about it. Truthfully, all he could think of was the time he spent with Xavier, Billy and Derek. It was all he remembered of high school. He sat quietly.

"Peter. Billy, Derek and I are going to go get some drinks and mingle. We'll be back in a few minutes and we'll talk then, ok?" Xavier nodded to  Billy and Derek. The three friends walked away looking with confused concern at Peter. Peter just sat there wondering what happened.

He felt like he had stepped into an episode of the twilight zone. This must be a movie, there's no way he was so wrong about his past! But, if he wasn't wrong, why couldn't he remember having other friends? He remembered getting into trouble because of something Xavier and his cronies put him up to. But it wasn't like he was threatened.

Peter sighed. This was going to be a long night.