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Here he was, back in his old stomping grounds and feeling the nostalgia of seeing familiar faces. As he walked into the lobby, his attention was drawn to the check-in counter where all the nametags were placed in alphabetical order. He quickly collected his nametag and then headed straight to the gym for the mixer.
Classmates filled the gym. Some of them had aged better than others, some had gained quite a bit of weight, some had balded, and yet some had the same pleasant look he remembered from the good old days. But no matter how they had changed, they were all here to celebrate their past.
As he made his way towards the middle of the gym, he spotted Miller, the guy who bullied him throughout high school, in the corner talking to Holly, Maci’s arch-nemesis. Time had been unkind to them both. Miller had gained some weight and had a big beer belly now, which had replaced his old football physique. His dark, curly locks were now matted with patches of grey and his once clean-shaven face was now covered in an overgrown beard.
Holly, on the other hand, had not aged as gracefully. Her once gorgeous face was now marred with crow’s feet. Her bright blonde hair was now streaked with grey and her once slim figure had been replaced by a few extra pounds. But despite the ravages of time, Miller still had that cheerful, flirtatious look in his eye, and Holly still had that same fire in her veins.
He could not help but have a sense of bittersweetness when he looked at them. On one hand, they were both much older and much less attractive than they had been in their younger days. On the other hand, they were still the same person he remembered, and the same people who used to be the life of the party. It was almost like they had peaked in high school.
He took a few more steps and noticed other people he remembered from high school. There was Paul, who would always wear the same faded blue jeans and had a love for classic rock. And then there was Karen, who was the student president, who always had a smile on her face and had a passion for helping others.
As he observed the people in his old school, he remembered what it was like to be a teenager again. He remembered the struggles and the successes.
Dawson approached the makeshift bar, feeling a bit intimidated by the guests seated around it. He grabbed a drink from the bartender and scanned the area for a familiar face, but his search was fruitless.
Then his gaze fell on her, standing in the corner by herself, staring at her phone. He knew Maci was only doing that, so no one would approach her.
He cleared his throat and stepped closer to her. “What are you doing hiding over here?” he asked.
She looked up, her eyes meeting his. She offered a forced smile back. “Checking on emails.”
“Come on, get out there and show them the amazing woman you have become. Don’t shy away in the corner,” he said, extending a hand. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, her slim fingers curling around his.
Suddenly, he remembered something his father had once said to him.
“Look,” he said, taking a deep breath. “We aren’t in high school anymore, and these people aren’t superior to you. So, don’t let their opinion of you affect how you view yourself. Hold your head up high and show them the amazing woman you’ve become. No thanks to them or their bullying.”
Maci’s expression softened, and she looked up at him. He had finally gotten through to her.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
He smiled. “Anytime.”
* * *
Maci took Dawson’s hand, her hair cascading down her back, and walked with a confidence approaching Miller and Holly. The two had not seen each other since graduation and yet here they were. At first, neither of them recognized them, but when they saw their name tags, their eyebrows lifted.
“Maci!” she said. “How have you been?”
Dawson wasn’t surprised at how fake Holly came off. She made Maci’s life hell for four years, and now she was playing like they were good friends and just getting reacquainted.
“I’m doing great,” Maci said. “I’m the CFO of a multinational finance company and I live in New York City. Dream job achieved.”
Holly’s face did a double take, and she tried to hide any hints of jealousy as she took Maci in from head to toe. “That’s fantastic!” she said. “I’m so proud of you!”
Maci glanced over at Dawson, and then smiled and thanked her. Now she was staring right at Miller. “It’s good to see you too,” she said. “Looks like you guys are still joined at each other’s hip, even after all these years.”
Miller and Holly looked at each other. “It’s a funny story. We got married right after high school and then got divorced a few years later. Remarried and divorced again. We matched on a dating site and rekindled our relationship. Apparently, the universe thinks we should be together.”
Dawson chuckled at that story.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been back here,” Miller said, glancing around the gym.
“Yeah, I remember when you used to pummel me in dodgeball once a week in this gym. Wonderful memories,” Dawson said, giving him a death stare.
Maci couldn’t believe how fake they were acting, like they didn’t make their lives a walking nightmare every day back then.
The gym kept getting fuller and fuller and everyone was wearing their name tags now. It was time to move on from those two and mingle with some others.
