[Karie]

Here I am, sitting on an airplane in first class next to Nick. I’m on way to Orlando for my 10 year high school reunion and I’m scared shitless. I finished up a few things at work this morning and then we were off to the airport only to have my Mom show up to tell us goodbye.

Then she handed me a box of condoms.

CONDOMS!

To say that Nick is sitting over there still giggling is putting it mildly. I look at him and he cracks up laughing. I tossed the box of condoms at him and told him to put them in his bag, that he wouldn’t be needing them. Then he laughed more.

I guess deep down I need that laughter because I’m a nervous wreck inside.

I haven’t seen Matthew since 1999, when I ran into him after coming home from my failed attempt at being a singer. I’ve heard that he’s married with a few kids but really, who knows. I know that I don’t care and when I say that, I know I don’t mean it. Deep down, even though we did some really horrible things back then, he was my first love. I was crazy about him. He was my sun, my moon, and I thought he hung the stars.

Thankfully I learned that he had nothing to do with the sun, stars, and moon and that he would never amount to anything.

There are my old best friends who I haven’t talked to in years. Most of them are married with kids and working some nine to five jobs.

There are my old teachers who thought that I would end up being nothing. I mean, I failed the first semester of my ninth grade English and look at me now – a journalist for one of the top newspapers in the country!

Then there are the girls who hated me in high school because, well, I was kind of slutty and they knew it. They thought that they were better than me and where are they now? We’ll see.

“Karie,” I heard Nick say as I turned to look at him. “You nervous?”

“God yes,” I muttered as he smiled. “I was just sitting here thinking about it. I’m kind of wondering what they’re gonna think with me showing up with a singer, you know?”

“Screw what they think,” he smiled. “We’ve got a whole box of condoms.” I laughed, punching him slightly in the arm. “Oh come on, that was funny as hell and you know it.”

“Thanks for coming with me and everything,” I said as he reached over, entwining his fingers with mine as he held my hand.

“There’s no where else I’d rather be,” he smiled. “Plus, in away, this can be like my prom and shit. I just can’t wait to see the dress you got.”

The dress I got. I smiled, looking at the back of the seat in front of me. The dress was awesome and I really couldn’t wait for Nick to see it. Hell, I couldn’t wait to wear it.

Suddenly this trip to memory lane didn’t seem so bad after all.

[/Karie]

[Nick]

Ah, the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando on the lake. I have to say that Karie’s high school picked a good place to hold a reunion. As Karie walked into the hotel, she was stunned at how big and fancy it was. Apparently she didn’t know her high school had it them.

I’m kind of excited about being here with her. I mean, sure, I met her a week ago and now I’m going to a reunion with her but there’s just something about her that draws me to her. I like spending time with her and I think it makes me a better person when I do.

“The Presidential Suite,” the bellboy said as he opened up the door to our room. Karie looked at me and I smiled. “Is there a problem, ma’am?”

“Nick, you got the Presidential Suite?” Karie asked as I smiled. “Jesus, you didn’t have to go that out there.”

I tipped the bellboy after he took our bags into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Karie was still going on about how big and fancy the room was but I was just waiting until she realized one small detail.

“There’s one thing,” I said to her, smiling. “I wasn’t going to get this suite but all of the suites with double bedrooms were booked, even the ones with double beds. They all had King Size beds so I figured if we were going to go that route, I would just get this suite.”

She stared at me. That wasn’t a good stare.

“We’re sharing a bed?” she asked. I nodded and she walked into the bedroom and looked back at me. “It’s okay,” she said, walking back into the main room of the suite. “This is really nice, Nick.”

“Glad you like it,” I said as she picked up her garment bag and smiled at me. “I want to see that dress.”

“You will,” she said as I followed her into the bedroom. “Listen, I need to tell you a few things before this whole reunion thing stars, okay?” I nodded, sat down on the bed, and watched her as she began hanging up some of her clothes. “When we see someone named Matthew… they might call him Matty, which was his nickname, that’s my ex. He’s tall, kind of stocky the last time I saw him and has light brown hair.”

“The douche bag?” I asked as she nodded.

“His best friend is Danny, who is short, stocky too and the last time I saw him, he had a short buzz cut. He has dark hair and probably wears glasses by now,” she said.

“And those are the ones that I need to show you attention around and make them jealous?” I asked as she grinned. “Just don’t worry about them, Karie. You’re here with me.”

“I know,” she whispered, walking over and sitting down next to me on the bed. “You know, you kind of make me feel special.”

“How?” I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders.

“No, how?”

“This,” she said, looking around the room. “You go out of your way sometimes,” she said. “Like the first class seats and this hotel room… I mean suite. It’s just, I’m not used to it.”

“Come here,” I whispered as I motioned for her to come closer to me. I leaned in, kissing her lips gently and felt her smile against them. “I need to go get me a tux or something to where to this ball, so are you going to tell me what color tie to get so I can match you?”

“Yeah,” she said, leaning down to reach in her purse. “I had them make this for you so you could do that.” She pulled out a piece of purple taffeta material, but it wasn’t bright purple. It was a darker purple. “It’s called twilight.”

“I like that color,” I said, as she smiled. “I’ll be back a little bit later. Why don’t you go get a massage or something?”

“Massage?” she asked as I smiled, kissing her on the cheek before walking out of the room.

I had to go get a suit and make sure, somehow, the tie matched this shade of purple. I had to make her the queen of this ball so that she would walk off that plane in Nashville Sunday night knowing that she was better than all of these people who she grew up with.

I also wanted her to walk off that plane knowing that I wasn’t just hanging out with her while I was in Nashville; I wanted it to see her even when I wasn’t in Nashville.

Fine, I want to date her. I think that’s what I’m trying to say.

[/Nick]

[Karie]

Nick told me to get a massage. Yeah, I’m not really a massage type person. I don’t like weird people touching me, especially when it’s another woman. Instead I went ahead and unpacked and changed into a jean skirt and a long, flowing top that was fitted at the top, making my boobs stand out. I think my boobs rock. I’ve caught Nick looking at them a lot. But yeah… Basically I did everything but leave the hotel room.

I need to leave the hotel room.

I’ve walked to the door several times but I’m scared to walk out because I’m scared of running into someone that I went to high school with.

“Leave the room, Karie,” I said to myself as I finally opened the door and closed it, walking towards the elevator. I walked in the elevator, hitting the 1^st floor button. Maybe walking out and getting some fresh air would make me feel better.

Stopping on the 12^th floor. Great.

“Hi,” the woman said as she got in the elevator to see the button was already pushed. I looked at her, knowing she looked familiar and she looked back at me. “Are you here for the reunion?”

“Yes,” I said as she looked at me. “Tracy?”

“Karie Hamilton, right?” she asked as I nodded. “I’m Tracy Jenkins… well Tracy Waters now.”

“Waters?” I asked, looking at her. That was Matty’s last name.

“Yeah, oh man, you dated Matt, didn’t you?” she said, touching me on the arm. “Oh, he’ll be so happy that you’re here. Everybody knows that you and your Mom moved away so nobody thought you would be here.”

I didn’t say anything. I just looked at the floor numbers, wanting badly to go back upstairs.

“So what floor are you on?” she asked.

“The top floor in the Presidential Suite,” I said as she looked at me in shock. “My boyfriend booked the room,” I said as the doors opened on the bottom floor. “Nice to see you,” I said, practically leaping out of the elevator, running for my life.

Tracy Jenkins… Matty married Tracy Jenkins. He fucked her once in front of me and she has the gall to say “Oh, you dated Matt didn’t you?” Matt. When did he start going by Matt? I walked outside the back doors of the hotel and the fresh air took my breath away… if that’s even possible.

Maybe this whole trip was a mistake. It was already about to freak me out and I had only seen one person so far.

“Karie Hamilton,” I heard someone say as I stood on the patio, looking out at the golf course. “That’s you isn’t it?” I turned around to see a guy standing there. I didn’t recognize him though. “Wow, you look great!”

“Thanks…” I said, still unsure who he was. He was tall, kind of built with spiky blonde hair.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” he asked as I shook my head. “Ryan Hamlin. We always sat next to one another when teachers put us in alphabetical order. I was the fat kid that everybody made fun of.”

“Oh my God, you look great!” I said as I reached over, hugging him. “Well you’re gonna knock everybody dead here, aren’t you?” I laughed. “What have you been up to?”

“I went to school in Alabama and they wanted me to join the football team, so I did and got built up, lost the baby fat and now I’m an athletic trainer,” he said as I smiled. “What about you?”

“I’m a journalist. I live in Nashville, Tennessee now,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I almost didn’t come but my Mom and someone else talked me into it.”

“I didn’t want to come but my wife made me,” Ryan said as I smiled. “Are you married? Any kids?” I shook my head. “I’ve got four kids. Three girls and a boy.”

Ryan stood there talking about his kids, pulling out pictures to show me. I couldn’t believe how much he had changed. I couldn’t believe even him, the one guy that everybody made fun of in high school, looked so great, so healthy, and seemed happily married with four gorgeous children. Here I was, with a guy who I wasn’t even sure what to call him, with no kids.

I really was a loser.

[/Karie]

[Nick]

Thank God the guy at the suit shop can match my tie to Karie’s dress. Of course, I hate getting fitted for a suit, but I think this ball thing is going to be worth it. It has to be… perfect.

Now I just want to go back to the room and relax, maybe go out to eat with Karie in the restaurant downstairs or in town, and just relax tonight. I think she’s going to need it. She’s going to be seeing people tomorrow and it’s going to stress her out.

“Karie, I’m back!” I said as I walked into the suite. “They’re going to bring the suit to the hotel here tomorrow,” I said, walking into the bedroom to see her laying on the bed, sniffling. Oh crap. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I’m such a loser,” she muttered, lifting her face up to look at me. “Even the fat boy that everybody made fun of is hot and married with cute kids and look at me,” she said, sitting up on the bed. “I’m still fat and I’m with a guy who I don’t know what to call.” I smiled and sat down on the bed, looking at her.

“Hey, I’m not married with kids. Am I loser?” I asked as she chuckled, shaking her head. “But, I don’t know what we are either.”

“I saw Matty’s wife,” she said. I raised an eyebrow. “He married a girl that he fucked in front of me,” she said as I shook my head. “I told her my boyfriend booked us the Presidential Suite.”

“Boyfriend?” I smiled.

“Well, I just called you that to her so she would know that I wasn’t alone,” she said as I nodded.

“Right,” I smiled.

“I mean, you guys are going to leave Nashville and we’ll talk on the phone and through e-mail once in a while, right,” she said as I shrugged.

“Just don’t worry about it right now,” I whispered, standing up and pulling her off of the bed. “Let’s go grab some food and then relax tonight, okay?”

“Okay,” she said as she put her forehead against mine, but you have to promise me that if Matty comes anywhere near me, shove your tongue down my throat, okay?”

I smiled, nodding my head.

There would be NO problem kissing her… not at all.

[/Nick]