Invisible

Tammy Adams was excited, her 20 year high school reunion was in half an hour and she had the perfect dress. Yes she had been waiting for this moment ever since the invitation arrived a year ago. They say that the best revenge is success and boy was she ever the poster child for it. Her days at Camden High were anything but pleasant and she was ready to show them all just how far she had come.

Her husband Roy was unfortunately away on business, but that

didn’t stop her, armed with her cell phone full of family pictures she was

going to show those mean girls just what a modern woman looked like.

Her story was one of hard work, some luck and happy chances. She

had started out as an intern at a small company offering acting lessons and

portfolio photography classes. She learned all she could from her mentor Amelia

who was an old family friend. Amelia was as tough as nails, a no-nonsense woman

with a heart of gold. Her outer demeanor helped her earn a reputation in the

business world as a 'force to be reckoned with' but inside she really just

loved helping people. "In the business world you cannot show vulnerability,

especially as a woman" she once told Tammy. This stuck with Tammy all

through her career and she learned to fake confidence little by little until

she found some of her own. Then she met Roy, he came from old money, the kind

that could last several lifetimes.

Roy was a partner in a small production company for up and

coming directors (among many other small companies he helped finance over the years).

He was taught to encourage entrepreneurship every chance he could. His father

was fond of supporting the arts and his favorite saying was, "You just

never know what the next best thing will be." Roy and Tammy met one

evening at a fundraiser for one of Amelia's clients, they struck up a

conversation and within just a few short minutes of small talk, knew that they

both wanted to be in each other's lives. Roy encouraged Tammy to step out of

comfort zone and start her own company (with his financial backing of course)

and that's how Star Attraction, a talent agency for aspiring artists came into

being.

Her business had grown in just under 10 years and she was now

the proud owner of the most successful talent agency in the country. In high

school she was the awkward, freckle faced teenager no one wanted hang out

with but not now, oh no, now everyone wanted to be her friend. People she

hardly knew came out of the woodwork to comment on knowing her in high school

after she appeared on the cover of 'Women in business' magazine. The endless

social media posts and friend requests that ensued after that article first

appeared showed her just how shallow people could be. She had it all, the big

house, the fancy car a wonderful husband and two adorable children. She was

amped and ready to go.

She couldn’t find the keys to her Porsche Cayenne, “Dammit I’m

going to be late” she thought to herself.  She decided to take Roy’s car instead. As she

pulled up to the glitzy Sheraton hotel, her heart started pounding. “Breathe”

she whispered to herself “You can do this”.

 “Maureen, how are you” greeted Edith Venter, the organizer

of the event. Tammy was about to correct her when she was ushered off into the

grand ballroom. “Excuse me” she said, but no one seemed to hear her. “How rude,

to be pushed out of the way like that” she thought.

She looked around for familiar faces, but everyone seemed to

look away. “Must make eye contact with someone” she told herself. “I am no

longer the shy introverted wallflower everyone knew back then”. She walked

around the room, it was beautiful.

The tables were decorated with white linen and lavender

overlays. There were glass bowls in the middle of each table with crystals

inside, the light from above permeated through each crystal and reflected

around the room casting tiny sparkly shadows everywhere. Balloons hung overhead

in perfect sequence of purple and white. She glanced over to the left corner of

the hall; the band was playing what sounded like eighties music but remixed.

Something old and familiar, with a modern interpretation.

She surveyed the scene once more but still no one made eye

contact. “I need a drink” she thought as she veered closer towards the bar

area. She sat down and ordered a double Vodka lime and soda. The bartender

seemed preoccupied and she wasn’t sure if he heard her.

She gazed across the room once more to see if you she could catch the eye of anyone familiar, everyone seemed to be occupied. Two couples were introducing their partners to their old school friends. At the other end of the bar were two men who looked vaguely familiar but she wasn’t quite sure, after all it had been twenty years. One was wearing a black jacket with a brightly colored floral shirt underneath. “Bold choice” she thought to herself, I wonder if that’s Simon, he was always confident and stood out. She was tempted to go over and introduce herself but she wanted to make sure it was definitely him before embarrassing herself.  Then she heard voices to her left, she turned her body round so she could see where they were coming from.

Two people came walking towards her and she thought “This is it,

they are coming to say hello, brace yourself Tammy, chin up and smile” She

looked up at them and prepared her outstretched arm for a handshake but instead

they sat down next to her without even glancing her way. She could hear them

talking about a horrible car accident that had happened earlier in the day, she

leaned back slightly so she could hear what they were saying more

clearly. “Such a shame isn’t it, that poor family what a waste of life”.

Said a skinny man with a slight Irish accent. “I knew her, you know. That Tammy

girl." Said Edith, the event coordinator, "Her and her husband Roy

just celebrated their wedding anniversary and I hear she was planning on

attending the reunion tonight.”

“Yeah I read the entire family was wiped out on the way to the

airport, speed kills you know I wish people would realize that” interjected the

bartender.

Tammy sat upright and looked over to the mirror behind the bar,

there was no reflection.