When I see you again👁️

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee, and checking the mail. I see an envelope decorated with glitter, and I open it first.

I read it quickly, and spit out my coffee.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Braden asks. I shake my head, re-reading the card. My boyfriend looks over my shoulder. "What is it?'

"High school reunioun." I mutter, dropping the card.

He picks it up, and reads it. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes." I reply.

He raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

I sigh, and lean bag in my seat. Why is it bad? Because I wasn't the best person in high school. I bullied people with my friends. I know that it was stupid now, but they'll think it's real funny I'm a counsler now. I mostly made fun of anybody who was gay, and it's real iconic that I'm gay too. Well, bi, but still. That will be fun to explain to them. The nly person who might have been my friend sucked, and I stopped talking to him after we had a really big argument.

"High school wasn't great." I tell him. I know he's expecting more, but when I don't say anything, he lets it go.

He runs a hand through his curly blond hair, and we clean up the spilled coffee.

We've been living together since the second year of college. He was the only person that would talk to me, and became my best friend. I realized I liked him, but didn't do anything. Eventually, he asked me out, and we've been together ever since.

He has curly blond hair, tan skin and brown eyes. He's taller then me, and stronger. He's a P.E teacher at an elementary school. He's 25.

I have messy brown hair, and light skin. I'm a counsler at the same elementary school. I'm 24.

I change into jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket. Braden's wearing sweatpants, and a sweatshirt. We go to the car, and he doesn't bring up the letter until we're almost at the school.

"You're going to go, right?" He asks.

I sigh. "No."

"Why not? When will you ever get to see your friends again?" He says.

I shrug. "I didn't really have friends then?"

"There must be someone. And aren't you at least a little bit curious about everyone else?"

He's right. He always is. I do want to see some people. And probaly apologize to others.

"I'll think about it." I say. He nods, and we pull into the school parking lot.

👁️

The next Saturday we're driving to the park for the high school reunion.

Braden didn't mention it again, and I told him yesterday I would go if he came with me.

We stop in the empty parking lot. I wanted to be early, so I could figure out what I'd say to everyone.

Braden and I walk around for a while, talking, and soon, more cars come. We sit on a bench, and watch the people.

Most of them I reconize, and I'm suprised at how much they've changed.

When I see the main kid I bullied, Cj, I gasp. He looks way better. When Braden smacks my hand, I realize I'm staring. I look away, blushing. He smirks.

"Who's that?"

"Kid I used to bully." I mutter.

He follows my gaze, and snorts. "Bet your sorry for doing that."

"Shut up." I say, crossing my arms.

Then I hear somebody say, "Sam?"

I look up, and realize Cj is right in front of me. His curly black hair is longer, and his skin is more tan. He always used to look tired, but he looks more happy now. His boyfriend, Will, is standing next to him. I stopped messing with him after his talent show performance.

"Hi..." I say quietly. Braden kicks me, and I kick him back. Will looks amused, and Cj's grinning.

"How are you?" He asks. I'm suprised, because I didn't expect him to talk to me.

When Braden kicks me again, I speak. "Sorry- I'm fine." Braden kicks me again. I glare at him, and he sticks out his tounge. "Child," I mutter. "This is Braden, my, uh, boyfriend."

Cj holds ut his hand to Will, and Will grumbles, and drops a five dollar bill in his hand.

"You bet money on me?" I blurt.

Cj nods. "Yes."

Braden laughs, and I kick him. We all start talking, and I assume I'm forgiven. We all move, and sit in the grass.

When I see Chad, the only person I could have considered my friend, I bite my lip, and try not to be seen.

Too late.

"No, no, no, no," I mutter. Will, Cj, and Braden all look, and I can see Cj's eys grow wide. Will grabs his hand, and whispers something.

"Who is that?" Braden whispers.

I shrink down. "Chad. He's...." My voice trails off as he stops in front of us.

Braden's looking at Chad weirdly, and I inhale sharply when I realize they look a lot alike. Chad cut his curly blond hair, and he has tan skin, too. They're both strong, and tall. I don't know how he'll react to me having a boyfriend.

I shrink even lower. "No, no, no,"

"This is weird right?" Braden whispers. Will nods. Cj's frozen.

Chad has a girl with him, I think her name is Chloe? She has long blonde hair, and is wearing a short dress. I don't know why.

"Hey, Sam." He says.

I bite my lip, and force a smile. "Hi, Chad."

"Who's this?" He asks.

Braden puts out a hand. Chad shakes it. "Braden Douler. His..." He glances at me.

"My boyfriend." I say. Will and Braden smile.

Chad drops Braden's hand. He looks disgusted.

"Whatever." He says, walking away.

Cj and I both sigh in relief. That went better then I thought it would.

"Why did he look like me?" Braden asks. Will shrugs. We go back to talking, and we trade numbers, and agree to meet again.

Braden notices a ring on Cj's hand. "Wait, are you guys getting married?"

Cj blushes, and Will laughs. "Yeah, in spring."

They start talking about it, and I talk to Cj.

"I'm going to sound like a first grader, but I'm really sorry." I tell him.

He smiles. "It's okay."

"It's not, I was mean to you for no reason." I argue.

He shrugs. "I know you didn't mean it."

"Okay..." I say.

His phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket. "I've got to take this." He says. I nod, and he stands, and walks away.

I check my own phone. It's a lot later then I thought it was. It's already 6:26. Other people are starting to leave, and the parking lot is emptying out.

Finally, Will says they should probaly leave. He calls Cj back over.

"You okay?" He asks.

Cj shakes his head. "Mom got in a car crash."

"Is she okay?" Will says, worried.

He nods. "Yeah. She's in the hospital. Dad's with her."

"Do you want to go there now?'

"Yeah."

Will looks at us. "See you guys around?"

"Yeah." Braden says.

We stay in the grass after they leave.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Braden asks me.

"It was fine." I reply.

He raises an eyebrow. "Just fine?"

"Ok, it was really great. Better then I thought it would be." I say.

He grins. "I told you."

"Whatever."

He was right. I'm glad I came.