The ‘Her’ after High School

It’s been more than a decade – 14 years, 7 months to be exact since the day the class had to move on to college and had to look forward for a day which no longer involves daily doses of bullying, uncontrollable laughter and noise,  shipping one another and creating some weird loveteams, and of course the class’ signature, their daily dose of bantering with their teachers especially with their adviser who is an environmentalist that she would normally go nuts when the classroom and the surrounding are dirty especially in the morning.

         Fourteen years and a lot had happened to each and everyone. So, just like any other classes, the batch had set a grand reunion at a fancy hotel which their 15,16, and 17 years old selves would never imagine they could ever afford to go.

         George, the class Valedictorian whom upon the planning of a batch reunion had been raised in their group chat said he might not make it due to a scheduled appointment, now had eventually changed his mind after his meeting with a client was postponed.

         Since he is wearing his work clothes ─ the typical long sleeves, black slacks, and a pair of black leather shoes, he supposes the attire would still suit the event. It is why upon entering his car, he drove directly to the venue.

         Fifty-five minutes after the scheduled and set arriving time, George cautiously pushes the huge oak door separating him from his high school batch who had already started the event basing from the loud cackles which could be heard outside.

         When the door gave way to him, he is welcomed by a huge hall decorated with chandeliers, flowers, and things he didn’t bother to notice because what really overwhelms his heart is the grown-up version of the people whom he had their puberty faces engraved in his mind.

         He was about to sit on one of the chairs at the back when the host, the quietest person in their class before like he was always afraid to talk because there is a sleeping giant he wouldn’t risk to wake, acknowledges his presence.

         “And of course, the Valedictorian had made it!” He said with his well-articulated voice and it surprises him for a moment.  

         Because of the acknowledgment, all eyes which were just fixed at the host talking in front went on him at the back. Everyone clapped their hands and some, those naughty ones who still possess the attitude even after 14 years, howl like wolves calling their pack.

         “Come on up here George and tell us how come you do not still have any girlfriend while Betty, your high school sweetheart here is already married,” the host joked and George resisted all the urge to ran towards him and playfully punch him just like what they used to do.

         “Come on, everyone wants to know what’s new to you since it is, I think the main purpose of this grand reunion,” the host prompted and he had to take a step back when George showed a sign of pushing him.

         “Well, thanks man and hello to you, too,” George started which instantly earned laughter from his high school fellows.

“and Hi betty,” the laughter replenished with louder ones and claps as he greets his ex-girlfriend who dumped him two months after their high school graduation.

Betty who is also laughing so hard waved her left hand which now has a gold band wrapped around it.  

         George just mainly talked about his career and did not intend to include his personal life since there is really nothing to share about it. But even without touching his personal life during his short speech, he was still showered with lots of mocking due to carrying a single status.  

         After his short speech, George returned the microphone to the host and he was told to sit on one of the two empty chairs at the table where Betty and four others are sitting.

         “So, from two, there’s only one missing with the batch,” the host happily informed and once again, George received another round of mocking from his classmates.

         He looks around and it is then he realized that ‘she’ is not yet around. For the past 14 years, he had met and ran into his classmates except ‘her’. He knows their residence is still under the same city but the world seems to be a huge one to them because they haven’t seen each other after their graduation in high school.

          “and speaking,” the host excitedly yelped like he had seen a very cute puppy. “The majesty had arrived!”

         Everyone turned their head and they all smiled and clapped their hands to the new comer.

         His classmates weren’t that surprise to see her like they’ve been keeping in touch once in a while, but he is. He definitely is surprise that his eyes would come out from their places.

         “Is it a coincidence that the Salutatorian had arrived 30 minutes after the Valedictorian or you two just planned the interval so we wouldn’t suspect anything,” the host teased and clearly, he is still shipping the ship which has been long sailed.

         “Yieeeeeeeeeeee!” Just like in high school, everyone squeaked the teasing sound they used to say when shipping someone.

         “My ship is alive!” Suddenly yelled by the number one fan of the Valedictorian-Salutatorian ship. Just like what she used to 14 years ago, she couldn’t contain the kilig which is still swirling in her system until now.

         Kathrese, the Class Salutatorian and newly arrive is invited by the host on the stage and while she makes her way towards the stage, George seems to be processing a big transition.

         “Hi,” Kathrese greeted and the Valedictorian could only stare because she looks different, walks different, and even talks different.

         “I’m sorry, I just got out from work,” she apologized with her now polished and well-articulated speaking. Well, she is a speaker even before but now, hearing her talk, she had earned more confidence in her voice.

         “So, I didn’t have time to change, please bear with me,” she said as she combs  her non-existent ruffled locks.

         ‘What is she apologizing for?’ George asked himself because standing before them is a stunning woman whom you wouldn’t believe to be working for already 10 hours.

         Her hair, wavy and an inch above her shoulder is still perfectly coiffed. Her clothes, red blazer, black v-neck inner, black slacks embracing her long legs and just above her ankle, and a pair of stilettos still represents her well. And Her face, she is only wearing a red lipstick and yet she looks a complete package.

         Just like George, Kathrese talked about her job since she had nothing to share about a so-called personal life which you are obliged to talk about in reunion like this.

         “You haven’t seen anyone since high school?” the host teasingly asked, beaming at her and…..at George which made the class released the long ‘yieeeeeeee’ sound again.

         “Well, there is only two things that won’t break your heart; studies and work,” she simply answered, punctuating how she plans on just marrying her job.

         “Oh! This is interesting,” the host purred. “In high school, Kathrese and George’s common denominator is being studios; now, they seem to have another which is being workaholic. Sorry Betty, but I really think, these two are the soulmates since high school,”

         “I SOOOO AGREE!” their number one fan once again yelled.     

         And just like that, they naturally went back to being high school with the constant teasing and mocking.

         “Okay, go sit beside your soulmate,” the host ordered and Kathrese could only laugh.

         Kathrese had no choice but to sit next to her mortal enemy before when it comes to academics.

         “Hey,” she greeted once seated. She smiled and gratefully accepted the glass of wine Betty had handed her.

         George who is still observing─ he doesn’t know why, is surprised when she downed the drink as if she’s only drinking a water.

         “Long day?” One of their classmates asked.

         “U-huh,” she replied and drink from her glass again.

George practically observes every expression of her face, waiting for a wince, but none came. He knows she never liked alcoholic beverages before and now, she seems to be drinking them after work.

***

While eating, one of their classmates had opened the topic about the still high number of teenage pregnancy and STI cases and how IEC is still very much needed.

         “Abstinence is really the most effective advice you could ever give to teenagers,” George after chewing the slice of stake in his mouth commented.

         “Yeah but,” Kathrese paused for a split of second to swallow the food in her mouth.

         George’s eyes instantly went to her, did she just talk to him? If she did, that’s a big deal because they haven’t been talking to each other.

They used to be a very good friends before but since he chose to court Betty, her friend, an unforeseen wall rose between them until it completely separated them.

Since then, they never talked anymore and just went to their separate ways after graduation without any words.

         “It could be the best advice but I don’t think it’s the most effective one given the situation Randy had just mentioned,” she stated.

         “It’s in the Bible, you shouldn’t have sex before marriage,” George who is known to being religious, countered.

         A smirk creeps to her feature, “Really?”

         Betty instantly blushed at Kathrese’s question. She knows, of course she knows about it since she had shared it to her over a cup of coffee when she opened up why she had dumped him 5 years ago. So, it is why she knows that even being that religious in high school, the two had still eaten the forbidden fruit.

         “Those who wish to abstain will abstain without the need of telling them to do so because it is what they want and it is their will,” she started explaining without pointing out the blush on Betty’s face.

         “It is why what you really have to tell the youth is to ‘f*ck responsibly’ since when abstinence is not in their vocabulary at all, you can never stop them from having sex before marriage,” she finished the sentence and her point without even getting uncomfortable with the words f*ck and sex, and this once again surprises him.

         Kathrese gave him a look, she knows she had him there. “I’ve been told that as young as 14, some already incurred STI. Also, there was a condom dispenser which supposedly put to certain areas since many are too shy to go to the health center to ask for some. However, the health workers had to change strategies because young teens are already coming even at the health center to get a condom from the dispenser,”

         “O my gosh,” The one sitting next to Betty exhaled.

         “Yeah. That condom dispenser, I think, you just have to enter a one-peso coin and it will release a lubricant and a condom. That’s how accessible it is. So now, imagine, the condom dispenser is still under the care of the health office and these young ones are already coming, what if it is already put to the strategic places as originally planned?” Kathrese continued and her food seems to be forgotten as she tells the table some glimpse of the pre-marital sex happening among the youth.

         “From that simple scenario, these young ones are really engaging to sex even at an early age. It is the reason that you don’t have to tell them about abstinence because I repeat, if they wanted to, they will do it. So just, ‘fuck responsibly’ is the best,” Kathrese concluded her little opinion by drinking from her second glass of wine.

         People at the table laughed at her last statement which they eventually agreed and seconded while George seems to be thinking…..but not about her contradictory opinion but with how it revealed some of ‘her’ after high school.

         He didn’t know but the moment his greatest competitor arrived, he just witnessed her making a big change to his mind and system.

         He hasn’t seen her in 14 years and though, they are Facebook friends, he could still envision her as the girl who doesn’t care about how she looks and who just simply dresses simply─ jeans, shirt, shoes and just a ponytail; the girl who isn’t drinking; the girl who blushes when sex is the topic; and the girl who is not comfortable saying words related to sex.

         A lot had really happened in 14 years because, the stunning and smart woman beside him had already shed the girl whom he had feelings for yet the girl he didn’t choose to court.

         Feelings ─ wait feelings? What about it?

         He was seating next to her for almost two hours and his heart which he had chosen to ignore the moment she walked through the door is still pounding against his chest, he fear it would really dare to come out from his it to chase her if he would still remain coward now that he had the change, again.

         “Please excuse me, I am just going to say Hi to Emily,” Kathrese said as she picks up her glass of wine and walks towards the table of the person she just said she wants to greet.

         George wasn’t aware his gaze followed her when Betty’s hand reached for his shoulder. He turned his head almost embarrassedly as if caught doing something horrible.

         “I know that look and it has all over your face since she arrived,” she said, beaming. Betty raised her hand to stop him from making any comment that would eventually worsen his case.

         “Here,” she browsed through her phone and after finding what she’s looking for, she laid her phone in front of him. “Kathrese’s number,” she winked.

         He attended the grand reunion purely to catch up with his classmates but he seemed to attend to have the chance to finally changing his single status with the woman whom even the one responsible to shedding the girl he knows 14 years ago, is still the person, the Salutatorian, his competitor whom he wants to try his luck with this time.

         But the point here is she’s already here, is he still going to waste the chance?

         He downed the remaining of his drink and without thinking twice, he got the number and stood from his seat after thanking Betty and saying that he owes her.

         He isn’t sure if it is the drink or the idea of not wasting any moment that fueled his will to walk towards Kathrese who is now laughing along with their classmates at Emily’s table.

         “Excuse me, can I borrow Ms. Salutatorian for a minute?” he politely asked.

         “OH SURE!” Simultaneously, the people on the table answered with a known and wide grin.

         Kathrese turned her head to look at him, she raised her eyebrow, silently asking what is it this time but he disarmed her when his right hand took her left one and pulled her to stand.

         “Just want to catch up with my competitor,” George said with finality and he walked her with him towards the exit screwing anything that would stop him from getting to know more the her after high school.