Unexpected

Unexpected

June’s mouth gaped at the revelation. Today was the day of her dear friend’s wedding, and she didn’t think much of it, rather than the fact that her dear friend, who had gone through much suffering in her relatively short life was now getting married… It was enough to move her to tears. But the reason that her mouth was gaping was because of the person right in front of her. 

Someone that she thought she had seen the last of during her turbulent, suffering years in high school was back in her life, albeit it would have been for a moment. But to be honest, she wasn’t the only one who was gaping. Her counterpart, Jen was doing the same. Even though one part of her wanted to implode on her and utterly destroy her, her who had caused her great suffering that her dear friend Hannah had helped her through, she was able to put her anger in control and she smiled, “How are you, Jen? It’s been what? Fourteen years?” 

Jen couldn’t do the same, and her mouth remained gaping. The girl that she had bothered and bullied all those years ago now in the flesh. She had some social experience, yes, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to be nice to this girl whom she thought was below her.

But she knew that she had an image problem, and she smiled… a very forced smile, as one observer could tell, and raised her hand to shake her hand, “How are you, June? I mean, I haven’t seen you since high school. What have you been up to?” 

June knew that she wasn’t someone to be all social and knew that she could make her stand right then and there but choosing to show restraint, “Well, I’ve recently graduated college, and I’m looking for a job.” 

“Oh…. And what’s your relationship with the newlyweds?” She asked in a derisive tone, thinking that she came here because well…. June slept around and the groom was one of her ‘victims., even she was well aware that she was chaste.

June, knowing quite well answered with a fake, and yet bright smile, “Oh, Hannah and I go way back, and she helped me a lot when it came to college, you know?”

Jen’s smile faltered a little bit. She knew where she came from, and she knew that even though she had ruined June’s social life, that June was gifted when it came to academics. She had been admitted into NYU. 

“How was NYU? Meet someone interesting?” This was Jen’s last chance to humiliate her counterpart, but this time, June was someone who wouldn’t back down.  June knew that the words contained the prospect that she had led a wild life, which wasn’t true. 

June tried to refute, “Well, at-“ But was cut off by Hannah’s other friend, Walter. June’s fiancé, John had followed suit. 

“Dr. June McDonald! I can’t believe I could meet you here!” 

“Walter, I think I told you that I prefer you call me by my name,” She winked, and her fiancé chuckled while Walter, who held a Ph.D. too laughed. 

Jen looked around and saw that the so-called “friend” that she bullied during their school years was a scholar, a Ph.D. holder that studied philosophy and who also was a bit better off. She felt her face going red from embarrassment. Not because of conventional things like school and degrees, but the way that June composed herself with an air of grace and with such dignity. 

John asked curiously, “By the way, how do you know that lady who’s with you right now?” 

Well, June knew that Jen thought of her pride more than anything else, but still chose to refrain from doing anything that would be impulse. She stopped short of saying what she wanted, “This is someone I knew from my school days. I was actually shocked to meet her. I’ve heard from my parents that marriages are a place where you meet the unexpected of the unexpected, and here I am! Right, June?” She asked with a smile. 

Jen smiled weakly and Walter cleared his throat, gesturing, “This is my girlfriend, Dr-I mean, June,” He smirked to which June rolled her eyes and John did the same while grinning. 

Jen felt embarrassed about the whole situation. She had ruled over June in their school years, and yet it looked like the tables have turned, and she was now at the mercy of this person, who it seems had a Ph.D. in philosophy??? 

“June, it’s nice to see you….” Jen trailed off; she didn’t know what to say to salvage the moment in the sense that she knew that in the power struggle of sorts, that she was at a disadvantage. 

She didn’t want to bow down, per say to her, but she loved Walter as well, and it looked like Walter and June and her fiancé John got along well, so she smiled back and chuckled, “Thanks for recognizing me, June. It is a small world, isn’t it?” 

June smiled, knowing about what went through Jen’s mind, and she knew about everything that would’ve happened. After all, she had seen her share of strange people over the years to be very used to it. 

Jen smiled nervously, and she knew that this wasn’t the girl that she had picked on, like so, and thought, 

‘Maybe I should avoid wedding ceremonies for now….’ 

June thought, ‘He vindicates….’ 

The bride then ran over to greet her friend, June and hugged her in all her glory in her wedding dress, “Hey June! Why didn’t you come right away to see me?” She pouted, and June chuckled, 

“Hey Hannah, sorry. I met an old friend, and I was shocked that something like this would happen at your wedding.” 

“Well you know what it is, unexpected things happen at the most inconvenient of times.” Hannah grinned, and knew what her friend was going through, unbeknownst to the three of them. 

June thought that these unexpected meetings happen in life, so she should just enjoy them when she got the chance…. Especially if it meant sweet revenge that didn’t involve too much fighting.