Pretty in Pink Reunion (Fan Fiction)
William Blake Paul
Andie pulled up to the old school and a wave of memories hit her. Near this same spot, Blane's jerk friend, Steff, had hit on her. She had rejected him, of course. Then he had called her a bitch. It seemed like yesterday. She sat in her car, musing over the memory.
A couple walked into the school. Excited voices poured out of the open doors then were hushed as the doors closed. It was no use sitting out here. She mechanically got out of the car and walked inside.
"Andie!", an excited voice said. It was her old friend, Jena. Andie forced a smile. "You look great," said Jena.
"You too," said Andie. Jena actually had aged well.
"I'm getting off probation soon," said Jena, "Hey, our old gym teacher is here. The one that never let me smoke in class..."
Jena's voice was drowned out by many conversations as Andie's eyes swung around the room. She was here for one reason only, to get a glimpse of Duckie. She had no hope of romance. No, she had killed that a long time ago. Still, it would be nice to see him again.
As if on cue, the crowd began shouting, "Duck man! Duck man!" Andie's heart skipped a beat. Why was this so hard for her? It was just her old friend.
Duckie and his beautiful blond wife entered, hand in hand. They began shaking hands and greeting people, as if they were celebrities. Andie bit her lip and looked away, trying hard not to blush. Duckie made his way closer and closer.
"Andie? Andie, is that you?" said the familiar voice.
Andie looked up and smiled, "How are you, Duckie?", she said, sheepishly. She could barely look into his deep, expression-able eyes.
Duckie took her hand. She was surprised at how normal it felt. She expected him to say, "May I admire you?," but he only grinned with his dimples showing. The awkwardness grew.
"So, I heard you've done well for yourself," began Andie abruptly.
"Business has been growing by leaps and bounds," said Duckie in his dramatic, no-big-deal way.
Duckie's wife turned toward Andie with blue eyes and red lips, framing perfectly straight teeth. "We recently broke into Europe. Duckie and my father make quite a team. Duckie designs the clothes and Father sells them." Her voice was smooth and confident. Duckie was all smiles as he shrugged, basking in unabashed delight.
"You must be very proud," said Andie, doing her best to keep her green eyes from flashing with jealousy.
"There's no on like Duckie," said the blond bombshell, giving his arm a squeeze. He gave her that knowing grin of a man very much in love.
"No one," agreed Andie, looking down at her hands.
"Hey, Andie," said Duckie, sounding suddenly concerned, "I heard about the divorce. I'm...I'm really sorry."
That was as close to "I told you so," as Duckie would get, thought Andie. "Well, yeah," she said, shrugging as if it were no big deal. "I've still got little Blane and Jenny, and they're so cute."
"Speech! Speech! Speech!" the crowd chanted.
"I promised I'd give the commencement speech," said Duckie absent-mindedly. He shrugged, "Pardon moi." He jaunted to the front of the room, grabbed the microphone, and began addressing the crowd. He always was at ease in the spotlight.
Andie felt uncomfortable next to Duckie's wife. She listened to Duckie, lost in her own thoughts.
"You and Duckie used to be close," said the blond.
"Yes, we were very good friends," said Andie, coolly.
"I guess he wanted to be more," said Duckie's wife, as if she were teasing Andie.
"Yeah," was all Andie could bear to say.
"He really liked you," she said, confidentially, her eyes wide open with disbelief.
Andie just winced and shook her head, as she thought, "No duh! Don't rub it in!" She blinked. There was no way she was going to cry.
Duckie finished his short, rousing speech. The music began before the cheers died down, "Seven years went under the bridge like time standing still," crooned the singer's voice.
"More like ten," thought Andie. The music, the familiar faces, and Andie's perfume combined in such a way that for a moment, Andie thought she was in High School again. Duckie grinned and walked towards her. She lost all pretense and smiled back at him with her sweetest smile. He didn't seem to notice. He wasn't looking at her. Of course, he was looking at Duckette. They embraced and began dancing.
Andie stood in the middle of the dance floor. "You can't go back," she said to herself. She backed towards the doorway. Staying would only prolong her bittersweet memories. She would go home and read a book or watch TV. Blane would bring the children back Sunday night, and then work and school would keep Andie busy for another week. As she walked back to her car, she could hear the strains of the song, "If you leave. Don't look back...don't look back!"