Spinelli took a deep breath, and got out of her car. She could not say how
much she didn't want to do this. She wouldn't have if Gretchen and her one
true friend for life hadn't been in the car next to her. It was actually
pretty amazing how much she had changed over the years. When they had been
sophomores, she had gotten contacts, and after graduation, she had gotten
braces. She was now quite lovely. Some of their long lost fellow Third
Street classmates were looking at her interestedly. Especially the boys.
Spinelli gulped at the thought of the boys. She hadn't spoken to Vince or
Mikey since the summer after their senior year. And she hadn't seen or
spoken to TJ since the prom. She closed her eyes and remembered that night
ten years ago. One of the few times that she actually dressed up and did
her hair. Then she shuddered when she remembered the horrible betrayal the
next day. All summer, her entire world had been shattered. She had gone
off to college a complete wreck. There she had met Tom Lairsden. They had
married last year. A lump came to Spinelli's throat when she thought about
it. She hadn't loved him, and she was so glad that he never found out. It
had been their wedding night. They were driving to their hotel, and had
been hit by a drunk driver. Tom had been killed on impact. And she would
never love again. She just hoped that she and TJ would be able to get
along like civilized people.
"Spinelli? Gretchen?" They turned. Spinelli's mouth dropped open. It couldn't be! But it was. Gus! He had moved away in the seventh grade, and they had never seen him again. But what really shocked Spinelli was that he was standing with his arm around....
"Ashley A?" she asked in amazement. She smiled and held up her left hand. A wedding ring glittered on her finger.
"No, I'm like Ashley A G now Spinelli." Then she left, because the rest of the Ashleys were waving to her while shooting appreciative glances at Gus. Spinelli was shooting him a few of her own. Her old grade school friend who had once been short, gangly, and bespectacled, was now tall, well built, and really really hot.
"So how did you two get together?" Gretchen asked in amazement. "All odds were against you!"
"I find it very amazing myself," Gus answered while placing an arm around each of their shoulders. "I was vacationing in Aruba, and she was staying at the same hotel as me while she was doing a swimsuit modeling thing. We just happened to meet up there, and I didn't learn her name until after.....Well....uh...yeah."
"Oh," was all that Gretchen said while pink tinged her cheeks. Spinelli rolled her eyes and tried to surpress a smile. It was a well known fact that Gretchen was still a virgin, determined not to indulge until marraige. Spinelli wished that she had made that same vow. Then maybe everything would have turned out differently.
They had reached the large field where everything was taking place. There were tiki torches everywhere, and a band was playing. A massively long refreshment table was set up, with everything from cheese cubes to hot dogs. It was at this massively long refreshment stand that Spinelli saw a familiar form. A very large form. She opened her mouth to speak, but Gus beat her to it.
"Mikey? Is that you?" The object of the question turned, and Spinelli knew that it was indeed her old, poetic friend. And standing next to him was another old buddy. Vince. True, his head was now shaved, but that green jersey could be recognised anywhere. Two feminine cries sounded, and both Gretchen and Spinelli ran to embrace their old friends. Gus followed at a slower pace grinning.
Vince pulled back from his hug with Spinelli. She had grown into quite a beauty between fourth and twelfth grade, and she was even more beautiful now, although he would never admit it. By the looks of her arms, she still hit things regularly, and he had no desire to be a human punching bag. But she still had a great body which was clad in light blue pajama pants and a white tank top. And over her hair which was in a pair of messy braids was that infernal orange hat. Vince smiled. She looked like she had been working out and had just decided to come at the last minute.
He continued to observe her as he hugged Gretchen. He could tell that she was looking for TJ. He wasn't very eager to witness their first meeting in ten years. He grimanced when he saw his friend making his way back towards them with a drink in his hand. Gretchen and Mikey saw TJ too. They exchanged worried glances behind Spinelli's back. She was talking amiably with Gus, totally unaware. The rest however all remembered that prom night scandal, and really didn't want to relive it. It appeared that they would have no choice.
"Spinelli? Gretchen?" They turned. Spinelli's mouth dropped open. It couldn't be! But it was. Gus! He had moved away in the seventh grade, and they had never seen him again. But what really shocked Spinelli was that he was standing with his arm around....
"Ashley A?" she asked in amazement. She smiled and held up her left hand. A wedding ring glittered on her finger.
"No, I'm like Ashley A G now Spinelli." Then she left, because the rest of the Ashleys were waving to her while shooting appreciative glances at Gus. Spinelli was shooting him a few of her own. Her old grade school friend who had once been short, gangly, and bespectacled, was now tall, well built, and really really hot.
"So how did you two get together?" Gretchen asked in amazement. "All odds were against you!"
"I find it very amazing myself," Gus answered while placing an arm around each of their shoulders. "I was vacationing in Aruba, and she was staying at the same hotel as me while she was doing a swimsuit modeling thing. We just happened to meet up there, and I didn't learn her name until after.....Well....uh...yeah."
"Oh," was all that Gretchen said while pink tinged her cheeks. Spinelli rolled her eyes and tried to surpress a smile. It was a well known fact that Gretchen was still a virgin, determined not to indulge until marraige. Spinelli wished that she had made that same vow. Then maybe everything would have turned out differently.
They had reached the large field where everything was taking place. There were tiki torches everywhere, and a band was playing. A massively long refreshment table was set up, with everything from cheese cubes to hot dogs. It was at this massively long refreshment stand that Spinelli saw a familiar form. A very large form. She opened her mouth to speak, but Gus beat her to it.
"Mikey? Is that you?" The object of the question turned, and Spinelli knew that it was indeed her old, poetic friend. And standing next to him was another old buddy. Vince. True, his head was now shaved, but that green jersey could be recognised anywhere. Two feminine cries sounded, and both Gretchen and Spinelli ran to embrace their old friends. Gus followed at a slower pace grinning.
Vince pulled back from his hug with Spinelli. She had grown into quite a beauty between fourth and twelfth grade, and she was even more beautiful now, although he would never admit it. By the looks of her arms, she still hit things regularly, and he had no desire to be a human punching bag. But she still had a great body which was clad in light blue pajama pants and a white tank top. And over her hair which was in a pair of messy braids was that infernal orange hat. Vince smiled. She looked like she had been working out and had just decided to come at the last minute.
He continued to observe her as he hugged Gretchen. He could tell that she was looking for TJ. He wasn't very eager to witness their first meeting in ten years. He grimanced when he saw his friend making his way back towards them with a drink in his hand. Gretchen and Mikey saw TJ too. They exchanged worried glances behind Spinelli's back. She was talking amiably with Gus, totally unaware. The rest however all remembered that prom night scandal, and really didn't want to relive it. It appeared that they would have no choice.