Disclaimer: don't own anyone IaHb related.
Note: A big thanks to Chase for his wonderful idea of splitting up the story lines a bit by doing a different one each chapter. The first chapter was Tyler& Val. This one is Jamie and Catie. And so on.... I will eventually get back to Tyler and Val. Anyway, that was a really cool idea, Chase. Thanks!
Okay, everyone, don't forget to review and let me know what you think.
Catie Roth had not wanted to go to the reunion at all. Why go to a jock and jockette fest, she had wondered. Wouldn't it turn into a night of swapping stories about 'the big game' senior year and all that sort of stuff? If so, Catie did not want any part of it.
After all, Catie had never been one to get excited about sports. In fact, in school she had even hated gym class. So why, she had wondered, would she want to go to her class reunion?
She really didn't have the time to go. Her editor had told her that the next fifteen chapters had better be on his desk by Monday or else. Catie really didn't want to find out what the 'or else' stood for. She had thought that she would spend the weekend working on her chapters. It would take the whole weekend, she knew. She would probably have to stay up late at night just to get them done the way she liked before turning them in on Monday morning. But, she was willing to make that sacrifice, as she had done so many times before. Her newest book was all that mattered to her. She just wanted to stay home and get it done.
Or she could use that weekend to go to the reunion.
The only reason Catie had even entertained the idea of going to the reunion is because she missed Val so badly. Since college, both girls had been so busy, that they had not been able to keep in contact very well at all. Catie still got Christmas and birthday cards from her friend, but she had not seen her in person in so long.
Of course, if Catie had been totally honest with herself, she would have admitted that Val was not the only person she was hoping to see at the reunion. Sure, Catie thought as she drove the rental car towards Kingsport. I'll get to see Hank and Tyler too. And.......
Jamie Waite.
Wasn't he the real reason she was going to the reunion? She hadn't seen Jamie since they had left for college and she missed him. She missed having him around to lighten up her day. She missed his stupid jokes. She missed his easy smile and.....................
Catie gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter as she stared hard at the road before her. Jamie had always been her best friend and yet........ Sometimes, when they had been together, Catie had wished for something a bit more than just friendship from Jamie. It wasn't like she had ever tried to get to that place, though. And she had never told anyone about how much Jamie really meant to her.
Now, here she was, heading back to Kingsport. Going back to her past. To Jamie. Well, hopefully, he'll be there, she thought.
Truly, she wanted to see how her friend was doing. She wanted to know what he had been up to since graduation. But, she also wanted to convince herself that what she had felt in high school had just been a silly crush, nothing more. She had to convince herself that he was nothing more to her than a friend.
After all, that's all he would want to be to her, wasn't it?
..........................................................................
Jamie Waite surveyed the grounds, watching as kids ran all over the place. Some played tag in the middle field while others lined up to start their hike for the day. Jamie smiled as he watched two little girls come dashing out of their cabin, towels grasped tightly in their little fists. On their way to the lake, Jamie thought lightly, watching as the same two girls disappeared down the carefully marked path, through the tree-line.
"I have to hand it to you, Waite, you really outdid yourself this time," Mike said, coming up behind him.
Jamie had known Mike since his freshman year in college. The two had roomed together and had become fast friends. It was in the first year of college that they had put together their project. It had been Jamie's idea to begin with and he had shared it with Mike one night. Mike had loved the idea and had immediately joined in on the project himself.
After college, the two had spent their time putting their project onto more than just paper. And there, laid out before them on the land, was their project at work. Jamie couldn't help but feel proud as he looked around at the all of the different buildings before him. There were the arts and crafts building, the mess hall, the auditorium, and the twenty identical cabins.
Back in the woods was the lake, basketball court, obstacle course and playground. Plus, the woods were cut into sections by different paths, all which eventually led back to the main camp.
"I still wish we could have put in that volley ball court," Jamie murmured, his eyes on the kids playing tag.
"Hey, we'll get it one of these days, man. Don't' worry about it," Mike answered.
"I know," Jamie said, wishing that he had all the money in the world. Then he could really treat these kids to a great camp. Something they would remember, long after they returned to the nightmares they came from.
The group playing tag, seven kids in all, rushed past Mike and Jamie, laughing all the way. Jamie smiled as he listened to the sweet tinkling of their laughter. Like wind chimes, he thought.
He looked down at the ground they had just passed over and saw a beautiful golden scarf laying there. Jamie leaned down and picked the scarf up slowly, noting that the sides of it were knotted together. Straightening up, he looked at the children still playing tag just a few feet away from where he and Mike stood. Obviously, the scarf had come off of one of them.
Jamie counted them quickly, noting that their number looked smaller than it had just seconds ago. Six, he thought. Where did the other one go?
At that second, Jamie felt a tug on his shirt, and he looked down into the sweetest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen. The little girl was so small for her age. Of course, her sickness had had a hand in that as well. The important thing was, though, that she smiled up at Jamie with a smile that put the brightest light bulb to shame.
Although Jamie would never admit it, Kara was one of his favorites.
"Is this yours?" He asked, holding up the scarf.
Kara nodded her head. Jamie handed the scarf to her and she place it back on her head. Jamie noticed that she was very careful to cover up her baldness.
"Thanks Jamie," she called before rushing off to rejoin the game of tag.
His eyes lingered on the small girl, who couldn't be any more than eight or nine. How hard her life has been already, he thought sadly.
Mike followed Jamie's eyes and smiled. He knew Kara was one of Jamie's favorites. He knew that his friend loved the little girl because she had suffered so much and yet, she seemed so strong. "You know," Mike started, drawing Jamie's gaze back to him, "the doctors couldn't get her to get out of bed or eat anything. She just couldn't keep anything down. Now look at her."
Jamie looked back at Kara, who had just tagged someone as 'it' and was now running away, laughing hysterically.
"She's running around. And I heard that she ate three whole pieces of pizza by herself last night," Mike finished, watching with satisfaction as Jamie smiled again.
"Good," Jamie replied. That's what he had hoped for when he had come up with this project of his. He had wanted a place for these kids to get away from all of the doctors and hospitals and just have a chance to be....well, kids.
"Hey," Mike said, suddenly, glancing at his watch. "Aren't you supposed to catch a flight soon?"
"Oh jeez," Jamie said, smacking his hand against his forehead. He had almost forgotten all about the reunion. That was somewhat ironic too, since that was all he had been able to think about the whole week.
There was only one reason he was going. And he suspected that that reason was trying to talk herself out of going. Would she try to convince herself that it would be a jock fest, he had wondered when he had gotten the invitation. Yet, he knew Catie and he knew that she'd be curious about what people had turned out like since school.
The only thing he wondered about was whether or not she was curious about him. He wondered all the time if she thought of him as many times a day as he thought of her.
Mike handed Jamie the plane ticket and laughed as his friend ran for his car. Mike knew his friend Jamie well and he knew that Jamie had not been too keen about going to the reunion. There must be a girl, Mike thought.
..............................................
Catie Roth, who had just gotten to the reunion, stood near the punch table, watching as both boys discreetly raced each other over to where Val stood. "What fools these mortals be," she murmured, wondering who would get there first. She smiled, knowing Val would have her hands full for the next few minutes.
For just a second, she wished that a certain dark haired guy was there with her. Was she looking forward to seeing Jamie Waite? Oh yes. And after she said hi to him, she was going to punch him for not ever calling or writing her.
"Still quoting Shakespeare, I see," A deep voice behind her said and Catie's smile deepened. She had been waiting..............and finally, he had come.
"Jamie," she said, turning.
"Hey Catie," he returned softly, looking her over. Her dark hair was pushed behind her shoulders, cascading down her back like a chocolate waterfall.
Her soft black dress was cut a bit low in the front and the sequence on the front of it shimmered in the gym lights. The sleeves were cut short, showing off the milky whiteness of Catie's skin. The dress flowed down her thin body and pooled right above her feet. A thin black shawl hung over the crook of each elbow. The short fringe on the ends of it swaying in the breeze as people walked by.
Jamie swallowed hard. Wow, he thought. She looked like a Goddess of the night. The phrase 'unearthly beauty' came to his mind suddenly. He smiled at her weakly.
Catie returned his smile as she sized him up. His hair was still short and spiky. He wore a black suit. Wait, Catie thought. Jamie Waite in a suit? Sure enough, though, he wore a suit, complete with a black tie.
"It's a loaner," Jamie explained as he watched Catie's eyes rest on his suit. In all actuality, Jamie hated to wear suits. In fact, he tried whenever possible to get out of wearing one. But, when this reunion thing had come up, he had been in a jam.
He had never cared too much about what other people had thought of him in high school. That is, except for Catie. He had always cared what she had thought of him. In fact, sometimes, he had tried hard to impress her. But, that had been the past. It had been so long since they had seen each other last and Jamie didn't know what Catie would think of him now. But, for some reason that Jamie was still not comfortable to admit, he still wanted to impress her. Hence, borrowing the suit from his friend, Mike.
"You look very handsome," Catie remarked, turning her eyes up to meet Jamie's gaze.
Jamie smiled, knowing this was exactly what he was hoping she would say. "You look great, Catie."
"Thank you," she said, and then the smile dropped from her face. "Why haven't you called me in, like, the last few years?" She asked, punching him lightly in the arm.
Jamie laughed as he had expected Catie to lecture him for not staying in touch with her. It had just been too hard, what with his work and all. He had meant to keep in touch with her, but time had always seemed to slip away from him.
"Hey, I've been busy," he said in his own defense.
Catie scoffed and reached up to punch him in the shoulder, but he grabbed her hand. They stood there like that for minutes on end, him holding her hand. And they stared at each other, both realizing in that instant how glad they were that they had come to the reunion.
Hank walked in the doorway, psyched to be in the old gym. He couldn't wait to see his friends again. It had been so long since he had seen any of them and he wondered what they were all up to.
He scanned the large room, looking for the old gang. His eyes fell upon Jamie and Catie, standing next to the refreshments table. Jamie was holding Catie's hand and they were both staring at each other with wide eyes.
"Well, well, well," Hank murmured as he watched his two friends stare at each other in awe. He recognized the look in their eyes way too well. "Looks like things are going to be interesting tonight," he whispered softly, smiling.
Well, please review!!!!!! And a special note to Mad Cow- the next part will be about Hank, I promise. Just hold on a couple more days, K? I'm still debating what to do with him. Thanks everyone for reviewing!
Note: A big thanks to Chase for his wonderful idea of splitting up the story lines a bit by doing a different one each chapter. The first chapter was Tyler& Val. This one is Jamie and Catie. And so on.... I will eventually get back to Tyler and Val. Anyway, that was a really cool idea, Chase. Thanks!
Okay, everyone, don't forget to review and let me know what you think.
Catie Roth had not wanted to go to the reunion at all. Why go to a jock and jockette fest, she had wondered. Wouldn't it turn into a night of swapping stories about 'the big game' senior year and all that sort of stuff? If so, Catie did not want any part of it.
After all, Catie had never been one to get excited about sports. In fact, in school she had even hated gym class. So why, she had wondered, would she want to go to her class reunion?
She really didn't have the time to go. Her editor had told her that the next fifteen chapters had better be on his desk by Monday or else. Catie really didn't want to find out what the 'or else' stood for. She had thought that she would spend the weekend working on her chapters. It would take the whole weekend, she knew. She would probably have to stay up late at night just to get them done the way she liked before turning them in on Monday morning. But, she was willing to make that sacrifice, as she had done so many times before. Her newest book was all that mattered to her. She just wanted to stay home and get it done.
Or she could use that weekend to go to the reunion.
The only reason Catie had even entertained the idea of going to the reunion is because she missed Val so badly. Since college, both girls had been so busy, that they had not been able to keep in contact very well at all. Catie still got Christmas and birthday cards from her friend, but she had not seen her in person in so long.
Of course, if Catie had been totally honest with herself, she would have admitted that Val was not the only person she was hoping to see at the reunion. Sure, Catie thought as she drove the rental car towards Kingsport. I'll get to see Hank and Tyler too. And.......
Jamie Waite.
Wasn't he the real reason she was going to the reunion? She hadn't seen Jamie since they had left for college and she missed him. She missed having him around to lighten up her day. She missed his stupid jokes. She missed his easy smile and.....................
Catie gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter as she stared hard at the road before her. Jamie had always been her best friend and yet........ Sometimes, when they had been together, Catie had wished for something a bit more than just friendship from Jamie. It wasn't like she had ever tried to get to that place, though. And she had never told anyone about how much Jamie really meant to her.
Now, here she was, heading back to Kingsport. Going back to her past. To Jamie. Well, hopefully, he'll be there, she thought.
Truly, she wanted to see how her friend was doing. She wanted to know what he had been up to since graduation. But, she also wanted to convince herself that what she had felt in high school had just been a silly crush, nothing more. She had to convince herself that he was nothing more to her than a friend.
After all, that's all he would want to be to her, wasn't it?
..........................................................................
Jamie Waite surveyed the grounds, watching as kids ran all over the place. Some played tag in the middle field while others lined up to start their hike for the day. Jamie smiled as he watched two little girls come dashing out of their cabin, towels grasped tightly in their little fists. On their way to the lake, Jamie thought lightly, watching as the same two girls disappeared down the carefully marked path, through the tree-line.
"I have to hand it to you, Waite, you really outdid yourself this time," Mike said, coming up behind him.
Jamie had known Mike since his freshman year in college. The two had roomed together and had become fast friends. It was in the first year of college that they had put together their project. It had been Jamie's idea to begin with and he had shared it with Mike one night. Mike had loved the idea and had immediately joined in on the project himself.
After college, the two had spent their time putting their project onto more than just paper. And there, laid out before them on the land, was their project at work. Jamie couldn't help but feel proud as he looked around at the all of the different buildings before him. There were the arts and crafts building, the mess hall, the auditorium, and the twenty identical cabins.
Back in the woods was the lake, basketball court, obstacle course and playground. Plus, the woods were cut into sections by different paths, all which eventually led back to the main camp.
"I still wish we could have put in that volley ball court," Jamie murmured, his eyes on the kids playing tag.
"Hey, we'll get it one of these days, man. Don't' worry about it," Mike answered.
"I know," Jamie said, wishing that he had all the money in the world. Then he could really treat these kids to a great camp. Something they would remember, long after they returned to the nightmares they came from.
The group playing tag, seven kids in all, rushed past Mike and Jamie, laughing all the way. Jamie smiled as he listened to the sweet tinkling of their laughter. Like wind chimes, he thought.
He looked down at the ground they had just passed over and saw a beautiful golden scarf laying there. Jamie leaned down and picked the scarf up slowly, noting that the sides of it were knotted together. Straightening up, he looked at the children still playing tag just a few feet away from where he and Mike stood. Obviously, the scarf had come off of one of them.
Jamie counted them quickly, noting that their number looked smaller than it had just seconds ago. Six, he thought. Where did the other one go?
At that second, Jamie felt a tug on his shirt, and he looked down into the sweetest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen. The little girl was so small for her age. Of course, her sickness had had a hand in that as well. The important thing was, though, that she smiled up at Jamie with a smile that put the brightest light bulb to shame.
Although Jamie would never admit it, Kara was one of his favorites.
"Is this yours?" He asked, holding up the scarf.
Kara nodded her head. Jamie handed the scarf to her and she place it back on her head. Jamie noticed that she was very careful to cover up her baldness.
"Thanks Jamie," she called before rushing off to rejoin the game of tag.
His eyes lingered on the small girl, who couldn't be any more than eight or nine. How hard her life has been already, he thought sadly.
Mike followed Jamie's eyes and smiled. He knew Kara was one of Jamie's favorites. He knew that his friend loved the little girl because she had suffered so much and yet, she seemed so strong. "You know," Mike started, drawing Jamie's gaze back to him, "the doctors couldn't get her to get out of bed or eat anything. She just couldn't keep anything down. Now look at her."
Jamie looked back at Kara, who had just tagged someone as 'it' and was now running away, laughing hysterically.
"She's running around. And I heard that she ate three whole pieces of pizza by herself last night," Mike finished, watching with satisfaction as Jamie smiled again.
"Good," Jamie replied. That's what he had hoped for when he had come up with this project of his. He had wanted a place for these kids to get away from all of the doctors and hospitals and just have a chance to be....well, kids.
"Hey," Mike said, suddenly, glancing at his watch. "Aren't you supposed to catch a flight soon?"
"Oh jeez," Jamie said, smacking his hand against his forehead. He had almost forgotten all about the reunion. That was somewhat ironic too, since that was all he had been able to think about the whole week.
There was only one reason he was going. And he suspected that that reason was trying to talk herself out of going. Would she try to convince herself that it would be a jock fest, he had wondered when he had gotten the invitation. Yet, he knew Catie and he knew that she'd be curious about what people had turned out like since school.
The only thing he wondered about was whether or not she was curious about him. He wondered all the time if she thought of him as many times a day as he thought of her.
Mike handed Jamie the plane ticket and laughed as his friend ran for his car. Mike knew his friend Jamie well and he knew that Jamie had not been too keen about going to the reunion. There must be a girl, Mike thought.
..............................................
Catie Roth, who had just gotten to the reunion, stood near the punch table, watching as both boys discreetly raced each other over to where Val stood. "What fools these mortals be," she murmured, wondering who would get there first. She smiled, knowing Val would have her hands full for the next few minutes.
For just a second, she wished that a certain dark haired guy was there with her. Was she looking forward to seeing Jamie Waite? Oh yes. And after she said hi to him, she was going to punch him for not ever calling or writing her.
"Still quoting Shakespeare, I see," A deep voice behind her said and Catie's smile deepened. She had been waiting..............and finally, he had come.
"Jamie," she said, turning.
"Hey Catie," he returned softly, looking her over. Her dark hair was pushed behind her shoulders, cascading down her back like a chocolate waterfall.
Her soft black dress was cut a bit low in the front and the sequence on the front of it shimmered in the gym lights. The sleeves were cut short, showing off the milky whiteness of Catie's skin. The dress flowed down her thin body and pooled right above her feet. A thin black shawl hung over the crook of each elbow. The short fringe on the ends of it swaying in the breeze as people walked by.
Jamie swallowed hard. Wow, he thought. She looked like a Goddess of the night. The phrase 'unearthly beauty' came to his mind suddenly. He smiled at her weakly.
Catie returned his smile as she sized him up. His hair was still short and spiky. He wore a black suit. Wait, Catie thought. Jamie Waite in a suit? Sure enough, though, he wore a suit, complete with a black tie.
"It's a loaner," Jamie explained as he watched Catie's eyes rest on his suit. In all actuality, Jamie hated to wear suits. In fact, he tried whenever possible to get out of wearing one. But, when this reunion thing had come up, he had been in a jam.
He had never cared too much about what other people had thought of him in high school. That is, except for Catie. He had always cared what she had thought of him. In fact, sometimes, he had tried hard to impress her. But, that had been the past. It had been so long since they had seen each other last and Jamie didn't know what Catie would think of him now. But, for some reason that Jamie was still not comfortable to admit, he still wanted to impress her. Hence, borrowing the suit from his friend, Mike.
"You look very handsome," Catie remarked, turning her eyes up to meet Jamie's gaze.
Jamie smiled, knowing this was exactly what he was hoping she would say. "You look great, Catie."
"Thank you," she said, and then the smile dropped from her face. "Why haven't you called me in, like, the last few years?" She asked, punching him lightly in the arm.
Jamie laughed as he had expected Catie to lecture him for not staying in touch with her. It had just been too hard, what with his work and all. He had meant to keep in touch with her, but time had always seemed to slip away from him.
"Hey, I've been busy," he said in his own defense.
Catie scoffed and reached up to punch him in the shoulder, but he grabbed her hand. They stood there like that for minutes on end, him holding her hand. And they stared at each other, both realizing in that instant how glad they were that they had come to the reunion.
Hank walked in the doorway, psyched to be in the old gym. He couldn't wait to see his friends again. It had been so long since he had seen any of them and he wondered what they were all up to.
He scanned the large room, looking for the old gang. His eyes fell upon Jamie and Catie, standing next to the refreshments table. Jamie was holding Catie's hand and they were both staring at each other with wide eyes.
"Well, well, well," Hank murmured as he watched his two friends stare at each other in awe. He recognized the look in their eyes way too well. "Looks like things are going to be interesting tonight," he whispered softly, smiling.
Well, please review!!!!!! And a special note to Mad Cow- the next part will be about Hank, I promise. Just hold on a couple more days, K? I'm still debating what to do with him. Thanks everyone for reviewing!
