Notes: For Flufftober - Reunion

Five Year Reunion

Cisco shifted uncomfortably as the music played loudly in his old high school's gym. It was his five year school reunion - Dante's too, since Cisco had skipped two grades in elementary. When he'd gotten the invite weeks ago, Cisco had every intention of skipping the reunion. But Dante had RSVP'ed for him and dragged him along for reasons Cisco couldn't even begin to guess at. They weren't close anymore. In fact it was senior year when things between them started going sour for reasons Cisco had never quite figured out.

Still, it wasn't going too badly. He'd already said hello to a few friends that he'd stayed in touch. And a few people he wasn't friends with but had, at least, been friendly with. Though he'd also run into Jake Puckett, who'd acted like they'd been best buddies instead of Jake being the guy who used to give Cisco swirlies. Which, to avoid getting a swirly now, Cisco had awkwardly gone with it and escaped to the punch bowl when he had the chance.

Which was where Cisco was hovering now, debating leaving early. Dante was... somewhere in the crowd, so it wasn't like he'd notice Cisco slipping off and getting an Uber home. Cisco could text him after leaving, that way Dante would know he was gone... but only once it'd be too late to stop him.

"Oh, hey Cisco."

Cisco froze for a second and then turned around with a smile plastered to his face. One that, hopefully, looked natural. Melinda Torres was as beautiful as he remembered. The love of his life. Or his high school years anyway. And his traitorous heart still gave a little flutter for her even now.

"Hi, Melinda," Cisco replied.

"I like your hair, it's a great look on you."

"Thanks," Cisco reached up to touch it, a bit self consciously. "I'm thinking about letting it go a bit longer. Mom hates it, but since I don't live with her anymore she can't force me to cut it."

"Well," Melinda grinned, "good. It suits you."

"So how have things been for you the last few years?" Cisco asked. "You went to college out of state, right?"

"That's right. But somehow I wound up back here after graduating. I'm working at a tech start up as a junior software developer." Melinda looked pretty excited. "It's for interactive therapy dolls for children."

"That's pretty cool," Cisco replied with a grin.

"So how goes seminary school?" Melinda asked.

Cisco frowned at her. "Seminary school? I'm working on a masters degree at CCU. Mechanical engineering."

"So you... decided not to become a priest after all?"

"I never wanted become a priest. Mechanical engineering was my pick from the start. Who ever said I wanted to be a priest?" Cisco had never exactly been the most religious person around - honestly, he really only showed up for holy days of obligation anymore and those only when his mom called him up to nag him about it. The idea that anyone would think he'd become a priest was really kind of ridiculous. But obviously someone had convinced Melinda of exactly that scenario.

"Dante." Melinda sounded a touch angry, eyes narrowing. "He lied to me."

"Yeah. Quite a whopper too." Cisco had to take a moment to let the tight anger bleed out of him because Dante deserved that angry tone. Not Melinda. "I... is that why you said no when I asked you to prom?" Cisco fidgeted, remembering how awful he'd felt when the girl he'd liked - the girl everyone had assured him liked him back - had turned him down when he asked her out. And to know Dante had clearly been laughing about the whole thing behind his back... but he was not - absolutely not - going to go track his brother down right now. If he did, he might punch Dante in the face.

Melinda nodded miserably. "I had such a crush on you, but when he said you wanted to be a priest... I couldn't bear the thought of going to prom with you, knowing that would be the only real date we'd ever have. So I didn't go with anyone at all. If I hadn't been so gullible..."

"I had a crush on you too, though I guess the fact that I asked you to the dance made that kinda clear." Cisco blushed and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up, even if it is about five years to late. Do you... want to have that dance now, maybe?"

Melinda grinned, widely. "I'd love to. And then... maybe we could get dinner sometime?"

Tossing out his empty cup of punch, Cisco took Melinda's hands in his. "It's a date," he promised with a grin, leading her out onto the dance floor.