Author's Note: Hello, there! This is my first BHH story. I know there hasn't been a new story in this category for quite a while, but I'm hoping there's still someone out there looking for new fics, what with the new web series and all. Let me know what you think.
Walking into the hotel conference room, I know immediately that Madison planned every detail of this reunion. There are maroon and white streamers hanging from the ceiling with gold balloons at perfectly spaced intervals. The table cloths appear to be made of the same material our school blazers were. The plates, cups, and napkins are the same yellow as her old pompoms. There is a banner at one end of the room that says, "Welcome Blake Holsey Class of 2006." Someone — my money is on Stu — has used spray paint to cross out Blake Holsey and written in Black Hole, just like the sign outside the school used to say.
No matter what we all went through in our years at Blake Holsey High, no matter how strange is all was at the time, most of us are able to look back fondly, now that so much time has passed.
Ten years. The last class of Blake Holsey High graduated ten years ago, and many of us have not been together since that day. The Science Club have tried to get together with some regularity, but it's been difficult to maintain recently. The longer we were out of school, the more things changed. I guess that's what happens when you grow up and become adults.
"If it isn't Mr. Conspiracy Theory himself!"
Though it's been a while, the voice is still familiar. We did share a room for most of high school, after all.
"Hey, Marshall. Good to see you," I tell him as I embrace my best friend and former roommate. "It's been too long."
"Agreed," he slaps my shoulder lightly. "We need to have you over for dinner soon."
"Your godson has learned to walk since the last time you saw him, Uncle Lucas," Corrine beams at me and wraps her arms around my neck.
Even though we are nearly 30, it still blows my mind to think that Marshall and Corrine have a son. And that they chose me to be his godfather. It seems like just yesterday we were all sitting in the science lab at Blake Holsey together, while Corrine introduced us as the science club to the new teacher .
"Man, I can't believe he's old enough to be walking! I really need to get over there soon."
"You do," Corrine starts with a grin. "The other day, he was walking down the hall to…"
She trails off as her attention is caught by someone behind me. Her face lights up and I have a pretty good idea who she's looking at over my shoulder.
My heart starts preemptively pounding inside my chest.
"Josie! Over here!"
Corrine steps around me to meet Josie, who has stepped away from her date to hug her high school roommate. They stand there, hugging each other and squealing with laughter for a couple minutes.
At the sound of her laughter, all the air in my lungs vanishes. As I begin to slowly catch my breath again, the girls let each other go so Josie can give Marshall a hug as well. Before she can turn to me, Vaughn walks over lazily from where he had been shaking hands with Stu.
"Hey, guys." He drops an arm across Josie's shoulders and she glances up at him with little enthusiasm. "Feels good to have the whole Science Club back together again, doesn't it?"
Marshall and Corrine smile and agree with him, as Josie looks me in the eye for the first time since she walked in. My heart starts to beat a little faster, but I can't help but return the light smile she's giving me.
The five of us move to a table so we can catch up properly, as the rest of our old classmates arrive and greet each other. We haven't had what we jokingly call a "Science Club meeting" — a dinner or get together with all five of us, and Professor Z when he's available — since the day Marshall and Corrine got married a few years ago. Two or three of us have gotten together here and there, but not all five.
Vaughn leans back in his chair and drapes his arm across the back of Josie's, though she barely seems to listen as he talks about his recent work with his parents at Pearadyne 2. There's a lot he can't tell us — "Classified, you know," he says — but he seems bored with the information he can tell us. In fact, he seems bored with pretty much everything, including Josie.
Sitting directly across from me, Josie slowly sips the glass of white wine that Vaughn brought back to her when she asked for a drink from the bar. The look on her face when she saw it suggested that she would have preferred something a little less "polished" but she accepted the glass without complaint. As though she's also accepted this part of her life now, as the girlfriend of Pearadyne Labs lead researcher.
While Marshall and Corrine gush about the baby, showing off pictures and telling cute anecdotes, I try to listen closely, but my mind keeps wandering, and I struggle to tear my eyes away from the face in front of me.
When Josie, I mean the real Josie, returned from the alternate timeline she was trapped in for a year, there was so much I wanted to say, and I just couldn't bring myself to say any of it. Things were never really quite what they had been before after that, but that doesn't mean we didn't all try. Once Corrine and Marshall returned from their trip to Europe at the end of that summer and Josie finished summer school, we all tried really hard to fix the cracks in our little Club. And there were many times where it seemed like we had succeeded. But there were still times that I allowed my jealousy to get in the way, despite my best efforts.
Even now, ten years later, not only have my feelings for her not changed, but I can still feel the jealousy constricting my chest. There's this fun, beautiful, intelligent woman sitting beside him and Vaughn has barely glanced at her since they walked in. While I can't take my eyes off her.
The song playing though the sound system registers subconsciously, and I begin singing along quietly without realizing. Marshall gives me an odd look for a moment, surprised that I know the words. I return his expression and look across the table to see Josie bobbing her head and singing along also. Then I realize what the song is. A song she must have learned after her return because she was in an alternate timeline when it was released. A song I heard while she was gone and immediately thought of her. A band I thought she might like, if she ever got to listen to them, even though they are a little less punk rock than her normal music choices.
Our eyes meet again across the table as she also realizes we are both singing the words.
"And I would have stayed up with you all night Had I known how to save a life…"
We smile and chuckle softly, and the look in her eyes suggests that she's also remembering the time we all spent most of the night trying to help her fall asleep. We continue singing along, and Vaughn gives her a confused look when he asks how she knows it.
"Every song that's played tonight has been from when we were in high school," she tells him gently.
"Madison must have given the DJ specific instructions," I suggest, with a smirk.
The others laugh when they realize that's probably true. It would be just the kind of thing Madison would do.
Vaughn excuses himself for a moment as the song ends and slowly fades into the next, a soft, slow song from probably our freshman year. Several of our former classmates decide to take advantage of the dance floor and bring their spouse or date out for a dance. Marshall gives Corrine a look and a smile, silently asking her to dance with the unspoken language they've honed since high school. I swear I've seen them carry on entire conversations with only gestures and facial expressions.
As Marshall gives Corrine a little spin on the dance floor, I see Madison intercept Vaughn on his way back to the table. He doesn't even hesitate before following her to the dance floor as well. I'm grateful that this is happening behind Josie's back, so she remains unaware. When we accidentally lock eyes across the table, I quickly turn my attention to Marshall and Corrine. The way they smile and stare into each other's eyes makes me smile as well. None of us ever doubted they would end up together, but it makes me really happy for them to see them so happy together.
I'm lost in thought when her voice pulls me back to reality.
"Hey. Lukester." I turn to her and can't help but smile at the memory conjured by the old name. She's smiling too. "Wanna dance?"
Before I can even answer her, she gets up and walks around the table to stand in front of me, her hand held out for me to take. With only a fraction of a second of hesitation, I take her hand and let her lead me onto the dance floor.
She places her left hand on my shoulder and holds up her right for me to take. My right hand finds a resting place on her back. She's still a little shorter than me, so our height difference forces us closer together and there's barely any space between us. Her proximity causes my breath to catch in my throat once again.
I recall the day she returned, and the hug she gave me, somewhat hesitant but also lingering. It felt so good to have her back with us, the real her, and I was stunned into silence for probably the first time in my life. Holding her now, my heart feels much the same way, grateful and relieved that she was able to come home when all hope seemed lost.
"So," she starts, "how have you been, Lucas?"
"Oh, you know. Keeping busy. Still learning as much as I can about worm holes and alternate timelines. Forever on the hunt for more information." I shrug and give her a smile, hoping she doesn't notice it doesn't reach my eyes.
"I guess some things never change, huh?"
"What about you? How are things with Vaughn?"
"Oh, things are…fine." She also shrugs a little, but continues. "He stays really busy, with research and experiments and such. Victor seems to be getting him ready to take over one day, even though he shouldn't be retiring anytime soon."
When she pauses, the words of the song seem to shout something I've always wanted to be able to say to her.
"Come away with me and we'll kiss On a mountain top. Come away with me And I'll never stop loving you."
She stares into my eyes and I can feel her deep inhale from where my hand rests on her back. She releases the breath in a heavy sigh, gives me a sad sort of smile, and drops her head to my shoulder for the rest of the song.
The song ends just as slowly as it began, and the DJ rolls seamlessly into the next one, another slow song, but not as slow as the last one. Suddenly, Josie lifts her head with a bit of a jerk. She's looking intently at something to her left, and I turn my head to look in that direction.
Madison and Vaughn are dancing nearby, about as close to each other as Josie and I are. Vaughn's head is leaning down so Madison can say something in his ear, but when she looks like she might go in for a kiss, he pulls away, shaking his head every so slightly. He loosens his hold on her so their bodies aren't as close, but he doesn't let her go or walk away.
Finally, I feel as though I have to say something, so I start to work up the courage.
"Josie."
She looks at me and I can see the tears trying not to fall from her eyes. She gives me another sad looking smile, but doesn't say anything so I continue.
"I probably shouldn't say this, but…I don't mean to overstep any boundaries, but if he ever…if he's not…"
"I know, Lucas," she interrupts when I still can't find the words.
"If he's ever stupid enough," I finally muster up, "to let you go…or if he's not treating you right, like you deserve to be treated…"
"You'll be the first phone call I make, Lucas…" She smiles the first genuine smile she's given me all night and squeezes my hand lightly as we continue to sway to the music. "I promise."
The song begins to wind down and I feel the weight of what she's just said. I give her hand a squeeze in response before she releases me and walks back to the table. Vaughn lets Madison go when he sees Josie pass by and he joins Marshall and Corrine back at the table as well.
I take a moment to get a drink before rejoining my friends. While at the bar, I turn to look at them all siting at the table. Josie's smile is a little brighter than it was before, and despite Vaughn's arm around her chair again, she's leaning ever so slightly away from him.
No rush, I think to myself, feeling lighter and less jealous than I have in years, but I'll be the first one to call him crazy.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed it!
Here's the list of songs related to this story:
• Singles You Up by Jordan Davis (the inspiration for the story)
• How to Save A Life by The Fray (the song Lucas and Josie are both singing)
• Come Away With Me by Norah Jones (the first song they dance to)
• Home by Michael Buble (the second song they dance to)
Please leave a review and tell me what you think!
xoxo
Bethany