I have two running timelines, one where Karen and her friends are best friends forever or are always going to be part of each others lives and another when they reconnect in college or after college. This is a mixture of both of these before going back to our regularly scheduled BSC content.

Happy reading!


Karen Brewer packed up the final box as she dusted off her hands. perfect as she wrote in bold black letters kitchen supplies. Satisfied she looked around her mother's house and wondered what else she could bring to her new apartment.

New apartment, she thought, as goosebumps ran down her arms. That was so cool to say. Her new New York City apartment at that as she got all giddy. It took her a year to find a job she could see herself being at for a long time. This was the best feeling, she thought, as she stacked the box on top of the others. She was going to be close to work and still close to her family in Stoneybrook.

She sighed and looked out the window as she picked up what was on top of a stack of old books. Then realized that it wasn't a normal book but her old Stoneybrook Academy yearbook. Elementary school sounded so far away as she flipped through the pages. This was her second grade yearbook as she went to Ms Colman's class. Besides everyone's individual portraits there was the class picture at the bottom.

A few faces she hadn't seen in decades stared back at her as she tried to remember the likes of Sara Ford. She did remember when Jannie Gilbert got pregnant, that was big news at SHS. Or when Terri and Tammy switched places at graduation. She spotted herself standing between Nancy Dawes and Ricky Torres.

Karen glanced over at Nancy's house next door. Then thought of Hannie across the street from her dads house. She had their numbers saved on her phone. She glanced at the clock and then grinned, there was plenty of time to meet up for dinner.

About an hour later at Pizza Express the three of them sat at their usual booth. Their usual cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers pizza and another with whatever Hannie was trying to experiment with. This time around it was bbq chicken with pineapples on it. Honestly it wasn't half bad.

The three twenty-three year olds inhaled the scent before taking slices.

"Just simply heavenly," said Hannie, giving them a smile and turning to Karen. "So, I thought you were moving to New York today."

"I am," she said, brushing her long blond hair over her shoulder. "I just figured that we'd get together for dinner before I leave. It might be awhile before we can do it again."

"It's not like you're going far," said Nancy, taking the pineapple off the BBQ pizza. "But I see your point, it'll be the last time we'll be able to do this without any responsibilities."

"True, right now not all of us have full time jobs, families of our own, or even a house of our own to go back to," said Hannie finishing a slice. "Honestly it's kind of thrilling. This is exactly the reason why I took that job with National Geographic."

"I can't believe that you're choosing to live in hostels or motels for a year Hannie," said Karen pushing her tortoise shell glasses up her nose.

"Speak for yourself, Bobby and I's bid for a house on Bradford Court went through this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Hobart is moving to those townhouses where my old boss moved to. I should be stressed with moving, a wedding, and a baby but I'm actually feeling the best I've ever been."

"And you're super woman," said Karen putting in an order for the dessert pizza. "Although you've been planning that wedding for the last year. You're only planning on getting pregnant which hasn't happened yet. ANd you only got the house this morning."

"Details details," said Nancy, smiling as she finished her water. "Now to us and our next adventures in life. College is far behind us and we'll play to meet here next year when Hannie comes back."

Hannie sat up straight like she was the most important person at the table and picked up her plastic cup. Karen followed in order and then Nancy. They held it up and tapped their cups together. Laughing, they took a drink before parting. There was a pep in their steps as Hannie headed toward the airport, Karen for New York, and Nancy for her new house.