Chapter 12

 

 

 

Paige pulled her car to a stop outside the Riverdale Country Club. She glanced at everyone milling around and took a calming breath before killing the engine.

Their afternoon consisted of walking the halls of their old high school before ending up at Meg's parents home. They spent time with the couple, reminiscing before retiring to Meg's old room to freshen up and change their clothes. The girls spent the rest of the evening dressing and getting made up. It wouldn't do for Riverdale's elite to show up wearing day old clothes, now would it?

After primping and getting each hair in place, the girls made their way to the Country Club. From the looks they got from everyone milling around, their efforts would be rewarded.

"Man, I didn't think there would be this many people here," Courtney said from the back seat.

"Well, it is classmates and spouses," Amy told her. "It's going to be more than just who we went to school with."

"Are we ready ladies?" Heather asked, opening her door and climbing out.

Paige exited the car last. She watched the others make their way to the building before looking at her reflection in the windows of her car, smoothing her shirt down over her slacks and fussing with her hair.

Her mind once again shifted to Simon. Him knowing her still confused her but not nearly as much at the thoughts of her date did. Was he setting her up for something or was she just being paranoid?

The look on his face inside the bathroom puzzled her the most. He looked almost scared when he asked her out, but why? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She had a date with him and was nearly ready to bust from wanting to tell someone. She knew Meg could help her think things through and she wouldn't say anything if she told her not to, but she felt stupid for wanting to see him again considering everything that had happened. She frowned as she thought about it before glancing over at Meg. After all the fuss, why would she even consider a date with him?

Because he's hot and you like him.

"What's with the frown?"

"Nothing," Paige said, looking at Meg before she smiled back at her.

She shook her head, grabbing her friend by the arm and walking toward the building where the others were waiting. They all smiled before entering. Two girls seated at the "welcome" table in the entranceway immediately greeted them.

"Oh my God! Heather!" The blonde behind the table screamed when they all entered. "We were all hoping you would come."

"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," Heather said, flashing her million-watt smile.

"Well, you are the only one in the graduating class that is now a household name," the blonde told her smiling. "Here, just sign in and Tracy will help you find your badge."

"Badge?" Kim asked, walking toward the table and glancing up at Tracy. Kim remembered teasing her relentlessly.

"Yes, it's a name tag, with your senior picture on it," the blonde proudly boasted, pointing towards her own. "In case you have trouble figuring out who anyone is."

"Oh, how... cute," Kim said, rolling her eyes before scanning through the badges with Tracy until she found hers. "God, did I actually wear my hair like that!" she yelled, holding her nametag up and looking at it. "Why the hell didn't one of you slap some sense into me?"

They all laughed, signing in and giving their ticket to Melissa, who they barely recognized, but remembered being the most annoying person on the planet. Finding their badges, the six girls ventured down the hall to the reception area.

"Wow!" Megan said happily. "This place looks great."

"I know," Courtney replied, looking around the large room.

There were tables lining the four walls, each holding photos of their high schools days, blown up and displayed for the classmates to reminisce and take the opportunity to remember days gone by.

Paige walked toward her right, the others scattering in separate directions, looking at photos or speaking to someone they hadn't seen in years. The room looked full to capacity already, most of them congregating in the center of the room, talking to old friends, while others scanned the photos lining the tables.

Paige stopped to talk to a few old classmates who said hello to her. It felt so much nicer to actually talk to these people rather than turning her nose up to them.

She’d been terrible in school. She knew it. Her friends expected her to be. They were snobs. All of them. Herself included. Of course, the others weren't around at the moment for her to put a front up for. She always hated that the most. Pretending to be someone she just didn't want to be.

She sighed thinking of her old high school self. No matter what she wanted or thought, the "girls" were the ones who dictated how Paige thought and felt. If they didn't like someone, Paige felt obligated to feel the same way. She wasn't a leader… she was a follower.

Even though she loved her friends like sisters, she didn't always believe in the same things they did, but felt she had no other choice but to agree with what they said. It took her years to come to grips with the thought that she actually had a say-so in things. It felt nice to finally be able to say yes when she knew her friends wouldn't approve.

But now, looking across the room to her friends, she knew if they wanted to destroy everyone in the room, she'd be powerless to stop them. She'd stand by and watch. It's just what she did. She felt inferior to her friends. She always had.

Turning back to the table of photos, Paige walked slowly and scanned the pictures. Most were candid shots, taken during classes and at lunch as students mingled in the quad. It brought back memories of youth. The only care then was if she'd be able to convince her mother to increase her allowance and what to wear for her date on Friday night.

"Find anything interesting?" Kim asked when she stopped by Paige.

"No, not yet, you?"

"Oh yeah," Kim said grinning, grabbing Paige's arm. "Come on."

Kim led Paige over to the others, where they all stood staring toward the pictures lining the table on the far wall, whispering to each other.

Paige once again found herself staring at photos. She saw a photo of her and her friends sitting in the quad, their faces alight with laughter before her eyes landed on a large picture of her.

She looked at the young girl staring back at her, her eyes shining and a happy smile gracing her face.

"Ah, to be young and carefree."

Paige turned and looked at Megan when she spoke before saying, "I can barely even remember being that young."

"It wasn't that long ago," Megan told her, looking at the photo.

"No, but it seems like forever." Paige turned back to the photo. "I mean, I didn't even have wrinkles then."

Megan laughed, shaking her head. "You don't have any wrinkles now, you goof."

"Well, maybe not, but they're hiding there, just under the surface. I can feel them," Paige laughed studying her photo.

"Do you see it, Paige?" Kim asked, butting in-between Paige and Megan. Kim let out a slow laugh before she shook her head. "Its kind of ironic, don't you think?"

"Yes and I still can't believe how young I was," she smiled. She stared at the photo, Kim's snickers causing her head to turn and look at her curiously. "What is so funny, Kim? Have you already found the bar or something?"

"No, I just think it's kind of hilarious, is all," she said staring at the photo.

"What?"

Kim turned, looking at Paige before looking back at the photo. "Uh, that!" she said loudly, pointing to the picture.

Paige bit back a remark before pointing to the badge on Kim’s shirt. "And like that isn’t?"

Kim looked at Paige before giggling louder. "Geez Paige, do you not see him!"

"See who?"

"Your stalker!" Kim stated loudly, pointing to the boy in the picture before laughing and walking off.

Paige turned back to the photo, looking at the others who were slightly out of focus before she finally saw whom Kim was talking about. Sitting in the row over from where Paige sat in the photo, was Colin.

She smiled while looking at him. He had to have been the shyest person she'd ever known. The day he had asked her to the prom was the first time he'd ever said anything to her other than his daily "Hello Paige."

She instantly wondered if he were there and found herself looking around the room, scanning the faces of her old classmates. She shook her head, finding the action silly, before looking back at the photo.

Paige leaned her head to the side, looking closely at the boy in the photo. Colin looked different than she remembered. She wasn't sure what it was at first, but on closer examination, she realized his glasses were in his hand, not on his face. She couldn't remember ever seeing him with them off.

She smiled thinking he really wasn't as bad looking as everyone made him out to be, especially with the glasses off. Sure his clothes were a little on the dorky side and his hair was… well, unmanageable, but other than the exterior, he wasn't bad.

She studied his features, trying to imagine what he would look like now. Most everyone looked the same, other than a few extra pounds here and there and she pictured the man he would be today.

She imagined his hair different. The unruly curls finally managed and away from his face so everyone could see him. The blue in his eyes were bright and the longer she stared at him the more familiar the face became. The smile on her face slowly fell away as she took in his features.

The hair that curled wildly on top his head seemed to pull away from the sharp lines of his cheekbones she'd never really paid much attention to before. His lips were full, the bottom much thicker than the top and she leaned in, looking into the photo and her heart seemed to quicken in her chest when she looked at his eyes. He was looking directly at the camera, almost as if he were looking at her. His eyes looked familiar, like one's she'd seen recently.

Suddenly a set of shocking blue eyes registered in her mind and her mouth gaped open. She stared at the photo before she shook her head. "That's impossible," she mumbled to herself, staring in disbelief at Colin. "It can't be."

Paige blinked. She shook her head, trying to clear it before looking back at the photo.

When the Class President announced dinner was being served Paige never moved. She stood there, staring at the photo. She barely acknowledged her peers moving about the room and heading for the dining hall.

"You ready, Paige?" Megan asked, coming to stand over by her friend.

Paige stood stock still, her breaths quickening, still staring at the photo.

"You know, if you like that photo so much, I bet they'll let you have it." Megan said, grinning. "What has you so intrigued with it anyway?"

"Colin," Paige said, flatly.

"Colin?"

"Right there in living color," Paige said, pointing him out.

"Wow. I bet he'd be tickled shitless if he knew he actually had a picture with you and him in it."

"Oh, I bet he would," Paige said harshly. She continued to stare at the blue eyes she felt herself drown in every time she looked into them. She could see it so clearly now.

She knew why Simon knew her name. He knew her.

"Well, come on," Megan said, taking Paige's arm and pulling her towards the door.

* * *

Simon took a long draw from his smoke, staring at the building and trying to build enough nerve up to actually get off his bike and go inside. He knew Paige was in there, waiting just inside the door somewhere, and the moment of truth was close at hand.

He'd been sitting in the parking lot for over ten minutes trying to go over exactly what he would say when he saw her. He knew she wasn't going to be happy at first, but hoped after a little explanation of why he hadn't told her who he was from the beginning; she would see things from his perspective and not castrate him on sight.

Sighing heavily, he stood, throwing his cigarette to the ground before he straightened his shoulders and walked confidently toward the building. The nervous feelings in his gut churned slightly when he reached the door before grabbing the handle and pulling it open.

"Hi, welcome to Riverdale Highs class reunion. Would you please sign in and find your badge," Melissa said cheerfully when Simon walked through the door.

Simon looked over at her before he reached into his pocket, pulling his ticket out and tossed it on the table as he walked by.

"Hey, wait a minute, you need to sign in!" Melissa yelled, standing from her seat. She watched his retreating form before glancing at Tracy.

"Who the hell is that?" Tracy asked, a huge smile on her face as she watched the black clad figure walk down the hall.

"I don't know. He didn't look familiar."

"I'll say," Tracy said, grinning, "I sure as hell would have remembered him."

Melissa sat back down, her eyes still riveted on Simon before he rounded the corner and was out of sight.

"Hurry, look and see who hasn't shown up yet. Maybe we can figure out who he is," she said giggling before she and Tracy dove into the remaining name badges, trying to find the classmate they hadn't recognized.

***

Simon walked slowly down the hall, stopping at the large easel sat up to hold all the information on the planned events. He scanned the schedule, seeing they were to first report to the lobby, where they would meet till everyone was accounted for before they would enter the dining room. He noted the time and saw that the meet and greet was over before glancing at the printed floor plan.

Looking down the hall and turning, he headed for the dining area and to the woman who would probably hate him forever.

* * *

Paige allowed herself to be led down the hall, her mind going a thousand miles a minute while she tried to process the information in her head. Her logical self kept saying it wasn't possible, but the reasonable side, kept seeing the sharp features that graced his face, the full lips she still had trouble forgetting and the piercing blue eyes that seemed to pull her into a place made for her and her alone.

The low rumble of voices barely registered when Megan guided her into the dining hall and towards their table. Kim's loud voice carried over the chatter in the room. Her heated protest about the seating arrangements gained the eye of almost everyone in the room.

"You are not sitting there," Kim said, loudly.

"Sorry sweetheart, but this is my seat," Travis said, grinning.

"Well, just because you have to sit at our table, doesn't mean I have to sit beside you," she said, before going over to the other empty chairs.

"They're assigned, Kim," Courtney said, rolling her eyes at Kim's behavior.

"Like I care," she said, looking at the name cards at each setting.

Megan found her seat, sitting down beside Heather as Paige found hers and sat too.

She looked up when she heard voices and her anger vanished. She was suddenly face-to-face with the one person she didn't want to see again.

"Hey, Paige."

Her old high school flame, Lance, gave her his all too familiar hundred-watt smile before pulling out his chair, sitting down quietly as his date grabbed the chair next to him.

"Hey Lance," Paige said, trying not to stare but finding it difficult not too. The whole table seemed to calm down immediately.

She knew she would run in to him again and dreaded it from the time she received the announcement of the reunion. But looking at her old high school sweetheart, she felt absolutely nothing. He wasn't even as good looking as she remembered.

She wondered how'd she feel seeing him again and now that he sat two chairs over from her, he was just a guy who held memories to her past. Nothing more.

He stared back at her, and a slow smile began to form on her face when she realized she'd been worried for nothing. No remaining feelings were there unless she counted her remorse at losing so much sleep when they'd broken up. Her friends were all in a tizzy at the time. It just didn't look right if one of the most popular was without a steady beau.

She almost rolled her eyes at her last thought. Her friends, although she loved them dearly, were the shallowest people she had ever known.

Kim walked around the table before grabbing the chair beside Paige. She sat down between her and Lance's date, smiling before looking down at the place setting. Her eyes widened, a small grin curving her lips before saying, "You know what? I think my seat was just fine."

Paige watched her stand back up and walk around the table, sitting down between Travis and Heather. She leaned over, whispering something to Heather before they burst out laughing.

Reaching over to the place setting next to her, Paige picked up the name card and felt her heartbeat once again quicken at the name of the person assigned to sit beside of her. Colin Gregory was printed on the card. "Remind me to find the person responsible for the seating arrangements before we leave," she said hatefully, flinging the card back down and slumping back in her seat.

* * *

Simon stood in the hall, reading the seating arrangement before glancing at the last few people walking into the dining hall. He couldn't believe his luck. Okay, maybe luck was being a little too optimist. He knew whoever made the seating arrangements had done this out of pure spite.

No matter, he thought. She was where he was headed anyway.

"This is it," he said softly to himself. This was the minute he'd been dreading since first laying eyes on Paige back at the club.

Taking a deep breath, Simon let it out slowly, straightening his shoulders before turning and walking through the door.

* * *

"Holy shit, Paige! That man is turning into a regular stalker!" Kim said, grinning.

Paige turned her head, looking over her shoulder and she clenched her jaw when she saw Simon walking toward them. It really was him. She tried to convince herself she was wrong but as he walked across the room and held her gaze, she knew better.

"Hell, if my stalkers looked like that, I wouldn't feel the need to have them locked up all the time," Heather said, smiling as Simon approached the table.

"No doubt about that one."

The girls all smiled when Simon finally made it to the table, pulling the chair beside of Paige out and sitting down.

"Hey Simon, you aren't following Paige, now are you?" Kim asked. "Not that she would mind, would you, Paige?"

Paige sat staring at Simon, unable to look away. She could see it clearly now, the quiet shy boy that used to blush every time she smiled at him.

The look in his eyes wasn't the same as it had been earlier that day. His entire demeanor was different. The badass, cocky man she'd met the day before, was gone. Now, he was Colin, just wearing Simon's clothes. The insecure boy who followed her around finally emerged, and she felt her anger wavering slightly as she looked at him.

"How did you get in here anyway?" Kim asked, staring at Simon.

"Through the door," Simon told her, tearing his eyes away from Paige and looking at the others.

"How'd you find us? You left the store before we did."

Simon ignored their questions, looking back over at Paige. He stared at her for a few minutes, turning in his seat slightly before saying, "Paige can I talk to you… in private? There's something I need to tell you."

"Yeah, something you should have told me two days ago," Paige snapped, her voice louder than she had intended.

Paige saw Heather and Kim both glance at each other, one of them whispering, "he said her name again," before Kim spoke up. "Uh, Simon, we've kind of been wondering how you knew Paige's name."

"He knew it because he already knew me. Just like he knows all of your names."

"Huh?" Heather and Kim both said simultaneously.

"Isn't that right… Colin?" Paige said, her head leaning to the side she looked at him. The anger resurfaced and she took a deep breath to try and calm down. She waited for him to deny it. Waited for him to tell her she was crazy and she never wanted anything more in her life.

When Simon sighed heavily and looked at her, she knew. "I wanted to tell you," he said softly, his eyes darting away briefly before he looked back up at her.

"Then why didn't you?"

"Wait a minute!" Kim said loudly, getting everyone's attention. "Would someone like to run that last bit by me one more time `cause it sounded a whole lot like you said his name was Colin."

"That's because I did," Paige said. "Girls, you remember Colin, don't you?"

Kim stared across the table at Simon for a few minutes before she giggled, the sound abruptly stopping before her eyes widened. "Colin? Colin Gregory?"

Paige nodded her head in confirmation before Kim laughed again and yelled, "You're Colin Gregory!"

The noise in the room vanished completely. Everyone in the dining hall turned to stare at them.

Simon sighed again, looking at Paige for a minute longer before turning towards Kim. "Yes, you remember don't you? Tall, glasses, the one you and your friends made a daily habit of torturing with your constant taunting."

Kim shook her head, looking at the others at the table before turning her attention back to Simon. "Colin Gregory? You're Colin Gregory?"

"Yes Kim, I'm Colin Gregory," Simon said irritated.

Kim stared at him for a few seconds before she laughed loud and boisterously, the sound bouncing off the walls around the room before she stopped abruptly and yelled, "No Fucking Way!"

 

 

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