Now & Then (A Newland High School story)

15. One Year After High School

"I feel like I just entered an alternate dimension. Nothing has changed."

Lexi laughs. "You'd be surprised. But no, we haven't all been rubbing elbows with celebrities in LA."

I laugh too. Lexi has this assumption of my life in California that is a far cry from reality. The majority of my time is spent on campus, and nowhere near LA...or celebrities.

"Have you seen Ian at all?" She asks. "I think he's the only other one who moved out there."

"No. California is a big place." And I'd been taking full advantage of the fact that I could form a new identity. No one knew that my dad is a preacher, or that I grew up with crazy strict rules, or that my heart was broken into a million pieces two days before getting there.

I'd been able to reinvent myself, and I haven't ever taken for granted how I lucky I was to be able to do that.

Lexi parks her car along the street about two blocks from Veronica's house. "I heard basically our entire senior class will be here."

"That's great..."

We exit the car and begin down the sidewalk. "Has Aric tried to contact you at all?"

Despite us being apart for almost a year, Lexi can still read my mind. "I've gotten a few drunken voice mails, blubbering on about how much he missed me, but I never called him back."

Lexi taps me with her elbow. "Good for you."

"You saw me after he left me at that party last summer. I was a mess. I'm not going through that again."

"So...that means no hooking up with him tonight?"

"Definitely not."

We cross the grass to Veronica's front door and let ourselves in. Lexi was right. This house is packed. The first face I see is Bailey Rogers. She appears to be camped out in the hallway, watching the door. She smiles when she sees me, but it is obvious I'm not who she was waiting for.

Veronica greets us first. "Lexi and Lilly! You guys came!"

We have one of those awkward, three person hugs. I didn't know Veronica well in high school, but that doesn't seem to matter. There is something comforting about every single person here—the people who have known me since I was seven and who I'd started a whole new life without.

This entire house feels like a warm hug, which I did not seeing coming.

I'm still riding this high when Lexi and I start walking around. Veronica said the keg was on the back porch, so we head that direction. Ian Rogers is in the kitchen and stops me. We talk about California for awhile, and I find out Amanda is planning on moving there next year.

By the time Lexi returns with my cup full of beer, Ian and I have made plans to meet up at some point. I'm not sure if it will actually happen, but the thought is nice.

A familiar voice hits me from behind. "Ian! Holy shit."

I don't turn, but see out of the corner of my eye Ian and Aric doing that boy thing where they slap hands before pulling each other into a loose hug. Aric turns to me then, and I know he wants to say something—maybe just 'hello', but I don't let him.

Giving a small smile to Amanda, I walk away. I enter the living room and see Lexi talking to a couple girls we went to church with. It once again amazes me how I have some connection to everyone here. I see Bailey sitting on the sofa practically chugging her drink and make a mental note to go talk to her later.

As I'm still scanning the room, I see Aric enter. His eyes lock on mine, but I turn away first. I can't do this with him. Not anymore.

But he is looking pretty good. He looks tan, and I wonder if he's still working construction. His baggy pants and t-shirt are the same style I'm used to, but his shoulders are filling it out much more. His hair is currently my favorite length, just long enough to grip onto.