Reunion

Long Time No See

I plucked a loose hair hanging on my cocktail dress while walking into the bar.

I immediately spied the bartender and ordered myself a beer plus 2 shots of tequila. After the day I had, I needed the extra liquor.

"Can I see some I.D. please?" He asked while ogling my breasts.

Wow. I haven't had that in a long time. I raised an eyebrow and proceeded to show him my I.D.

He nodded and went back to work.

I wonder if its my Starbucks starved self that makes me look younger.

Or maybe my no-takeout on weekends rule. Although I never actually follow that rule.

I sat myself down while he slid my drinks toward me on the counter. I took my first shot while I scanned the bar.

As far as I could see we had 5 already drunk people, a couple having sex in the back booth and a game of Pool going on. I've seen the bar way busier than this on a Saturday night. I wonder where all the people scurried off to.

As if the bartender read my mind he said: "Yeah this place is deserted. A new bar opened up down the street and they apparently have 'Karaoke Night' tonight."

Good thing I came to this bar. I never understood America's fascination with karaoke.

I did my second shot and winced from the slight burn.

Suddenly a deep, manly yet familiar voice filled my ears.

"Can I get a Beer?" The man asked.

"Can I see some I.D. first" the bartender asked.

I guess the bartender has been asking everyone, because that man surely look older than 21. I didn't see him walk in, he must of been one of the guys playing pool.

Now that I see his face, I notice its really familiar. Strong jaw, slight stumble and bed-hair that looked like it was made to look that way. Nice stylist he has there.

Shouldn't of got my hopes up.

As he showed the bartender I got a glimpse of his first name: Clark

Why does that name sound familiar? Do I work with him? No. Do I see him at the Gym? As if I associate with people with better physiques than me. College? No I never knew a Clark in college. High School? Well I did know one...Clark

"Reilly?" I instantly covered my mouth, not meaning to speak out loud.

From my slight slip, he heard me. He turned and stared at me head on. I saw his emerald green eyes go from confused to recognition gleaming in them in a few seconds.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" To know that that silky smooth voice was talking to me made my legs shiver.

"Yeah, I get the sense that I know you from somewhere too." I flipped my hair over shoulder.

"You said Reilly? That's my last name." He said inquisitively.

"Is it? Well it must be a coincidence.I knew a guy name Clark Reilly in High School, but..." I trailed off.

"But what?" He raised and eyebrow, amusement playing on his face.

"He just seemed different to me." I shrugged.

"What High School did you go to?"

"George McKinley." I answered plainly.

"What a coincidence, so did I" He took a seat next to me.

"Stop lying, no you didn't" I narrowed my eyes.

"I'm not lying, cross my heart." He made an X over his heart. I looked down at his suit, nicely tailored and I see that his tie is missing.

"Really? Than who was your senior year History teacher?" I say pursing my lips.

"I had AP. Lets see..." He starts to think really hard, it's kinda cute. "Mr... Galileo.. wait Gale.. Oh Mr. Gainey!"

"No way. Lucky guess"

"Well how about, before you moved we used to live in the same neighborhood and our parents were best friends. If I'm not mistaken you had a dog named Doodles?"

I gasp. "Wow. Clark her name was Daisy, surprising you forgot considering you loved her more than life itself. I'm just messing with you, I knew who you were the minute I saw your face."I laugh quitting my interrogation act.

"Nice to know your sense if humor hasn't changed, Natalie Wells. Yearbook extraordinaire and Prom committee expert. The girl who did it all senior year." He smiled.

"Nice to know your view of me hasn't changed." I flip my hair in an uppity way. "Just Kidding. But seriously what have you been up too?"

"Oh you know, the usual." He shrugged, and took a sip of his beer.

I hit his arm. "Uh no I actually don't the usual tell me. Where did you go to college? When did you move here and What do you do for a living?" I laugh, leaning my chin on my palm while my elbow rests on the bar.

He tips his beer again and sets it down. "Lets see I went to California Tech. I moved here a year ago with my fiancée and I am an electrical engineer." He smiles to himself.

"Fiancée? Tell me about her." I sigh dreamily wishing I had a fiancée.

"Nothing much to tell. We met in college, I fell hard for her, she broke my heart the day before our wedding." He stated matter-of-factly with no emotion in his voice.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. Do you mind me asking, what did she do?" I lay my hand on his, trying to console him. He doesn't pull away which makes me a tiny bit happier inside.

He laughs a bit, the laugh not quite reaching his eyes. "She, uh, ironically slept with my best friend"

I pull my hand away,instinctually, by being reminded of that experience between him and my best friend at the time. Finally remembering why our friendship died so many years ago.

"Oh. I forgot all about that." I turn away from him and sip my beer. Averting my eyes away from his face which is now turned towards me, watching my face carefully.

"Yeah, she apparently was sleeping with him the whole time. A bridesmaid told me actually and I confronted her about. She at least had the decency not to lie. Told me they were in love. She said she was sorry and that she never meant to hurt me. A bunch of crap I didn't care about. So she left me.I guess it's karma."

Still turned away from him, I mutter a weak "Sorry"

"Yeah it's fine, I'm over her now" He finishes his beer off and asks for another.

He looks at me again, gauging my reaction I presume. "I'm sorry about what happened in high school."

I finally look at him and press a fake smile to my face. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Its not like we were dating"

"No I do" He refuses. "You were really upset when you found out about me and Alice. I know me and you were close and she was your best friend. I didn't mean to make you feel left out or upset or whatever I made you feel. I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry for being a jerk about it afterwords. Ignoring you and..." He trailed off and sighed.

"What I'm trying to say is Sorry for the whole situation. It ruined our friendship senior year." He pleaded with his eyes.

I sighed and finished my beer. "Like I said Clark, you have nothing to be sorry for. I was fine about it then and I'm fine about it now."

He shakes his head at me and chuckles to himself a bit. "You never change, Natalie. You know I hate when you do that. I hate when you pretend everything's fine when we both know they aren't. I know you Natalie--"

I cut him off. "No you don't Clark. You really don't know me at all." I paid my tab and I stormed out the bar.

My heals clacking on the concrete as I headed to my car.

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