UnStoppable

Chapter One (The Beginning)

I wake to the sound of my alarm clock going off, I glance at the intricately carved wooden clock kept on the mantle piece. It was a gift from my parents and the only remaining memory I still have of them. While I was preoccupied thinking about them, my butler, Danforth walked in announcing the breakfast menu for the day. 

"Your favorite bacon and eggs, Sir," he said.

 "Please, Danforth call me Max. You're the closest I have to family," I replied.

He gave me a smile and continued, "Sir, if you do not mind I have a suggestion,"

"Go on," I told him.

"Sir if I am not wrong you were pretty close  to your college peers," 

"Ah! Yes Danforth, but those are things of the past. What relevance are they of now?" I once again slipped back into the world of thought and started thinking about all the memories we had shared, all the inside jokes, laughter, pranks, meetups. All of it seemed like a dream. 

Danforth once again broke the silence, "Sir I am sorry to interrupt, but you are getting late for your business meeting with the Atilla Builders," 

"Yes, you're right Danforth. I should go shower, after all I can't show up like this to a meeting, now can I?"

Danforth smiled at me again, "Breakfast will be ready by the time you come down Sir," saying this Danforth proceeded to walk out of the room and down the stairs.

Danforth  knew that at one point of time Max was really close with his college mates. Max was a normal teenager, parties and fun was all he ever cared about. However, that changed with the death of his parent, they had succumbed to a terrible accident. This put Max in charge of the multi billion dollar business empire his father had left for him. Money was never a problem for Max as he had always led a lavish life . 

However this money came at a price. Ever since he became the head of one of the largest business empires in the world he became lonely. He could no longer be seen going to dorm room parties or playing pranks on his friends. He was now a distinguished gentleman and was expected to behave like one. This harsh truth hit Max hard at one point in time, he even had thoughts of running away. Danforth played a major role in helping Max overcome this difficult transition, but Danforth knew that money could not buy happiness, Max was never going to be the same again.

It has been ten years since I last saw my college mates, it all feels like a distant memory in my head. I started having thoughts of 'What if I could meet them once again?'. I knew I had the money to make it happen, the bigger question was would they come and how was I gonna get in touch with them. I knew the only person that could help me with this would be Danforth. So I quickly dressed up and rushed down the stairs. My mind was full of optimism for the first time.

I saw Danforth standing by the dining table smiling at me. Once I sat down he began to bring out the cutlery and started to serve me my breakfast.

Midway through a piece of bacon I asked him, "So, Danforth, remember you were asking me about my college peers?"

"Yes sir," he replied. 

"Well, I was thinking about something,"

"Feel free to express your concerns Sir,"

"Well, I was thinking about meeting them again," I replied nervously.

"All of them Sir?" he asked.

"Yes, its just that ever since the business has picked up I haven't really been able to socialize. So do you think it's possible?"

"Why anything for you Sir. Just tell me when you would like me to send the invitations to them and consider it done," 

Now I truly felt happy, I knew that Danforth was a man of his word and so he would find a way of contacting them. 

"I suggest you send them the invitations at the earliest Danforth," saying this I signalled my driver to bring out the car and proceeded towards the front gate.

"As you wish Sir," I heard Danforth's response in the background as I continued walking.

The day was pretty much a blur as all I could think about was meeting my college mates. After my meeting with the Atilla Builders I checked my phone for messages, Danforth had messaged me asking for a location, I wasn't sure, my mind was all over the place. Should I keep it as a simple meet and greet? Or do I make it an extravagant affair? In the end I thought of using this opportunity to my advantage, I told Danforth to make it a detoxing  vacation.

"Are you sure Sir?" was the first thing Danforth asked me as I entered our Alpine Villa.

"Yes Danforth, I'm sure," I replied. Danforth knew exactly what a detoxing vacation was.

"Sir, I suggest we keep the reunion after two weeks. This will give me ample time to print out and deliver the invitations as well as confirm everyone's availability,"

I agreed with Danforth and suggested Danforth to find a location away from the paparazzi. 

"Somewhere quaint and quiet Danforth," I told him. 

"I have just the place Sir," he replied.

Danforth had suggested me a nineteenth century Victorian style bungalow. At one point of time it had served as a summer house for my father, its location was along the beautiful Moors of England. The family history with it was what made me agree with Danforth. All that was left now was to send out the invitations. I was bubbling with excitement and life seemed beautiful again.

Danforth asked me whom I wanted to invite. It was simply a gesture, as Danforth and I both knew the only people I wanted to meet where the members of the 'Mystical Hunters' drama club. It was a club that I had formed while i was in college. It had ten founding members including me and overtime we went from sharing a common passion to becoming the closest of friends. 

"The Mystical Hunters Danforth," I replied.

"Ah! Just as I was expecting," he smiled. 

Over the next week a lot of work had to be done, I had to reschedule the business meetings and conferences so I would not be disturbed in the coming weeks. Danforth had managed to come in contact with the entire group and was even kind enough to make reports on each person so as to keep me updated on what they had been up to for the past ten years.

All the reports were filed into one big folder and I began reading them as I sipped on my hot cocoa sitting by the fire place. The first person in the report was Casey Holmes. I instantly remembered her cheerful personality, besides, Casey was also super talented she had been the head cheerleader in college, and not to mention she was really beautiful. Casey had used her looks to her advantage and had landed a career in the film industry. I was really looking forward to meeting her.

The next person in the report was Toby Jones. Toby was a shy kid during college and drama was probably the only place I had seen him talk. He had landed a scholarship into a prestigious medical school and had become a successful surgeon. Toby was followed by Alex Smith. Turns out life had been tough with Alex as he had got into trouble with the law, he had even served time at the Pennsylvania State Prison, I still trusted him as he had been one of my closest friends in college. 

The next name on the list was Victoria Evans. She was the style icon of our group back in college and was always the trendsetter. She was nominated as campus queen, the award however was won by Casey and ever since then there was bad blood between the two. Victoria was followed by Imtiaz, Nora, Adrian, Sophia and Olivia. The Report did not state much about them except their occupations. Imtiaz had joined his family's slaughter house, Nora had become a precinct law enforcement officer, Adrian was a gym instructor and although Sophia and Olivia were twin sisters they had gone separate ways, Sophia was a tattoo artist and Olivia on the other hand became a contemporary dancer. 

It was surprising all of us had graduated from the same college as it seemed as if everyone had taken different paths in life. Danforth told me the Invitations were ready to be sent. The invitations were encased in a velvety red envelope and were soon sent out. Three days later  Danforth  gave me the good news of everyone's availability. My dream was  finally coming true and my joy knew no bounds.

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