I'll See You Soon [COMPLETED]

A Different Kind of Reunion

"This has to be the worst idea you've ever had."

Mia's stomach had clenched into a tight fist the second she stepped foot into the bar. She knew Tori was right. In a very real way, it was as though she had walked into her own personal waking nightmare.

The bar was large and spacious, well lit with plenty of bar stools circling the central bar area and even more bar tables scattered throughout the room. There were large glass windows on nearly every wall, letting in the soft glow of the slowly setting sun.

As far as ambiance and atmosphere, Mia could recognize this was one of the nicer bars Boston had to offer. But as far as occupants, Mia had to force her feet to take one step after another and merge with the chatting crowd.

"It's gonna be fine."

She was saying so more for herself than Tori's sake but with a quick glance in her direction, Mia could see Tori was not buying it. It was more the fact that Mia had had to take a deep inhalation of breath to even utter those words than anything else. Her sudden rigid posture as she craned her neck tall and forced her shoulders straight were the finishing touches.

But Tori still followed and Mia sent a silent prayer skywards that she did so instead of acting on instinct and running right back out the swinging glass door that had just let them in.

"Uh huh. Yeah. Sure. Please remind me why you thought this would be fun? Or better yet, why you thought this would be a smart way to spend a free Friday night?"

Mia could only shrug.

"I don't know. It'll be fun?"

She was losing confidence with each step and it was evident in her voice. She heard Tori's scoff and could imagine the look of disbelief on her face. It would have been a stark contrast to the rest of the expressions Mia was seeing every way she turned.

Her eyes sifted through the sea of familiar faces and each one wore the same plastered-on expression of mild excitement and interest that Mia could have spotted as phony from cross the street. But somehow she found her mouth was forming an identical expression and she gave short nods to those that she made eye contact with to return their nod of recognition.

She grabbed hold to the nearest free bar table as though it was her only chance of a lifeline. There were warning bells ringing in the back of her head and had been since the moment she had opened the invitation and somehow came up with the idea it might be a good idea to attend.

The bells were now blaring in her ears, their only competition the light and shallow chatter that filled the air. Tori plopped down on the seat opposite, leaning against her hands and already looking bored.

"Thank you for coming."

"You owe me. Big time."

They stayed huddled around their safety net for a while, neither one saying a word. Mia knew Tori was already examining the crowd and picking apart their lives, dividing them up into who had stayed in shape, who had let themselves go and who refused to let go of the past.

"Why me? You could have forced Kate to come with you. You guys are always saying how you don't hang out enough. Go make her your torture companion."

"You're the only person from high school I still talk to."

"Yeah. But I'm your sister. You kind of have to. You graduated with these people, not me. You're the one who should have to deal with them."

Mia's eyes kept jumping from face to face. She felt like they were looking for someone in particular, someone to avoid especially. But all she got was an eyeful of people she should know and vaguely remember their names.