Am I really doing this?
I adjust my dress. It's a tight black dress that accentuates my curves, without being too slutty. I don't even know who's going to the reunion. I could be the only one. I almost decide to not go, but then I see myself in the mirror. I look good. The FBI had kept me fit, and added some muscle to my tiny frame. I can't just not go and show off my success.
I spray myself with the only perfume I have, and grab my keys. No turning back.
I pull up to the pavilion and see lots of people walking up. At least I'm not the only one who went. Petey walks behind my car, so I hop out. "Petey!"
He jumps at the sound of his name, then squints his eyes. "Caroline?"
"Yeah, who else?" I ask in confusion.
He looks at me in surprise. "You look really good. I just didn't think you'd come."
"Why wouldn't I?" I ask.
"Because," He says as if it were obvious. "Alan is in there."
A weird tingle spreads across my body. "I didn't know that."
He chuckles. "Well, you should go in anyways. Let him see what he's missing out on." He offers me his arm. "Is Gerry coming?"
"Yeah, but he's coming later." I had offered to drive Gerry, but he had a press conference and would be coming late.
We walk into the building and everyone turns to look at us. I let go of Petey's arm and walk uncomfortably to a table.
"There's a seat reserved for you at the front." Someone tells me, so I make my way up there. I see a bunch of guys from the football team all sitting at a table. They all cheer when they see me, except for one. Alan is staring at me in awe. He takes of his glasses and stands up slowly. I make eye contact with him for a minute, before looking away. He looks good. Really good. I guess being a defense attorney worked out for him. I look at all the reserved seats and find my name on the chair right across from him. Just my luck. I steel my nerves and sit down. Not looking at him. I pick up the paper with all the food options and use it to block him from my vision.
Everyone at the table is looking at us expectantly.
"Caroline" I hear Alan say. His voice is deeper, but I could never forget it. I pretend not to hear him. He repeats himself a little louder.
I glance at him over the top of the menu. "Yeah?"
He smiles. "You look good."
I frown. "How's Massachusetts?"
He frowns too. "I don't live there."
I feel my face flush. "Oh"
Everyone is still staring at us. I sink down in my chair.
"How's Gerry? I saw he won a gold medal." Alan tries again to make conversation with me. I gingerly set down the menu.
"He's really good. He's coming later." I feel a little less uncomfortable. I'm about to say something else when someone walks onto the stage and begins talking into a microphone about good times and old memories. He announces a slide show that some of the old students made, including everyone's name and current profession, along with a photo. He says it's starting in 20 minutes.
I get up and start greeting some people from school. Susie is there, with her current husband. I greet Julius and Rev as they walk in, and then I help wheel Gerry to the seat next to mine. He gets a warm round of applause.
The music for the slideshow begins so everyone sits down. They work their way down in alphabetical order, meaning that out of the whole team, my name is shown first. A picture of me in a bulletproof vest holding a gun, ducking behind a car pops up.
Caroline Bertier, FBI Special Agent
Everyone looks at me in surprise, but I try to ignore them and not smile.
Gerry Bertier, Olympic Shot Put champion
A picture of Gerry with his gold medal appears, earning him another round of applause. A few slides later, there's Alan. He's got his glasses on, and he's sitting in a courtroom, a man in orange next to him. I remember this case. I had helped arrest that man, but they wouldn't let me into the courtroom to testify. I guess now I know why.
I look at him quickly and he looks away. He's the reason I didn't get to testify. That man in orange got set free and killed three people because of that.
The slideshow continues. Louis is a CEO, Rev works in the airport and is currently working on his pilots license. Julius is playing professional football.
The slideshow ends, and we begin eating our food. Our table is awkwardly silent.
"So," Petey says, breaking the silence. "Caroline did it."
Everyone nods awkwardly.
"I told you guys I could." I shrug, making a couple people chuckle. Soon, everyone is laughing like we used to. Alan and I make eye contact again, but I quickly look away and take a big sip of my wine. Someone comes and refills my glass.
Gerry tells a story about the locker room in the olympics, and how it's not as interesting as the one in Gettysburg college. Sunshine tells us about his boyfriend, a guy named Steve Parker. I go through more glasses of wine than I should, but I brush it off. It's my night of fun.
But the end of the night, we're all acting like old friends again. I even strike up a conversation with a lan about the case.
"Well, I guess I should get going." I say, getting up. I'm still a bit tipsy, but I need to go home.
"Caroline you're too drunk to drive home." Gerry says with a frown.
"Yeah, you really shouldn't drive." Alan adds
"Oh, did you want to drive me?" I ask him sarcastically.
"Sure." He says, standing up and grabbing his jacket.
"Yeah, that's a better idea than you driving home." Petey says with a grin
I look at Gerry, who gives a nod of approval.
"Okay," I say, turning back to Alan. "I guess you can drive me."
Alan offers me his arm, but I don't take it. I follow him out the door and into the cool night air.
"Where did you park?" He asks me.
"Over here," I start walking through the parking lot, rubbing my arms to keep the warm. Alan seems to notice and drapes his jacket over my shoulders.
I look up at him in surprise, the moonlight making his face look weird and dreamy.
"Uh, right here." I say, stopping at my car. I hand him the keys. "I live in the Belhurst apartments."
"Got it." He gets in the drivers seat and I climb in the passenger side.
Once we're on the road, I look over at him again. The alcohol is starting to wear off, but I still think he looks really good. "How do you like being a defense attorney?"
He looks at me in surprise, as if he can't believe I'm talking to him.
"I love it." He looks back at the road. "What about you? Do you like the FBI?"
"I love it." I look at the road as well. "If you're not living in Massachusetts, where are you living?"
He smiles. "DC, just like you."
"Oh" I grin
YOU ARE READING
Remember
FanfictionRemember the Titans Alan Bosley "C'mon Carrie! We need a ref!" Complained Gerry. "No! You never listen to me!" I said, stomping my foot. Gerry looked at me for a second. "You're right, we don't need you. Who needs an annoying 8 year old little siste...