High School Reunion

Chapter 9

* * *

Brian took a deep breath, squeezed Justin’s hand a little tighter and stepped into the gymnasium. His eyes flicked around the room wondering where he was supposed to sit. It seemed that dinner was already in progress. He saw Michael stand up and wave from a table across the room. He started in that direction, but before he could take one full stride, a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to see who was responsible.

“Brian?” a tall man with dark hair and a slim athletic looking body said.

“Buck?” Brian responded.

The man laughed. “It’s nice to know I’m still recognizable.”

“You haven’t changed … much,” Brian replied. And Brian had to admit that Buck did look pretty good, probably better than he had during high school. “You’ve taken good care of yourself.”

“So have you.”

“Now that these obligatory pleasantries have been exchanged, I see Michael over there. I’m going to join him,” Brian stated. He was not in the mood for innocuous chatter with Buck Hansen of all people.

“Sure,” Buck said quickly. “I’m really glad you decided to come tonight. I want to talk to you before the evening’s over.” He turned and walked away before Brian could reply.

“What do you suppose he wants to talk about?” Justin asked.

“Fuck if I know! And why is he glad I came? I hope he doesn’t think I want to reminisce about my head being in that fucking toilet.”

“Let’s join Ben and Michael,” Justin said quickly. He could tell Brian was getting upset and he didn’t want to add to that. They made their way across the gym feeling everyone’s eyes following them.

“Hey,” Michael said with a big smile as Brian and Justin approached the table he was sitting at with Ben. “You’re late as usual.”

“Something came up,” Brian replied with a smirk.

“Again and again,” Justin added.

“TMI,” Ben laughed. “Sit down. They just served the salad.”

Brian sat down at the table with them, and Justin checked the chair to make sure it had a soft seat. It did.

“They must have rented the chairs,” Brian said with a snicker.

Justin gave him a look and sat down rather gingerly. The waitress plunked down salad plates in front of them.

Brian looked at the salad which seemed crisp and decent enough. “How the fuck did they get food brought to the high school gym?” Brian wanted to know.

“And good food,” Justin supplied as he stuffed his face with the crispy salad.

“Caterers,” Michael said as he dug into his own.

“Not Emmett?” Brian asked in horror. The last thing he wanted was Honeycutt watching these proceedings from the background.

Ben laughed. “No, it’s some other firm. We checked that out.”

“Emmett would have been sure to tell us if he was catering your high school reunion,” Justin supplied.

“I need a drink,” Brian said.

“They have tea and coffee and soft drinks,” Michael said quickly.

“No alcohol?” Brian asked in disbelief. “What the fuck kind of party is this?”

“They can’t have liquor on school property,” Ben explained.

“I should have brought my flask,” Brian whined.

“I think a lot of people did,” Ben observed. “I’ve seen some coming out of pockets and purses.”

“How did they know to bring it?”

“It said on the website that no alcohol would be served,” Michael replied.

“Why didn’t we see that?” Brian asked.

“Guess we were more interested in other things when we were looking at the site,” Justin said with a satisfied grin at the memory of filling out the reunion form.

“And what’s with the cheesy decorations?” Brian asked looking around the gym.

“Don’t you remember? It’s what senior prom was decorated like,” Michael reminded Brian.

“I never went to senior prom,” Brian replied smugly.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. You were supposed to go with Agnes Dallard.”

“But she got mono a couple of weeks before the prom.” Brian smiled at the memory.

“And you let your parents think you were still going to the prom anyway,” Michael said.

“Yeah, I was a big hit at the baths with my rented tux.”

“You didn’t!” Michael gasped. “You never told me that’s where you went.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I do not reveal everything to you or to anyone.” Brian saw Michael’s face fall and then he glanced at Justin who didn’t look too happy either. “I didn’t want to upset your delicate sensibilities with my tales of debauchery from that night,” Brian said quickly, hoping to gloss over what he had kept to himself all these years.

“I came with Dianne Gerardi,” Michael remembered.

“A carefully negotiated deal between your mother and Dianne’s,” Brian added.

“Yeah, well.”

“Dianne needed a date and your mother wanted you to go,” Ben supplied.

Michael smiled at his husband. “Pretty much.”

“So prom was a tropical paradise that night?” Brian mused as he looked around the gym.

“Tropical in a tacky, fake sort of way. Paradise – not so much,” Michael replied.

Brian snorted. “Nailed it on the first try.”

“Thanks, as always,” Michael smiled.

They finished up their salads. Even Brian ate his, saying that he’d chance the salad but he was holding judgment on the main course.

While the salad plates were being removed Buck Hansen made his way to the microphone set up in front of the stage. He blew into it to make sure it was on.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Buck began. “I’m happy to see such a good turnout tonight, including some people I never expected to be here.” He looked over at Brian.

Brian cringed. What the fuck was Buck getting at? Did he have something planned for Brian for later in the evening? Brian swallowed and continued to listen.

“We thought it would be more traditional to have our dinner here in the gym of Allegheny High, rather than a hotel ballroom that had no history with us. We chose the theme of the senior prom of our graduating year. I trust that most of you remember that wonderful night.” There were a few laughs and some people called out their agreement.

Brian shook his head and looked at Michael. “Did you have a wonderful night, Michael?” Brian asked sarcastically.

“I might have if you had been there,” Michael replied.

Ben squeezed Michael’s arm and Brian looked over at Justin. Justin’s face had gone rather white and he looked like he had lost track of where he was. His breaths were coming in heaving sighs.

“Justin,” Brian said grabbing Justin’s arm. “Justin!”

Justin blinked and tried to focus on Brian’s voice and face. “Huh?” was all he could get out.

“Justin, we’re at my high school reunion, not your prom,” Brian said gently. “Fuck! I should have never come here.” He slid his chair closer to Justin’s and wrapped his arm around Justin’s shoulder. He felt Justin lean against him.

“Need some air,” Justin whispered.

“Can you stand?” Brian asked. Justin nodded and Brian helped him get to his feet. He walked Justin towards the door of the gymnasium, his arm firmly around Justin’s waist. Buck Hansen was still blathering on about the good old days. Most people were focused on him and not paying attention to Justin’s condition.

Brian got them through the door of the gym and across the foyer to the entrance. He pushed open the front door of the school and they stepped outside onto the top area of the concrete steps that led up to the school.

“You okay?” Brian asked as he pulled Justin into his arms.

“Much better now.”

“What happened?”

“I … I don’t know. I was listening to Buck’s speech, and suddenly I was at my prom. I saw you coming towards me across the room. The people parted as you walked through.”

“Just like Moses and the Red Sea,” Brian joked, but he held Justin tight.

“I … I felt so happy for a second, and then this awful feeling swamped me,” Justin tried to explain.

“It’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

“I know, but the feeling was so intense … and then I heard you calling my name, and it was … okay.”

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Brian said taking Justin’s hand and pulling him towards the parking lot.

“No, Brian, wait!” Justin said leaning back and resisting being drawn along.

“What? Surely you don’t want to stay here.”

“I do.”

“But what the fuck for?”

“Brian, I talked you into coming to this thing, and I want to see it through.”

“Even if it makes you … sick?”

“I’m not sick, and whatever happened in there is over. I’m fine. Really!”

Brian stared into the blue eyes. “Are you sure?”

Justin nodded. “Let’s go back inside.”

Brian heaved a sigh and nodded in agreement. His better judgment told him to get the fuck out of there, but he would do what Justin wanted. He hoped it wasn’t the worst mistake they had ever made.

Brian held onto Justin’s hand as they made their way back inside.

 

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