I walked into the building with my husband and my two siblings.  This was a building I hadn’t seen in ages!  It was a little scary to be back in a place so very familiar to me, but not seen for so long!  I grasped my husbands hand and looked into his face; he smiled at me and held my hand tighter.  Next I looked over at Katherine, her stomach beginning to protrude slightly over her legs.  It was visible even in her flowy black dress.  She too was holding her new husbands hand very tightly.  Lastly my eyes rested on Shaun.  He smiled at me as usual when I’m nervous, he was happy!  It had taken him some time to become the man he wanted to be, but he had succeeded!  Katherine had never known what she wanted to be, she was so very smart and shy.  She never could decide who she was or what she wanted to be, so now she was following the same path as her mother, only younger.  Married three months out of high school, never went to college, never got a job, she became a house-wife to a very sweet man, who would never hold her back, but now, after five years of marriage, she was pregnant and wouldn’t get a chance to return to school for a long while.  Shaun, on the other hand, knew where he wanted to go, the minute he left high school.  He had been published as a composer by the time he was 17 and had auditioned into a Conservatory.  After he finished college he married his high school sweet heart.  I swear, at this point in his life, he is the happiest man alive.  June and Shaun had passed through some rough paths in their lives, but now at 25 they where happily married for two years with their first child on the way, a little girl.  My husband and I where the middle of the group, we had been married three years now, less than Katherine and more than Shaun.  I was just getting out of college now, this time I was the extreme of the group.  I lucked out though; our band director was retiring this year, the year I graduated.  With his help, I had managed to gain his position as band director at HPHS next year.  I was elated! 

            As the three of us walked in I saw so many familiar sites.  Well, really only one, we were only allowed in the gym.  As we entered I saw they had decorated it with blue and white crepe paper and “CLASS OF 2016” written everywhere.  It was gorgeous.  I saw the table with the name tags and I led our group of six over to it.  Jeremy grabbed Katherine’s name tag for her it read “Katherine Grossman”, that was a change.  Jeremy took his own.  I took mine “Jennifer Gerndt” it read, I started to think maybe I should have listened to Shaun when I married Andrew, he told me to keep my name and write it “Jennifer Jules-Gerndt”, I didn’t listen.  Shaun grabbed his and June’s name tags.  I couldn’t help but smile, all my life I had wanted them together, and now they were.  I watched him place the name tag “June Kelton” on his wife and “Shaun Kelton” on himself.  I smiled, he saw, as usual I walked over and gave him a hug.  Today I couldn’t help but smile at the happy couple though, today they had announced Katherine and I would be the g-mothers’ of their daughter.  Shaun could have given me no greater gift.

             Now that we had our name tags it was time to go alumnus hunting!  The first person I spotted was the one I wanted to see least of all…Kelly Jones.  I could tell she hadn’t changed a bit, just from looking.  She was wearing a tight form fitting dress that showed every detail of her body, good or bad, and made EVERYONE stare.  She had cut her hair above her ears and was wearing way too much make-up.  As I studied her dress more I noticed how low it was cut in front and back and how short it was.  I rolled my eyes and as I did I saw Katherine, June, and to my surprise, Shaun, do the same.  Andrew however just stared.  I promptly stepped on his foot.  Unfortunately for us, Kelly saw us and ran over, this too made me notice something she WASN’T wearing.

“Hi guys!”  She puffed, “SHAUN!!!!” she screamed pulling him into a hug and trying to kiss him despite his resistance.  When he pushed her off, she reluctantly let go.  “JUNE!!!!” she yelled trying to hug June as well, June stepped behind her husband though, thoroughly disgusted, though with right.  “KATHERINE!!!!” Kelly cried, but made no attempt to hug her.  “Jen?” Kelly questioned, but I gave her a cockeyed look and she simpered back for a moment.  “SO!  HOW ARE YOU GUYS?” I had to wonder if this girl could talk any louder.

“We’re fine,” I said rather curtly, Shaun looked at me as though I were being rude, I looked at him reminding him Kelly had just tried to kiss him and his face fell. 

“Well,” said Kelly, trying to recover, “You look great, what’s been going on?”

“We’re all married.”  June replied.

“And some expecting!” interjected Katherine.

“Aw, sweet,” said Kelly mockingly, “introduce me to your partners.”

Shaun stepped up first, he was so happy being married to June he wanted to brag about it all he could. “June and I have wed,” he said brightly “and we’re expecting our baby daughter in June!”

“Oh…” said Kelly, it looked like she wanted to punch June in the face.

It was Katherine’s turn next. “This is my husband Jeremy Grossman.” She said rather bravely for her.

“How long have you two been married?” asked Kelly

“Five years!” Said Jeremy taking his wife’s hands proudly in his, “and expecting our first child in July!”

Kelly snickered, oh great…gossip!

“And Jen,” she said speaking like a mock angel, “What about you?”

“Married three years, but no kids yet, too busy with school.” I said smiling at Andrew.

“Mmmhmm” was all she could reply.

“So,” I prompted, “what’s up with you?”

“Oh, not much, working some, sleeping some, dating a bit…” she said before she was cut off.

“Dating a LOT!!!” said Maggie angrily, “Stole my fiancée that one did!!!”

“Oh, hi Maggie” said Kelly trying to sound like sugar, “um, guys, please let me excuse myself, I’ll be right back!”

I looked at Maggie and as I did I saw Katherine, Shaun, and June do the same, this wasn’t the same girl we knew in high school!  She had grown taller, straightened her hair, and was wearing an evening gown to DIE for!  She had very obviously recovered from her bad bought with boys in sophomore year as I was about to discover!

“Maggie!  Oh my g-d!!!!!  HI!!” I cried, “You look AMAZING!!!  What have you been up to?”

Maggie smiled, “You mind if I brag a bit?” she asked

“Nope,” I grinned, “brag away!”  She had a glow of self confidence that I envied!

“Well,” she started, “I’ve made it through college got a BFA and I’m now a drama teacher at a high school in California.  I had a fiancée, but when he and I flew out to do a favor for Kelly she stole him away, but I guess he just didn’t deserve me, I’ve got a new boyfriend now, we’ve only been going together for a little, but we’re happy!”

“Good,” I said, “I’m happy to hear it!”

“Thanks. What about you all?” she questioned.

“Well,” I began, “Do y’all mind if I tell it?”  They all shook their heads, so I continued. “June and Shaun got married two years ago and are now expecting their first child; Katherine got married five years ago and is also expecting her first child too!  And I got married three years ago and am starting to teach here next year as soon as Doc retires!”

“Awesome!” Maggie replied, “It sounds like you guys are doing as well or better as I am!”  She smiled.

“So…” I began, “Is your boyfriend here tonight?”

“No,” Maggie stated, “He’s a doctor and he had a scheduled operation, no way he could get around it.”

“Well,” I said, smiling at her happiness, “You should call me and the four,” I gestured to my husband, “of us can have lunch sometime.”

“YES!” She cried, “I would love to!”  And with that she and I exchanged phone numbers.

As Maggie continued on her way to find old friends, so did we.  The next person we found ourselves facing was someone none of us where unhappy to see!

“AZTHENLIA!!!”  June cried

“And ANGELO!!” I added, smiling to see my old friend.

“And…”Shaun stopped short, “Well, honestly,” he admitted sheepishly, “I’m afraid I don’t know who you are!”

Azthenlia paused a moment, “Jen, Shaun, June, Katherine, and husbands, I’d like to introduce you to my fiancée, Jonathan.” She said in her normal bubbly manner.

I couldn’t help but smile at how happy she still was.  She was the only one of our group in high school who was confident to do anything she wanted.  As I looked at her now I knew she had.  Her hair was again waist length, her dark eyes glittered and she was wearing a Lord of the Rings-esque dress, angle sleeves and all.  She was still the only one of us who had the confidence to do something like that.  I saw around her neck there was a pager.  I wondered if she really had become a neurologist.

“Well,” Azthenlia said, “I see that June and Kathy are pregnant. Okay, before I screw this up,” she added with a wink, “who’s married to whom?” 

I stepped up, “I’m married to Andrew.” I said taking his hand.

“Right,” she smiled brightly, “and I hear you have a new job here, congratulations!”

I smiled, as usual, she some how knew EVERYTHING!

“Yes,” I said quietly, “I do.”

“Now,” Azthenlia paused, “If I remember correctly June and Shaun are married, so, well, it’s obvious who’s who there.”  She winked at them both before adding “Congratulations!”

June and Shaun grasped hands smiling happily at each other before thanking her.

“And Kathy,” she stopped, “I swear you’ve introduced me to your husband before, but I’m afraid I don’t remember…!”

Katherine smiled, “No, I don’t think you’ve ever met Jeremy before,” said she, “Jeremy Grossman meet Azthenlia Mesthane.”

“Actually,” said Azthenlia shyly, “It’s not Mesthane any more, now it’s Luharr now.”

“YOU’RE KIDDING!!!” Shaun, June, Katherine, and I cried together!

“No,” she said quietly, “not at all.”

“Congratulations!” the four of us yelled again.

“How come you didn’t tell us?” I questioned.

“Because,” said Jonathan stepping forward, “it was a quiet little ceremony, just her and myself and our parents, no one more, no one less.”

I smiled, that was just the thing I would have expected from Azthenlia.

“What else is new with you?” asked Shaun.

“Well,” Azthenlia began, “I’m currently in medical school training to be a neurologist, but I will be out soon, I can’t wait!”

I smiled again, Azthenlia always made me; it had always been her dream to become a neurologist, just like Shaun and his dream of becoming a world famous conductor.  Thinking of Shaun I turned to look for him, but noticed he had gone, June remained, but he had disappeared.  I looked to her to see where he had gone, but before I could open my mouth he appeared at my shoulder laughing about with another old friend Kyle.  I laughed, as I listened to them talk they where still laughing about an old inside joke they used to have!

“Hey Kyle!” I greeted him with a smile as I looked at them behind me.

“Hey Jen,” he replied, “How’re you?”

“I’m wonderful, how’re you?” I countered

“Doing brilliantly, thank you!” yup, I thought that reply confirmed it, he was the same old goofy Kyle, but I continued thinking that really wasn’t a bad thing.

“Have you seen Kelly tonight?” Shaun asked him

Kyle stifled a laugh, “Yep,” he said with a snicker, “she’s the same girl we knew in high school!”  With that both boys erupted in laughter.

Four hours later as we left the high school gym I was still smiling.  The ten of us (Katherine, Jeremy, Shaun, June, Azthenlia, Jonathon, Kyle, Maggie, Andrew, and I) where all walking back to my house, which was on the same block as Katherine’s and Shaun’s houses.  This had been a wonderful night.  As I walked back home turning around to look at the clump of people following me, Katherine, and Shaun I smiled remembering that this was what life had been in high school, the three of us, not only surrounded by each other, but by all of our friends.  It was the perfect way to end the evening.