It was only a four hour flight.

She could handle that, right?

Yasmin Macar's foot tapped against the cabin floor, impatience written all over her face. Or was it worry? Perhaps it was neither, perhaps she was feeling the effects of her third vodka shot. Only God was to tell.

Her book laid discarded, bought for the flight. Layla pestered her into reading it— a trashy romance novel that was Layla's obsession of the month. Yasmin had found it in the airport booksellers, the typical hunky man with abs like freshly baked buns glossed with the world's silkiest butter standing on the cover of the book. Yasmin attempted the novel, even getting as far as reaching the halfway point. It was only when her eyes skimmed a particular paragraph where she found herself suddenly pulled away from the fantasy.


It wasn't perfect, but it hit too close to home. Yasmin tossed the novel back into her carry on, hot face first so the abs couldn't tempt her again. She even flagged down the flight attendant, asking for a flat white to wake her up from the pre-hangover headache she felt building behind her eyes.

'Remember why you're going.' Yasmin thought of Vann, of Max and even Luna whom she hadn't even seen for a while. It was going to be a lovely weekend. It had to be, with the whole gang back together. Drinks and laughs with old friends, reminiscing about times long gone. She was going to have fun, and look fucking amazing while at it.

'That's it, keep convincing yourself. Maybe he'll notice.' Thank you, intrusive thought.

The flight landed exactly 26 minutes later. Yasmin watched the clock on her fitness tracker the entire time, lost in nostalgia. The temptation to touch that book never returned afterwards, much to her relief. She tucked the book away as far deep into her carry on she could manage, hoping that that would help the anxiety disappear just the same.

It worked, for a while.

Key West international airport was only a fifteen minute drive from the airport, but with the alcohol in her system, she decided to Uber it instead.

The entire time the New York native stayed glued to her phone, promising Layla that she had landed safely and she was on her way to the hotel. She held off on calling Layla, realising that the poor Uber driver wouldn't appreciate listening to the word vomit seasoned with anxiety from another tipsy woman in his backseat. If she was even given the opportunity, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop.

She learnt that the hard way.

Arriving at the hotel, Yasmin tipped her Uber driver before wandering into the lobby. She checked in with the concierge behind the counter before making her way to her suite, a cute assistant following after her with her luggage in his hands. Not that she was carrying much— she thought, but Yasmin could see the poor boy huffing from the corner of her eye by the time they arrived at her door. Like her driver, she tipped the lad for his efforts.

Her room looked gorgeous. With its slick and clean design and comforting colour scheme, it no doubt earned its claims of luxury. Yasmin tested her bed, sighing at the softness of the mattress. It almost made her want to kick off her heels and take a nap.

But the coffee in her system said no.

Instead, Yasmin pulled herself away from the bed and back to her luggage where she could start to unpack. Though she still looked good in her blue vest and shorts, comfortable for traveling, it wasn't good enough as a party look. No way.

This would be the first time a lot of her old peers would be seeing her. Most of them remembered Yasmin Macar as the bigger Macar twin with a penchant for causing trouble for attention. She wanted to look good, show off a little for once.

It was for that reason she chose a dress with a romantic neckline. She wore a red ruched dress with fun puffy sleeves to show off her evolved sense of style with some strappy black heels. The heels made her feel wobbly, especially considering she'd already pregamed on the plane, but damn did she feel they make her legs look good. At least if she decided to check out the pool, she was ready.

With her hair slicked back into a half-up, half down look and her makeup touched up, Yasmin took one last look at herself in the mirror. She gave her reflection a wink, allowing a confident smile to brighten her face before she left her room for an evening of only good vibes.

”What a pain.”

For reasons he never quite understood, Benjamin Cross hated traveling to places he swore he’d never go. There weren't many places that made that list. Ohio was one of them. Like so many people and himself included, he loathes Ohio. It sucks and the only people who actually take pride in being there are Mormons and Machine Gun Kelly, and Benji has a very love-hate relationship with the singer-rapper. Long story short, he robbed Benji out of getting signed.

Anyway.

Florida was another state that Benji swore he’d never return to ever again. Bad memories. Even worse because he was fairly certain his family still lived in Palm Beach. Or at least his parents did. He knew his brother and now-wife, Florence, live in England. Yeah, Benji was so happy for them when he heard through his twin. Not from Wesley himself because, of course, the good son couldn’t be caught dead keeping contact with the black sheep. No, Cassie was the one who told him the wonderful news.

Yeah, the wonderful news that literally nobody else bothered to tell him.

But no, Benji wasn’t salty at all. Never!

It was all fine, though. His family disowned him years ago and he hasn’t looked back since. Life in LA was pretty great. He was the best underground DJ that anyone had the pleasure of seeing live and the DiFrancesco assorted product being sold in various nightclubs was a hit. He was making Bruna money and in turn, he was making himself some extra cash that obviously wasn’t being used to buy drugs for recreational use. Benji totally doesn’t use the product he sells to lucky fans of his.

Life was amazing! Phenomenal, even!

Well, all except for one little thing...

“Is she calling again?” Benji looked at his phone and sure enough, that little nympho that he was seeing on the side had called for the tenth time in the last hour.

It wasn’t that Ariana was necessarily a bad person or that he found her unpleasant. Compared to most college girls he had hooked up with over the past few years, she was one of the few that kept his attention after the first night of making all of her wet dreams come true and then some. So he kept seeing her despite the annoyances that she caused within him. She had a great body and the drive to keep him going when it really mattered, but there was one quality of hers that he wished wasn’t so…present.

As Benji got his rental, which was some Ford brand of car. It was dark blue and it did the job. He wasn’t a guy that cared about cars all that much. He just needed to get to the hotel.

“Babygirl is calling.”

Benji rolled his eyes and sent Ariana to voicemail yet again. Could he have taken her call? Probably. Did he want to while he was driving? Absolutely not.

That was the quality he wished she’d drop. She was consistently in need of his constant attention. If he wasn’t around her, then she was blowing up his phone. Whether it was text after text or requests for FaceTime, any time that Benji thought he might have to himself, Ariana Mossos was proving him wrong.

It’s not like Benji didn’t understand why she was obsessed with him. She was right to be addicted to him, but there was a time and a place and it most certainly wasn’t when he was about to pull up into the parking lot at the fancy resort that his high school reunion was at.

“Finally here.” Benji got out of the car and grabbed his bags, making his way through the entrance of the resort.

He was a lot earlier than he thought he was. Like an hour early. As soon as he checked in, he made the walk to his room. As he was in the elevator, again she was buzzing him. "A request for FaceTime?"

Fine!

With a sigh, Benji finally accepted her call. He put on a smile for Ariana and when the request went through, he greeted her with his best attempt at a smile. “Sup baby girl? Sorry 'bout not getting to you sooner; it was hard to find a moment. Traffic at the airport and on the road was a motherfucker.”

"Hi Daddy!" came the girl's excited response, very obviously thrilled at finally getting a chance to speak to her boyfriend. "It's okay, I understand! I'm just happy to hear you made it okay," she told him sweetly, blowing him a kiss as she settled into bed and making sure her tank top-covered chest was visible in the frame-- she knew it would help hold his attention for longer. "How was your flight?"

Benji resisted the urge to roll his eyes when she said that horrendous nickname she had for him. Sure, it was great to hear when he had her in his bed or he was taking her in hers. Anywhere else, however, especially in a semi-private location like the elevator of the resort-hotel-whatever he was going to be staying at was something else. “It was alright. Long as fuck, though. Shitty in-flight movie and the peanuts were staler than my family’s morals.” He heard himself laugh and looked at Ariana, but more specifically looking down at her chest. Dumb as a rock but body was banging. “I just checked in and actually on my way to my room now.”

"At least! Though I still wish I was down there with you!" Ariana whined, glossy pink lips puckering up in a pretty, sparkly pout. "We would've had so much fun."

“Yeah, no doubt.” Benji gave a fake laugh so his dead tone didn’t give off just how fortunate he felt that she wasn’t here with him. Then he saw her pouting. “There’s always next time. The cats I grew up with love throwing over-the-top parties. I mean hell, you should know. You’re probably as rich as they are, what with all that fancy money and that big ass house of yours.”

The corners of Ariana's lips curled upwards as she raised a curious eyebrow. "'The cats you grew up with'?" she repeated, a little giggle in her voice. "Nobody talks like that anymore, Daddy. And you make it seem as if you don't come from the same world I do. I thought you told me once that you and your family were pretty well off, too. The only difference between you and I is that you grew up in Palm Beach and I grew up in the Hills."

“Well, you’re half right,” he stated with a chuckle, “but there’s one difference you forgot to include there, babygirl. You still have that family money you grew up with. Mine ripped it away from me because I wouldn’t conform to their impossible standards.” Benji may or may not be leaving out a few important details, but Ariana didn’t need to know that. In fact, she didn’t even need to know that maybe his family had at least some merit to what they did…yeah, like he’d even say that out loud.

"I might be on the same boat soon with how strongly against it Dad is about us dating. He's threatened to take my money away so many times I wouldn't be surprised if I wake up one day, try to swipe my card and it gets denied," she complained, rolling her eyes at the fictitious-yet-potentially-realistic situation. "I just wished he'd understand how I feel about you! You can't control who your heart wants! He of all people should know that."

This would be the second time that Benji was overcome with the urge to roll his eyes. He wanted to do it, too. Then he heard a sound echo in the lone elevator he was riding up the floors. It was like a saved-by-the-bell moment for him. "Yeah, I guess that must really suck to have a hypocrite for a father," Benji said almost as an afterthought. Half because he just wanted to steer away from the subject of her potential feelings for him (God forbid she actually used the L word). The other half for--and this was the God-given truth--he didn't really care.

He pulled his luggage by the handle of the bag. It was one of those that had wheels, so there was somewhat of an echo as he made it to his room. His room was close to the elevator, which he was grateful for. "Holy shit!" Benji said unprompted and as-a-matter-factly as his gaze left his phone, looking around the room as he took it all in from the view to the apparent-spotless nature every inch of it did. As a result, his arm that had his phone in his hand came to his side, shielding anything other than a close up to his dark-colored jeans.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" came Ariana's worried inquiry from the phone's speaker, her eyes narrowed at the inability to see what was happening..

Benji walked further into his room, examining everything he could see within his current position in the suite. The walls and furnishings were whiter than his entire bloodline (which consisted of English white and Portuguese white). So suffice to say, he wasn’t expecting that, especially not for it to look so nice. And considering that he lived in luxury for most of his adolescent life up until he moved away in protest of reasons already mentioned, for it to stand out as fancy in his eyes was saying something.

Benji spent about twenty seconds of slow walking passed and he was near the balcony, and he saw the pool. “A private pool?” He muttered, shaking his head and grinning. He brought his phone up and saw a concerned Ariana look at him. “Don’t worry, babygirl. Everything’s fine. Just wasn’t expecting this room to be so over-the-top, is all.” But that wasn’t just it. In his mind, instead of doing what he could to ease his west coast bunny’s mind, he was thinking about all of the fun he was going to have here. The pool in particular was a place of interest that he was going to explore thoroughly. “My old class prez certainly didn’t spare any expense. Or whoever the fuck is in charge of financing this whole affair.” Benji laughed, smiling at Ariana.

The young woman's worried expression morphed into a displeased pout once again. "Ugh, I'm so jealous!" she complained, letting her bottom lip stick out and her hazel eyes roll. "This is so not fair! I should be down there with you, Daddy! What are you supposed to do there by yourself?"

Benji half-shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably catch up with some of the fuckers I haven’t seen in almost a decade.” Of course, Benji knew what he was going to do. First he’d find Bruna and get his stuff and then make his way to the cocktail party. Maybe he might run into Marg or Van there. Or he might find someone else who likes to have fun. All he knew was he had to end this call soon or he was going to lose what little remained of his sanity. “But don’t feel bad. I’m sure you’ll have similar fun at your own reunion… whenever it comes around. Or you can persuade your dear old dad to send you to one of these for your next birthday.” Benji had no idea if that’s what she wanted to hear, but as he spoke he followed it up with a wink and he shot her a grin for good measure.

But not even Benji's irresistible charm could cheer up his lonely, morose California babe. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't just say 'fuck it' and get on a plane and fly down there to be with you, B," she said, turning her doe eyes to Benji in a silent plead for him to agree with her splendid idea and ask her to come to Key West with him.

Fuck. Out of all things she could do--

Did Benji enjoy Ariana whenever he needed a break from his hectic life of slinging cocaine and pills to people she probably knew from her college? Of course he did. She was hot and the times they spent between the sheets were always a grand time.But did he want her around the people he went to high school with and her being a brat any time he decided to hang with Vann or Marg or whoever the fuck he wanted without her hovering over his neck every fucking second of every fucking minute that went by that he wasn’t paying attention to her? Again, no-the-fuck he didn’t.

As he contemplated what he was going to say, rambling through his words as if trying to think of what would be a good enough version of “no the fuck you can’t come here”, Benji saw a text from Vann pop up. He couldn’t hide the smirk. Knowing that Ariana would catch onto it sooner than he probably realized she would, he just took in a deep breath, which made him fall silent for a few seconds. “I’ll have to say no to that, baby girl. I’m not here for just pleasure. I’m meeting a friend of mine and they’re going to give me some stuff to sell to my old friends here, so I won't have time for you this weekend.” Maybe that was harsh, but Benji could have just said fuck no to her face and leave it at that. As far as he’s concerned, this was him being nice.

Just as Benji had expected, the sharp-eyed Ariana didn't miss the way his mouth curled upwards in that smirk she’d gotten to know so well. It was the same look that came over his face whenever she said something suggestive, or whenever he was about to indulge her in all the intimate fun they had together. And it seemed Benji had realized his slip-up as soon as it happened, because before she could do more than glare suspiciously and open her mouth to further inquire about what had just happened, her boyfriend took in a deep breath and fell silent for a few seconds-- an admission of guilt in Ariana’s eyes. As if this wasn’t enough of a red flag, the words that came next certainly were.

...I’m meeting a friend of mine… So I won't have time for you this weekend…

Ariana knew that look… Benji not only didn’t want her there, but he was getting ready to cheat on her again. She might be in denial about plenty of things, but the situation currently bubbling up between them wasn’t one of them.

Now it was Ariana’s turn to be silent. She pursed her lips for a few seconds, pondering her next words carefully. Anything she said was bound to end in one of their usual fights, with him turning the tables on her and blaming her for the argument even if it wasn’t her fault while she sobbed her heart out and begged for forgiveness. And, quite frankly, she was tired of that. She was tired of being the one to compromise, to endure betrayal after betrayal, to spend countless hours crying and wailing and whining-- all because the man she was stupidly in love with had decided to hurt her yet again…

Was she going to keep putting up with it in order to keep him? Or was she ready to finally live up to being the daughter of Audrey Mossos-Huntsberg?

“Daddy?”

His patience was continuously tested every time she called him that, but to save face and not wanting the hassle of having to deal with her any longer than he wanted to, especially since he knew he had to hang up soon, Benji decided not to make a big deal about it. “Yeah?”

“You know I love you so much…” she began innocently, batting her eyelashes and purposely using the ‘L’ word that she knew would make him bristle in annoyance before continuing.

Oh, good fucking lord where is this going--

“But if you cheat on me again like I know you’re going to do, you’re going to be very sorry about it.”

“Is that right?”

Two could play that game.

On the other side of the country, Ariana Mossos squared her shoulders and let out a long, determined sigh. If Benji was going to cheat on her this weekend, then she would do the same to him.

Benji could deal with a lot when it came to Ariana. The cringe usage of daddy for a nickname, her constant need for attention (most of which he does give her because there’s always something in it for him), but something that boiled under his skin was that not-so-subtle threat hidden under a trademark smile of hers, though what wasn’t trademark was the change in her demeanor. He was observant enough to know she meant it, but who in the hell did she think she was, anyway? Who did she think she was assuming that they were in a relationship? She wasn’t his girlfriend and he wasn’t her boyfriend. They had sex and that was it.

And it was like this every goddamn fucking time. Any time he did something she didn’t like, he had to deal with her whiny, bitchy, almost numbered-list of things she didn’t like. Of course, every time they had a spat, Benji always came up on top (in every way implied). Benji knew how to manipulate her to get what he wanted, and Benjamin Clyde Cross always got what he wanted.

He eyed her, seeing her face and seeing how she was just waiting for him to say something — anything — Benji smiled. He actually did this for a few long moments. He held the phone close to his face so she got a clear shot of his eyes and how his lips curved into a smirk. “Ariana..” He spoke in a low tone, taking a moment to get her reaction, letting the tension build just for a few seconds before he simply said, “We’ll see about that.”

click

In a matter of moments, Benji had hung up on Ariana. No goodbye. No “see you later”. He just ended the call, but he wasn’t done there. In an act that was done out of pure spite, Benji went into his contacts, went to Ariana, and blocked her number, erasing her out of his contacts, and effectively would render what he just knew wouldn’t be the end of her insistent nagging because he knew her that well. It was, in his mind, the only response to her demand.

And you know what? Benji had no regrets. He could finally relax for a while before he had to get ready for that party.

Over the course of the next hour, Benji managed to do just that. He took a quick shower because he wasn’t the kind of guy who ever liked to take long in it unless he had a reason to prolong his time in there. As he exited the impressive bathroom, a towel wrapped around his unclothed body, Benji held his phone in his hand and he remembered that Vann texted him a while ago. He was in the middle of his thing with Ariana that it had nearly slipped his mind.

Yeah, better text her back, Benji.



"And that oughta do it."

There was a satisfied look on Benji's face. That text from Vann had reminded him that he had to speak to a special someone he knew was around here somewhere. Before he'd join the festivities, he'd have to meet with a fellow classmate of his who was his supplier and more importantly, catch up with Bruna. It's been way too long since he's spoken to her about more than his next shipment of pills and powder.

But first, he had to figure out what he was going to wear. It was a cocktail party, so obviously something formal, but did Benji really feel like busting out the suit? It would be a thing called fitting in and, o course, if he was going to make certain people at this reunion jealous (assuming they were coming), dressing like the dashing motherfucker he knew he was wouldn't be the worst idea.

"I'll make some fuckers jealous." Benji grinned and ten minutes later, as The Doctor walked out of his room looking like a motherfucking boss. He abided by the semi-formal guidelines, but he wouldn't be Benji Cross if he didn't pair it with his trademark cap. And if anyone expected any different then they didn't know him at all.

BC was in the house and he had very little time to accomplish a lot.

Contrary to most of her classmates, Margeaux Cheng wasn’t excited, or thrilled, or even the least bit enthusiastic about receiving the invitation to her high school reunion. It wasn’t that she’d had a bad, terrible, or traumatic high school experience-- quite the contrary, actually. Margeaux had been one of the most popular girls in school, along with her three beautiful, intelligent, overachieving partners in crime. She hadn’t been a bully nor had she earned herself any enemies during her time at Kings, so there was no dread of a confrontation with any victims of her actions from a past life. No members of staff were on the guest list, which meant no opportunities to get ambushed with praise about how much she’d accomplished so far when she hadn’t felt as hollow and unfulfilled as she did at the moment. There was, however, the prospect of having to face the man who, with his endless lies and strew of broken promises, had single-handedly pushed her down the path of self-destruction.

As the aluminum bird flew across the clouds in the afternoon sky, the pensive Asian girl staring out the window couldn’t help but continue to doubt and second-guess her decision to attend the event she was traveling for. Margeaux’s gut feeling had been badgering her all week, as if imploring her to reconsider her choice of walking so voluntarily into the lion’s den. But Bruna, Kristen and Jasper had begged and pleaded for her to come along. It would be fun, they said, to get the girls all together for the beachside getaway they so desperately needed. Could they book a trip to some exotic location and have the time of their lives? Without a doubt. God knew they all had the funds and employment flexibility to get away with it. But would it give them the same thrill and satisfaction of facing their former classmates as the united front they continued to be even after ten years? Not a chance. Plus, He wouldn’t be RSVPing to this thing. His majesty was too busy with that tour of his to even consider the possibility of taking a break to make an appearance at a silly reunion like that.

So what was there to lose?

After extensively consulting it with her therapist, Margeaux had decided to claim her spot to the upcoming soiree at the last minute. The reunion would be the perfect test to ascertain whether she could successfully cut out the toxic vestiges of her past, or if they would continue to weigh her down and prevent her from blossoming into the woman she desperately wanted to be.

The decision to arrive at the venue a day prior to the start of the reunion had been Margeaux’s deliberate decision in hopes of avoiding her former classmates as much as possible. Her arrival to the airport and to H2O Suites went by smoothly and without a hitch. She took a moment to admire her spacious suite’s aesthetic, with its neutral design and pops of color peeking through, before dropping off her belongings and indulging in a seaside Cuban dinner for one. The rest of her night was spent lounging inside the small pool adjacent to her suite, with a glass of rosé in her hand, a bottle at arm’s reach for refills, and a selection of French singer Charles Aznavour’s most melancholic songs softly playing in the background. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the concrete edges of the pool, humming along to the melodies that trickled out from her bluetooth speaker. In order to survive the storm brewing in the horizon, Margeaux’s mind, body and soul needed to be recharged and ready for the battle approaching.

Nathan Blake had always cherished the time he spent with Mandy. It didn’t matter if it was taking their almost weekly road trips that they started in college with them often just playing a classic game of rock, paper, or scissors to decide who gets to drive to recent traditions of him getting most of his non-meat groceries straight from her farm. Every moment spent with her has made not living in his hometown of Palm Beach seem not so bad, especially in early years of college when he had to live with the fact that his ex-girlfriend, Jasper Delamar, was at the same college he was.

Mandy was his rock, his anchor, and during some pretty bad nights where he drank too much vodka or smoked a little too much weed, the angel on his shoulder.

And today, she was in the driver’s seat, taking him to the airport.

For the first half of the trip, Nate was feeling great. He was riding a high because he thought about how long it’s been since he’s seen any of his old, casual friends from high school. Of course, he maintained contact with most of everyone, but not everyone. Years go by and things happen, life shifts everyone in different directions, but there were always a few people Nate never lost contact with: Spike and Max. Anytime that he went to LA or NY, which was almost every year since graduating high school, Nate has visited two of them whenever he could. When Spike started making ripples in the comic world, Nate went to every comic con he was going to appear at. Best buds support each other and Nate owns a physical copy of every issue, book, omnibus that Spike has ever released.

Yeah, for the first half of the trip, Nate was really excited. No doubt Mandy felt that energy. They sang and cheered as much they could that didn’t take much of Mandy’s focus away from, you know, driving, but at some point after that high, Nate let the excitement die down. Whether it organically simmered down or he willingly turned down the flame under his ass, one thing was for certain. During the intermission between high and his current lost-in-his-head low, Nate’s mind went from trying not to fuck up the lyrics of whatever song they were jamming along with to thinking about the reunion and the realization that it was envitable he’d run into Jasper.

Jasper…

There wasn’t a moment that Nate hadn’t thought about his ex-girlfriend from high school nor how real his feelings were — are — for her. Despite everything and all the time that’s passed, Nate still held a great deal of affection for Jasper. His prom-posal, which was very different than what anyone else thinks of when they hear that word, was so long ago yet the memory of the anguish caused by her rejection still rung his bell every time he thought about it. It wasn’t because she flat out said no. Nate had always been the kind of guy who never let it ever stand in his way of moving forward, but it was her reaction to it after the fact and the strain it put on their relationship post-graduation.

Not to mention the very awkward and tense reunion at college.

Yeah, he couldn’t forget the way she just scowled at him.

And that thought just brought Nate into an even worse mood. He never saw her look so cold at him in his life. And that was roughly nine years ago. He wondered if time changed her opinion of him? He didn’t know if it did or not.

As he lamented on that for a few minutes, Nate looked down at his phone. He must’ve pulled it out at some point because he didn’t exactly remember when, but he looked at the time. “Just under two hours until my flight leaves…” He muttered, though it was obvious that every bit of joy he had when they left was now locked away somewhere behind an apparent misery in his voice. “I think our exit is coming up soon,” Nate said to Mandy, though he didn’t necessarily look up at her when he said it.

Instinctively and abruptly, Miranda Warner pulled to the shoulder and put her car in park. Putting her hazard lights on, she turned her attention to the man next to her and gently reminded him of why it was important for him to go to this event. “You know what we’re not going to do? We’re not going to get stuck in our heads and think of the worst-case scenarios.”

She reached out and offered her hand for him to grab, “The one that we shall not name has already broken your heart, Nate. What more could she do that she hasn’t already done? Good people are going to be there and they will be there for you. I promise.” When he grabbed her hand, she tightly squeezed it, “Do you really think she’s going to go out of her way to torment you?” If anything, she was probably just as nervous to see him, but like the average tsundere, she would push him away before she admits her feelings. Mandy would know, she used to be one.

“Plus—” She leaned her head on his shoulder, taking in the stillness of her car. “—I know you and I know you want to talk to her. You want closure. And you’ll get just that, you just have to keep pushing, like I know you can. It’ll be okay. You will do GREAT because it’s you, Nate. You always do great.”

For a moment, Nate was going to ask how she knew, but this was Mandy. Even when he didn’t think she knew he was getting lost in his head, or letting bad thoughts consume the good, she knew. This was because whenever he was at his lowest, Mandy always knew exactly what to say and exactly whose name not to mention. And she was right, of course. He did want closure. And she was also right about how there would be people at the reunion like Spike and Max and even Marg (if she was going). So many people that he could fill up the weekend with positive vibes.

But if he were to make the most out of this weekend and if Nate was being honest, he needed to talk to Jasper, too. Because so many things were left unsaid and no amount of Mandy’s pep talk could shake that out of him.

Looking at his female best friend, Nate mouthed a silent ”thank you”. When it really counted, she was there for him and always — always — knew what to say to get him smiling again like his usual self.

Well, he wasn’t out of the woods but he wasn’t as down. “Oh, by the way, I don’t think she wants to torment me. Lord knows she did that plenty ten years ago and some during college.” Nate had to laugh at the awkwardness of seeing her around Meadow U for nearly four years. He had thought about transferring to make it easier for them, but obviously, he didn’t. “And you know, I know people who haven’t scarred me for life will be there to relive some old, fun memories. I can’t wait to see Spike again…even though it’s been only a year since I last saw him at last year’s Comic-Con.” Another laugh as his smile became more genuine and wider. “But there is a part of me that wishes you could come along. I’m sure you-know-who would get a real kick out of it.” Ah yes, that would’ve made any potential torment null and void…maybe.

“Ha.” Mandy chortled at the scenario. “Uh-huh, you know she can’t stand me. She never did.” Taking a quick glance at the time, the woman behind the driver's seat sat up and adjusted herself. Smiling to herself, she took the car off park and eased her way back on the highway, turning off her hazard lights. In a shy manner, Mandy muttered, near inaudible, “If I went with you… I’d miss my date.” She had yet to tell Nate about a… guy… a teacher that she’d taken a strong liking to. Nate had been incredibly distracted - so bringing up her crush, or love interest, while all he could think about was Jasper felt selfish. “He’s nice.” Mandy wasn’t the best at talking about her feelings. It took her a couple of years to get to this point with her best friend. “He’s a teacher and he cooks really good.”

“Whoa! Date?” Nate exclaimed, completely ignoring everything else she said before it. This was the first time she’s even mentioned such a thing and they were the types who told each other just about any appropriate thought that came to them. “Well, that’s good he’s nice. Teachers are always nice…well, except my tenth-grade geometry teacher, but he was a grandpa.” Nate glanced at Mandy, a thought coming to him. “And it’s good he knows how to cook because the best way to anyone’s heart and especially yours is food. Or one of them.” Shaking his head slightly, Nate steered his train of thought back on course. “I’m super duper happy for you, Mandy! You have to tell me all about him whenever I get back. And whenever you think he’d be okay with it, I’d love to have you guys over at my place one of these days!” Was Nate getting ahead of himself? Maybe. But his excitement couldn’t be contained - not when it came to Mandy’s happiness. That was the most important thing!

“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down buddy. This is our first date. So far we’ve had conversations at the market and he’s surprised me with some food, but yeah don’t get ahead of yourself.” She sighed, realizing her doubt in herself only meant she was jinxing the possibility of a relationship even before it started. “Either way, it might all be for show. You’re like the only other nice guy I know.” Mandy anxiously laughed, realizing her luck in the dating field was complete shit. Hey, at least her and Nate had that in common.

He couldn’t contain a chuckle. “Conversations, huh? Meaning more than one?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. If that wasn’t a hint at something there, then Nate was probably looking too much into that specific detail. On the other hand, it could also mean this guy was for real. “Not for nothing, but I don’t think it’s just for show. I think if he caught your attention enough for you to say yes to a date, then he’s the real deal and you’re going to have an amazing time on this date.” He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “And I can’t wait to hear all about it when I get back from Florida!”

“Let’s hope we both don't self-sabotage ourselves.” Mandy was already questioning what her interest even saw in her and all the things that could go wrong, instead of the things that could go right and have already gone right. Like the fact that she trusts him enough to go on a date. Still, Mandy prefers facts, figures, animals, having a full understanding of things, and a good handle over her life. Romance? Love? Sex? Those were tricky. Like feeling before she could even process what she was feeling. That, honestly and deeply, scared her. It wasn’t that she had commitment issues either. She was the most loyal person out there, but that doesn’t change she was cautious and didn’t like reckless dating. Mandy hated wasting her time. And yet, in the game of love you had to, to find your counterpart. Your soulmate.

Having already gotten off the exit, she found herself getting closer and closer to departures, coming to terms that her friend would leave her, as he revisited the past. Pulling to the side, she looked over to him and twinkled a bright smile, throwing her anxiety for her date away to focus on the man on a mission, “You’re going to call me if you need me, right?”

“Hell yeah I will! I’ll call you tonight and tell you all about the first day! Trust me, I don’t want to leave you out of the loop of anything.”

Nate and Mandy exchanged a few more words, mostly about her wishing him a safe flight and making sure he had everything for his carry-on bag. Truth be told, she always knew how to remind him to have everything he needed. Whether it was the flight or just in general, without him he’d truly be lost. There was a part of him that was actually serious about wanting her to come with him. There was a part of him that wished she was coming because, as much as he was so grateful that she always managed to shift his mind away from the dark side and the previously goth goddess that ruled over it (A.K.A. Jasper Delamar), seeing her again made him nervous even now.

Even now as he gave Mandy a big hug that lasted several moments and he made his way through the airport. Even as he boarded the plane and it was taking off, Nate wished she was coming with him because she was the pillar that always held him up…or maybe it was that she was the veil that covered him and protected him from his own thoughts.

But he also knew she was right. He needed closure.

“Closure…” Nate said in a low tone, smiling as he mumbled along with the song he was listening to. He had his headphones on so the person sitting next to him on the plane didn’t hear, but he was listening to familiar sounds.

_{”I say oh girl,
Shocked me like an electric eel.
Babygirl,
You turn me on like an electric feel…”}

It wasn’t the original artist, but there was something about Henry Green’s melancholic voice that hit all the right notes, especially the more Nate just sat there, listening to the song over and over again, thinking about Jasper. It wasn’t in a bad way either. It was bittersweet because of the last time they saw each other. The last they met eyes was at the graduation party that was held at the Bonfamile Manor in Meadow. They were both there, of course. Mandy was there. His other boys and her girls. Everyone was having fun and Nate wanted to just…talk to her, but he never did. He never said what he should have said so many years ago.

This was the closure he needed to achieve. He needed to make so many things right and he’d start with Jasper. When he was young, he didn’t understand why she was so angry and in the years that followed, Nate never got the chance to ask her about it. This weekend would that time. He was older and wiser. He liked to think he was more mature than he was ten years ago. He’d do it on this weekend and damn it if he was going to let uncomfortable memories get in the way of that.

And shortly, as the plane landed and Nate got off the plane, about an hour would pass before he collected his baggage. Something to do with delays and misplacing his luggage. He wasn’t stressing too much. He got enough sleep on the five-hour flight, but there was something of a worry in the back of his mind. He was a lot behind schedule. He had only an hour until he had to be at the cocktail party. Between how long it took him to shower, get dressed, and look as presentable as he could, Nate pressed for time.

“Sorry for the delay, sir!”

Nate shook his head. “No worries~” He flashed a smile at the lady at the baggage claim counter who looked overworked, so of course, Nate wanted to try and make her feel better (if he could). Not long after, she would inform him they found his stuff and he collected it.

And then he found the closest taxi he could and in fifteen minutes, he was at the resort. As nice as it was and as much as Nate wanted to bask in its glory, he had no time to spare. “Take in the sights tomorrow! You’ll have plenty of time to do that!”

With that firm reminder, Nate was off to the races. Forty-five minutes to get checked in, pick out an outfit, and make it in time to arrive on time at the shindig.

“Easy peasy!”

The minute Lilibeth Easterling had received the invitation to her high school reunion at the beginning of the year, the young woman had been ecstatic. In the beginning, Lili had deluded herself into thinking that her motivations for attending were innocent enough: spending time with her friends like the old days, and the chance of returning home with her head held high as the somewhat grown-up, successful version of herself she'd become. Of course, there was another reason that may or may not have influenced her prompt decision to RSVP to the reunion. Namely, a green-eyed, sandy-haired, handsome, unbelievably charming comic book artist that she may or may not continue to harbor deep feelings towards…

But let’s not talk about that.

As soon as she’d RSVP’d, Lili had begun her preparations for her long-awaited vacation. She announced her upcoming hiatus to her followers in all social media channels, filmed videos in advance to keep up with her posting schedule whenever she was gone, packed hers and her son’s belongings and made the necessary arrangements to make sure Colton was taken care of while they were gone. The blonde knew Colt was more than capable of looking after himself for a measly week, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to. One, she loved her husband. And two, she wanted to ensure that her domestic affairs continued to function like a well-oiled machine during her absence. Colt was a fantastic man, but he could be disorganized as all hell. The last thing Lils needed was to return home to unkempt chaos and disaster.

In order to spend some time with her parents, Lili had decided to fly down to Palm Beach a few days prior to the big reunion. Where was Colton, you ask? As much as he'd wanted to jet off with his wife and son or care for Coltie for a few days, the acclaimed running back had a rigorous, demanding, time-consuming training schedule he had to adhere to, and Lili didn’t believe in placing the care of her son on nannies for extended periods of time. Edgar and Clarissa had not only been over the moon about their daughter and grandson’s visit, but they had been more than happy to look after Coltie while Lili relived her adolescence for a few days. It was the perfect arrangement: everybody got exactly what they wanted.

Three days after her arrival to Palm Beach, Lili’s old, powder blue 2011 Volkswagen Beetle convertible was cruising down the US-1 highway with Key West as its destination. She sat behind the wheel of the vehicle in blue denim shorts, a ruffle off-shoulder pink crop top and white Air Force Ones. Her blue eyes were shielded from the sunlight by designer aviator sunglasses, her blond locks fluttering wildly around her face as she belted the lyrics from the early 2000’s and 2010’s songs blaring out from her speakers. Not even the hair sticking to her sparkly lip gloss could ruin the fabulous mood she was in.

To truly embrace the nostalgia of her tween and teenage years, Lilibeth had opted to dust off and bring out some of her vintage gadgets and belongings out to play. Her baby blue Cybershot camera was safely inside its case in her overnight bag, nestled alongside her 3rd generation blue iPod Nano, her 1st generation blue iPod Touch, her white Instax 25 camera, and a handful of spare film cartridges just waiting to be transformed into still captures of a moment in time. A box full of photos and albums from years past sat beside her suitcase, which she was sure would bring many laughs and memories to those close to her. She couldn’t wait for her friends to see them.

The Easterling wife made her arrival to the venue on Thursday afternoon. She was eager to have some time for herself before the big reunion this weekend-- after all, she hadn’t really had the chance to enjoy her own company since having Coltie. She treated herself to a facial, mani-pedi and massage that afternoon, followed by a lavish dinner and a few glasses of wine from the ocean view balcony of her spacious suite. The next morning, the young woman had indulged in sleeping in and a delicious brunch served at the hotel’s rooftop area. Armed with her old iPod, snacks, and the company of a good book, Lili had spent the day at the beach, taking turns between tanning, swimming, reading and snacking. It was only when the clock of her device marked five in the afternoon that Lili finally gathered her belongings and returned to the safety of her suite.

It was finally time to get ready for the party!

The sun was just starting the process to set in the horizon when the clock signaled eight in the evening. The 2012 graduates of King’s Academy would soon make their way to the hotel’s rooftop deck area, where the first official event of the reunion weekend would take place. Marie-Alexandra Hodges, ever the perfectionist, had made sure the reception area was nothing short of a vision for her guests. A set of string lights helped illuminate the poolside space, giving the area a cozy, fun feel. Sleek round bar tables had replaced the poolside lounge chairs, each of them with a maximum occupancy meant for two people, and the outdoor sofas remained available for use in the area. Floating on the pool were at least ten LED-illuminated beach balls, giving the atmosphere a more fun, casual feel. Hotel employees dressed in crisp, short-sleeved white shirts and khaki dress pants would begin circling the perimeter as soon as the guests arrived, handing out small plates of delicate hors d'oeuvres and glasses of water while taking orders for the bar. On the north side of the venue was the bar, with four chairs available for use and stoked with liquors of all kinds. But, of course, the true pièce de résistance was the deep blue waters of the Atlantic, stretching out beautifully into the horizon.

The sound of the shifting waves laced together with the music coming from the speakers filled the absence of conversation as the clock continued to tick away the seconds. It was only a matter of time before the former students of King’s Academy would make their long-awaited arrivals.

Oh, how good it felt for Lost Cross to be back in his element. No more stuffy planes with babies and flight attendants that didn't know how to process a simple request for peanuts. No more annoying uber drivers, but most importantly, no more having to deal with that annoying, needy, selfish, immature brat he called a side-piece. Okay, maybe Ariana wasn't that bad. Sometimes he even enjoyed her spunky nature and the way she always worshipped him, but whenever he mentioned anyone who might be from the same species as her, she always made it into a bigger deal than it was. Maybe he cheated, but it's not cheating if you're not in an official relationship with that college brat.

If only Ariana saw it his way. Instead, to buy him some peace and quiet and be able to focus on the real reason he was at the reunion, Benji had to block her out. That meant her number. She couldn't spam his inbox and voicemail if she couldn't get past the wall. It also gave Benji more time to properly get his party on.

He swung by Bruna's hotel room briefly before he came to the rooftop to grab what a certain cuban delight had asked about. There was no way he was going to start this night without his assortment of Molly and her five best friends. The ever-lasting business arrangement he had with Bruna's family was just another reason why they got along so well. It was also why Benji didn't mind certain other advantages they had to their arrangement. A tit-for-tat arrangement, so to speak.

Benji took in the sights. The lights and music and the sights of some familiar faces filled Benji up with an euphoric, almost nostalgic feeling that brought him back to the wild ragers that were often thrown at Jin and Marg's place. Sometimes it was also hosted by Maxx. Benji didn't really care who hosted parties back then. His concern was always making the most of it and also making money, but the way everything looked and the backdrop of the Atlantic had made all fo the hoops he had to jump through to get here almost worth it. He says almost because, as much as the sights and music and casual decorations were nice, what Benji really missed were a couple of his homies. Jin and Vann to be specific.

He casually walked, keeping an eye out for both of them while at the same time, he was admiring the view. He didn't know what it was about being back in the element he grew up in, but it was bringing him back to fond memories that might not be suitable for viewers under the age of eighteen. Moments that he spent with anyone who would have him. Getting into trouble, enjoying the primetime life of being a rich kid from Palm Beach, and, maybe doing some bad things with his homie, Jin. He didn't see Jin anywhere, but knowing him he was around somewhere. So he decided to shoot him a text.

To Jin
Shit man where tf you at? Parties just aren't the same without my partner in crime!
Emphasis on crime :P

As he went further and deeper around the area, Benji also kept his eyes peeled for anyone who might want party favors. His classmates knew him and knew that if they wanted anything, they came to him not the other way around. But unlike that, Benji did sometimes go to people who piqued his interest enough.

And sure enough, right by the pool, looking finer than he could have ever dreamed (well, he knew she wouldn't be at a party if she wasn't looking hotter than every InstaThot combined).

Approaching from behind with all the swagger of Johnny Depp and Skrillex, Benji Cross strutted in a rhythm that was all unique to him. Sliding behind her a hand found its way in a firm place it hadn't been in quite some time but only for a moment before he retracted. Didn't want to show all your cards in the beginning. "Say, you haven't seen a fine as hell supermodel around anywhere, have you? Heard she's looking for someone named Molly. Blew up my phone a while back." Benji let out an amused sigh, looking at Vann with a smirk.