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“So what are you doing back in town?”
Cory was bobbing his head to a song on the radio. Some rock song that remind
s me of how excluded I was in our school years, when I felt like I wasn’t even good enough to like the music everyone else always went on and on about. But at my question, his head snaps to attention. “That’s what’s tripping you up? Not the FBI and the fact that your old friend is a movie director? Not to brag or anything, but it’s pretty damn cool. Just last week, I was eating lunch with Brad Pitt.”
“That’s my whole point. If I were in your shoes, I would never, ever come back to this place. I mean, come on, Cory. You know better than anyone what we went through in school.” I shake my head and stare into my half empty glass of cola. “When I think about you going into Witness Protection, do you know what springs to mind? Damn was he ever lucky. Not that everything with your father was lucky, but you got a clean break from this place. Did you know how many times I tried looking you up online? I couldn't find anything. Now I know why, at least, but for the past eleven years, you were a ghost of a memory. You didn’t have anything left here, so why show up to the reunion at all?”
“I could ask the same of you.”
I shake my head. “I’m not the one who’s been untraceable all these years. I’m not the one who showed up with stories of movies and Witness Protection and lunch dates with celebrities.”
“Maybe not,” Cory comes back with. “But I’d still like to hear your reason for showing up. Because if it was to impress those self-deluded influencers, you’re going to have to excuse me while I vomit.”
“It wasn’t to impress anyone,” I say meekly, although that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. “I just wanted to make them jealous. I’ve been killing it in the gym, and I’m moderately successful at what I do too, so I just wanted to—”
“—walk in there with your newfound swagger?” Cory finishes for me. “What did you expect to happen? That everyone who always belittled us would welcome you in with open arms? That they would apologize and admit that you were better than them all along?”
“No,” I say. A tear fights to break free from my eye, but I swipe it away before it can betray the true frailty I’m feeling under Cory’s truth-illuminating gaze. “But I hoped they would at least recognize me. But you know what happened? They didn’t remember my name or anything. That’s when I realized that even though I could never forget their names, I wasn’t even a blip on their radar. Do you know how it feels to be a complete nobody? What am I saying? Of course you don’t. You’re Cory Flint, famous Hollywood director.”
Cory reaches across and wipes away my next tear. “You know I’ve been exactly where you are. We were the same back then. And we’re the same now.”
A barking laugh erupts from my quivering lips. “I’m sorry, but have you seen yourself? You’re the Cory Flint. How often do people ask for your autograph?”
“It’s not like I keep a pen on me for the occasion, but it happens sometimes. But look at you.” Despite the fact that the table hides my lower half, he pretends to look me up and down. With a smile, he says, “Damn, girl. You’re fine as hell!”
If he was trying to get a laugh out of me, he succeeds. But it comes with a side of fresh sniffles.
“I’d say we both grew well out of our ugly duckling stage, but you’re right. I’m a little ahead of you in fame. And that’s the real reason I’m back.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about a promise we made a long time ago. One that I can finally hold up my end of. And I’m here to ask if you plan to hold up your end.”
“What are you talking about now?”
He smiles, and it’s like the old Cory is shining through the far sexier exterior of the current one. Then he asks a question that recalls a memory far less impressive than the one that left me raising a kid all by myself. It’s one that I honestly completely forgot about until this moment. And now it’s replaying with sharp clarity.
“So,” Cory says, drawing out the vowel sound. “Graduation, huh?”
This is his latest phase. It involves speaking as little as possible. It’s like he’s practicing to be one of those Buddhist monks who take vows of silence. Except Cory is about as far from being a monk as is possible.
“I can’t believe this will all be over in just two weeks.” I motion around the cafeteria. Lunch today is a sad excuse for a cheese sandwich. The bread is cold and hard, while the cheese looks to have been doled out by someone with the ingrained belief that it’s a rare commodity. “Is there any part of this you’re going to miss?”
Cory shrugs. Points to the tray where he’s pushing around peas that may have been swapped out for plastic replicas by accident. “Not this.”
“You still planning to be a comic book store owner after we graduate? Or have you finally come to your senses?”
“Pilot.” That’s all he says. I’m really carrying on the brunt of this conversation. Not that I mind. His odd quirks are such a natural part of our dynamic now that I just go along with them. Next week he may switch over to talking non-stop, making up for lost time. Then I can be the one sitting back, giving monosyllabic answers.
“I think that’s the most realistic one you’ve come up with. What was it last week? A professional cosplayer, wasn’t it? And how long has it been since you recorded that introduction video for NASA so they would send you on their Mars expedition? I think being a pilot is definitely more doable.”
“Maybe. What about you? Still a vet?”
For the three months I’ve been volunteering on weekends at a local animal clinic. The perfect scenario of working with animals day in and day out wore off faster than a crush after seeing them pick their nose. The reality of working in an animal clinic is seeing good owners in tears as they have to say goodbye to their animal companions, and bad owners who should be the ones put down. The whole experience was simply heartbreaking. So much so that I knew I could never do it for a living.
That said, I already have another dream job lined up in my head, but it’s far too unreachable. I’m too embarrassed to say it even to Cory, who has always been on my side, even if he’s a bit annoying and clingy at times. Still, how can I expect him to take my newest ambition seriously when even I can’t imagine it ever coming true?
“I don’t think I can be a vet. It was too sad seeing all those animals in pain every day.”
