I had never done the High School reunion thing and as I looked around the room I had to wonder what I was doing here now. High School hadn’t been my best years by far. I was awkward and shy, a little nerdy and very much a loner. My parents hadn’t helped. They made me dress in slacks and button down shirts at a time when it was strictly jeans and T-shirts. I had been kept sheared to a near flat top when that style was 20 or 30 years out of style.

Times had changed and I guess I had changed more than that. Being a nerd in High school meant that I got into a great school afterward. While the cool guys had struggled with the fact that their glory days were behind them I got a PHD in Electrical Engineering and then spent 5 years working in exotic locals before coming up with an idea that landed me on easy street. I started a small company to produce my invention and then 4 years later sold the whole shebang for more money than I could ever spend.

While I had been slightly pudgy in those days, now I was more just tall and big. I had a personal trainer and she stayed on my ass constantly to keep the middle age spread at bay. Today I look more like a jock and nothing like a nerd thanks to her constant pushing. I guess that I had come to this shindig to gloat and show off a little. You know, the “See, look at me, you were hot shit and gave me wedgies and now I am rich in shape and you are poor and have a pot belly” routine. The fact is though that I’m not as mean in real life as I am in my imagination. To my surprise when I walked in the door I felt the shy awkward nerdy kid in me pop up and almost walked right back out.

Instead I did as I had done when I was a kid and sort of faded into the walls and just mostly slinked around and looked. The few friends that I had made in High School were like me and not the sort to be at these things so naturally I saw nobody that I had missed. Several of the women noticed me and came to see who I was with assuming that I was not one of them. They seemed a little unsure exactly who I was even after I gave them my name. I guess I hadn’t made much of an impression back then.

When I was about half way around the room I saw her and my heart almost jumped out on my chest. Debbie Keller had been THE girl in my class; cheerleader, homecoming queen, the whole nine yards! She hadn’t changed at ALL. She was tall with long legs, long golden hair and a figure that just made my mouth water! As I looked I slowly noticed things that WERE different.

First and most noticeable she was standing off in a corner all alone. Debbie had NEVER been alone in my memory. I always only got glimpses of her through the crowd that always seemed to throng to her. I also noticed that her smile was missing. Debbie had been the kind of girl that just sparkled; always with a smile and a gleam in her eyes. The gleam was missing too now that I looked closer.

As I looked my feet had slowly carried me closer and suddenly I realized that she was looking at me and that I was closer to her than I had ever been in four years of school. Caught like a rat, for a moment I panicked. I guess I expected one of her captain of the football team boy friends to show up and give me a wedgies or something. My mouth came to my rescue! Fortunately over the years I had actually become rather good at schmoozing people and that persona popped out.

“Hi Debbie. You haven’t changed a bit!” Jumped from me unbidden.

“Hello… do I know you? You look familiar but… I’m sorry, I can’t for the life of me remember your name.”

“No, you never really knew me. I was just one of your admirers from afar in the old days. I’m Josh Smither. I was in your class all the way through High School… Well maybe not in you CLASS but in your grade anyway.”

For a second her eyes sparkled and her smile flickered. “I remember you now. You were the Chess Master!”

Blushing I nodded, I had not figured her to have ever even heard that name. The one thing that I excelled in that drew me a little attention was that I never lost a chess match in the 4 years there. I had won several tournaments for the school and my nerd friends had hung Chess Master on me for a nickname. “Some of my friends call me that.” I agreed.

“God I used to envy you!” she blurted.

Now I have to tell you, that declaration was not something that I would have imagined coming out of Debbie’s mouth in even my wildest fantasies! “WHY, I was a nobody?” I said without thinking.

“But you weren’t, you were somebody!! You were YOU and the things you did you did because you wanted to and because you were smart. You always seemed to be looking at the rest of us from a lofty perch and were like some sort of judge.”

“I was a nerd that jocks gave wedgies too and wore weird clothes because my parents made me. I was mostly lonely and didn’t have many friends. You were always the center of attention and a big shot. So far you are the only person here that even remembers me.”

She looked sad, “Kids are soooo stupid! Nobody really liked me Josh. The guys wanted me and the girls mostly hated me and none of them really knew me. I was just “the pretty girl” They barely could remember my name. Like a fool I thought it was great at the time I guess but I also hated it that nobody paid any attention to me. I felt like a Barbie doll and my Mom just ate it up. She was the one that picked my clothes! I felt like such a tramp most of the time.” She looked around, “You notice that I am invisible now. Do you know why?”

“I was kind of wondering. I would have figured that you would still be the most popular girl in the class.”

“You didn’t stay here did you? If I remember right you headed of to MIT and never came back. Smart of you. Do you remember Steve Redmond? His dad owns the First National Bank, Captain of the football team and all of that shit. He drove a red Vett!”

“He was my most common wedgie giver! God I hated that bastard. I was halfway hoping he would be here. I thought about giving him a wedgie.”

She looked at me and grinned, “You look like you could pull it off too. They must have had a hell of an athletic program at MIT just from looking at you.”

I laughed, “Not even a football team there! I loved it! Where is Steve anyway? I would have figured that this would have been right up his ally.”

Debbie looked at me, “It would have been. I married him and we never missed a reunion. He’s dead now though.”

I choked on my foot that was so far down my throat that it was being digested! “Oh God Debbie I’m SOOOO sorry!!! I didn’t mean what I said about hating him...”

She laughed and her eyes sparkled. “You did to mean it!! Don’t worry, I hated him too. I hated him so much that when he showed up dead one morning they arrested me and tried me for his murder.” She swept her hand indicating all the people in the room. “The jury found me innocent but the town judged me guilty. She laughed, “I am now persona non gratis and if you ever want a loan for anything you had better not be seen with me.”

“Well, I don’t need a lone so I’m not worried. Why are you even here Debbie? You don’t still live here do you?”

“Sadly I do. My parents are here and I have a house here and property. Steve did quite well working for Big Daddy and though he didn’t think much of me he didn’t have a will so it all became mine because we were still married if you want to call it that. He came home occasionally and would fuck me and beat the shit out of me then he would wander off to one of his bimbo’s for a while. I was sort of his trophy wife but he actually preferred his women sluttier so I was just on his practice squad.”

“Why didn’t you leave him?” I asked.

“Simple actually, His Daddy owns my Daddy and he made sure that I knew it and what would happen if I did. Besides to tell you the truth I didn’t know where I would go. I didn’t finish college, I have never worked… I just sort of peddled my ass for a big house, new cars and money. I have all of that now and if I went somewhere else I would have to start all over again. There is no way for me to sell my place here or any of the properties Steve had. Big Daddy will see to that!” she looked at me and smiled, “So, I stay here and act like he doesn’t matter and drive him crazy by spending the money he and Steve piled up and in general having a pretty good time of it. He and Steve had some kind of scam going and he was siphoning money from somewhere and Steve was kind of laundering it for him by claiming it as profits and pay for various services he never did. Big Daddy can’t afford to push me too far because he doesn’t know how much I know.

When they found Steve shot and dead Big Daddy was sure that I had either done it or had it done. He pushed the DA into indicting me even though there was no real evidence. He tried to squeeze me but I got pissed. The money was all in Steve’s name and it was locked up until I was either convicted or cleared. My Daddy nutted up and got me a good lawyer. He got a change of venue. Basically when we got out of Big Daddy’s sphere of influence the trial mostly amounted of the prosecutor showing the jury why I had plenty of reason to hate Steve including photos from the many trips to the hospital when Steve had gone to far.” She threw back her head and laughed, “By the time that idiot was done the jury was convinced that Steve DESERVED to be killed. My attorney basically pointed out that other than the fact that I had ample REASON to do it, there wasn’t one shed of evidence that I had in fact done it. They deliberated for 1 minute and 30 seconds before sending out a note to the judge that they had reached a decision. I was cleared of all charges and Steve and Big Daddy came off looking like monsters. As long as Big Daddy stays here he is untouchable but the trial cost him big and his hand picked DA was voted out in the next election. Big Daddy has to be a lot more careful now and if I have an accident I have made sure that they will come straight to him.

He has learned never to be alone with me because if he threatens me he has no witnesses to say that he didn’t threaten me. I took out a restraining order based on threats he made and now if he comes within a hundred feet of me or my property he is in violation of that order. Everybody hates me but to tell the truth I don’t care. It has been two years since anyone beat the hell out of me so life is looking pretty good to me.

I looked at her shocked. “Holy COW Debbie!! I can’t see how you can be so… blasé about it all! I would still be freaked out.”

She shrugged, “You have never been beat to shit by someone and known that there was nothing you could do about it. I got pretty good at just rolling with the punches I guess.” She looked around. “Well I think that I have had about all the fun that I can stand for one day. Would you like to leave with me and continue our discussion in a somewhat warmer climate? I haven’t exactly seen them rolling out the welcome wagon for you either.”

I grinned, “Hell Debbie they don’t have a clue as to who I am. I wasn’t exactly memorable I guess.”

“You were to me Chess Master. I always thought that if there was anyone that was going to make it and get out of this one horse town that it would be you.”

“Yeah, I bet you spent a lot of time thinking about me.”

“Why wouldn’t I? None of the guys thought that I had over five living brain cells and the girls were mostly either envious of me and hated my guts or wanted to be friends to get into the right circles and DIDN’T have five living brain cells. Hell I had lots of time to think and nobody to talk to very much.”

She took my hand, “Come on at least leave with me so they can be scandalized. By the time we get to our cars they will have the year book out and know who you are for sure! You want to be remembered? Here let’s give them something to remember!” She flowed to me and seemed to just mold her body to mine. Her mouth met mine and she consumed me. I was helpless and enthralled. I kissed her back with an almost adolescent hunger. When she drew slowly away and our mouths parted she led me out the door. I was as docile as a well trained donkey and couldn’t but follow her.