𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 / 𝕥𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥.

          ugh  .  she  grimaces  as  she  finishes  her  drink,  flagging  the  bartender  for  a  fourth  as  she  wipes  her  lips  .  as  a  22  year  old  graduate,  natalie  dreamed  of  the  day  she  would  one  day  return  to  the  place  that  made  her  .  now,  10  years  later,  all  she  wants  to  do  is  leave  .  there’s  no  benefit  in  turning  up  a  failure,  so  instead  natalie  frey’s  turning  up  to  her  10  year  college  reunion  vaguely  intoxicated  .  she  didn’t  want  to  come  .  and  she  definitely  didn’t  want  to  come  alone  .  but  her          “     loving     ”          husband  insisted,  suggesting  she  would  regret  it  if  she  didn’t  show  .   really,  he’d  preemptively  called  one  of  his  many  girlfriends  to  take  her  empty  spot  in  their  bed  while  their  children  sleep  in  the  next  room  .  she  fiddles  with  her  wedding  ring  as  she  waits  for  her  drink,  avoiding  eye  -  contact  at  all  costs  .          ‘     so,  is  this  only  totally  sucking  for  me  ?     ’

    never the best with faces , it was almost surprising  to janis how quick she was able to make out who the woman was. with an instant smile flourishing on her painted lips , she had no time for the small talk and politeness that followed with a ten year absence and pulled vienna into a big embrace , almost shoving their drinks together in the process. “ oh my god , you look AMAZING , vi !  “ she exclaimed , pulling back from the woman to get another look at her , someone that used to be apart of her everyday life. “ i almost had to stay home tonight after my kids’ babysitter had to cancel , but thankfully we found another one last-minute or i wouldn’t have seen you !  how have you been , miss olympic winner ?  “

He had been scanning the crowd for his fiancee but, knowing her, it wouldn’t be until the end of the night that he would see her again. She was probably off trying to find Alex or, worse, telling off the dean for his lack of financial transparency, which while a serious issue, didn’t exactly make for the best of small talk. But, Roman knew Desiree could and would handle herself just fine and he couldn’t help but chuckle fondly at the thought.

A familiar voice cut through his thoughts as he took another sip of his champagne and his eyes widened when he saw Vienna, timid as ever, approaching him with a small smile. He broke into a grin of his own at the sight and let out a breathy laugh as his hand smoothed back his wild hair.

“Well they’re certainly missing out. It’s been nice to catch up with everyone, hasn’t it? Hard to believe it’s been an entire decade.”

having spent a good portion of her time at rom valley intimidated by roman and his crew, vienna was hit with a sense of satisfaction once she realized that her usual nerves from being in roman’s presence had disappeared. regaining her confidence, she unconsciously straightened her posture, blue eyes analyzing him as she did so. 

“ it’s definitely nostalgic, ” she concurred. while still unsure about how she felt about the reunion as a whole, still having mixed feelings about everyone she had graduated with, she couldn’t deny the curious part of her that had been satiated once she saw how everyone was doing. some of them had gone on to do great things with their lives, she included, whereas others had ended their potential before it could truly come out. then there were the select few who were married, engaged, or at least happy in a relationship. 

caught off guard, dakota’s cheeks began to heat up. it wasn’t unusual for her to be recognized but only after someone had heard her name, not beforehand only because they knew her books but not necessarily her face. it was a nice surprise, though, a definite confidence booster. humbly, she nodded her head as she clasped her hands together in front of her body. “that would be me.” though she wasn’t really allowed to talk too much about the fourth book in her vampire series, she didn’t think it’d hurt any to confirm that she was currently working on it. “i am, yes. ” her tone turned a bit more cheerful. “and i’m about halfway through it, but don’t tell my publicist that. she think i’m rearing on the final chapters.”

“That makes two of us,” Sally conceded with a playful wink, “Maybe we can hold each other accountable until we can’t hold ourselves together anymore?” She took a sip of her own champagne, nodding at her question. “Indeed! Gosh, I started the fall after I graduated in 2010 so…Yeah, no I guess that makes ten years this Fall!” Sally was taken aback for a brief moment, realizing that she’d actually been in the classroom for nearly a decade. “It really is crazy how time flies by, isn’t it? It just doesn’t feel like it’s been ten years. Well, I say that, and I’m actively debating popping a Pepcid before digging into all the food.” she chuckled lowly, hoping to put the other at ease. Maybe between the two of them, they could fend through this night together.

With there being more people around now, Jinny had to engage in more small talk and while she enjoyed it, it got tiring at one point. That is why she was currently standing a few steps away from the champagne table and watching everyone else. It was then that she wondered if her college experience really would have been different if she spent more time hanging out with them. In the middle of that thought, she heard someone speak to her and when she turned to face who it was, she smiled back. “I was considering declining as well but then I thought do I really want to miss a chance to see the Vienna Schuyler?” She gave her a quick hug then. “How are you holding up?”

it has been approximately ten years since jesse has felt this unhinged. as soon as he walks into the doors of rvu he can feel his ribs feel like they’re closing around all of his important organs. even if he recognized some faces, and probably owed some shitty small talk, his priority as soon as he walked in was to head directly to the area where the liquor was being sold so he could maybe try to weigh down his emotions by pretending they didn’t exist. “sorry, were you drinking that? sucks.” he says as he snatches the first drink to come up the bar, “i’ll make it up to you in shitty conversation.”

she   has   her   eyes   glued   down   to   the   floor   before   hearing   an   unfamiliar   voice   calling   for   her   name.   oh   no,   not   again   –   echoes   in   her   brain,   already   deprived   of   the   endless   conversations   that   go   nowhere.   lifting   her   icy   gaze   from   the   floor,   she   puts   another   faux   smile   on   her   face.   how   the   corners   of   her   lips   ache  every  time   !   she   can’t   avoid   a   conversation   when   the   person   directly   spoke   to   her   a   second   ago. “   the   very   same.   ”   studying   the   other’s   features,   she   continues.   “   but   don’t   be   mad   at   me   because   i   don’t   remember   your   name.      ”

needing another refill of champagne, vienna makes her way through the throngs of people, her ears occasionally picking up on the different conversations around her. while there were a few people who were catching up with old friends, it seemed a lot of the evening’s conversations revolved around small talk and lighthearted pleasantries. having been a shy girl who was often too meek to really put herself out there during her college years, there’s a small part of vienna who can’t help but ponder what tonight would have been like if she had been more of a social butterfly like a few of her fellow classmates. 

it had been a hot minute since topher had been at rvu. even the scent of the place brought back so many memories – both good and bad. he walks up to the check-in table and gives them his name. receiving a nametag in response (which felt very elementary, but who knows – maybe people really do look like a completely different person ten years later) and placing it on his chest. he takes a deep breath, gazing around at the throng of people, looking for a familiar face. feeling a tap on his shoulder, the curly-haired man turns around. “ oh my god, is that you? ”

JOSIAH took a moment to look up from his phone, trying his best to hide the nerves that were coursing through his body at the thought of seeing old, familiar faces after so long. “ you know, all through college, i always promised myself i was gonna be the one to spike the punch bowl at our ten year reunion. now that i’m here, though, it sounds way less fun than it did back then. besides, there’s already free champagne, so. i guess that makes it okay. ”

it’s not that dakota was looking for anybody in specific, she would have much rather just avoided everybody like she’d done for the majority of her college days, but she was a changed person now. right? it seemed like her entire personality changed after graduating but once she was walking through the corridors of rvu, it was as if she completely resorted to the introvert she was ten years ago. the words she nervously rehearsed in her head continued on repeat. ‘you are a successful published writer, beautiful and strong. you aren’t who you were, people like you’ ⁠— but do they really? the brunette sighed in defeat. “okay, so i don’t recognize anybody.” she said to the first person who happened to be headed her way. @againextra​

As Sally turned to acknowledge the voice, she was a bit taken aback by whom she was speaking to. She knew so many of her classmates went on to do great things, but here she was, talking to a literal Olympian. “Oh my stars…I’m awfully sorry, I hope this isn’t rude but…You’re Vienna Schuyler, right? The Olympic figure skater who works for ESPN?” she inquired, extending a hand out to her, “I’m an elementary schoolteacher and one of my little girls is such a big fan of yours, m’am. It’s an honor and a pleasure to meet you. She’s going to freak out when I get back to school and tell her I actually met you.” Realizing she hadn’t introduced herself, she added, “O-Oh, and I’m Sally, Sally Burns. It’s a pleasure! Sorry, I’m afraid I’m just a bit overwhelmed.”

Sally wiped her sweaty palms on the sides of her orange dress, eyes nervously scanning the room. She’d timed her arrival to where she wouldn’t be the absolute first person here, but would certainly be among the first. In her mind, it would probably be best to get in and out. After all, she still had loads of stuff to do before school on Monday. Regardless, she knew better than to dodge in and out without making some polite conversation first. Taking a champagne flute with a small smile, she sighed to the person next to her, “Wow…Everyone looks so…different.”

@againextra​