“Unless the hotel serves champagne in heels, no.”
His face flushed. “Sorry. I just don’t recognize you.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “Most people won’t.”
Hepointed to the name tag table. “Grab yours before you go in.”
I found it right away.
EVANGELINE.
I touched the sticker, then left it there.
Not yet.
Inside, people stood in circles, laughing too loudly and checking who’d aged well.
Old classmates hugged like they hadn’t ignored each other for a decade.
Men talked about jobs.
Women compared rings, babies, houses
and vacations.
A woman near the bar looked at me twice.
“Sorry, were you in our class?”
“Yes, I was.”
She tilted her head. “I feel terrible. I don’t recognize you.”
“Don’t,” I said. “You’re not the only one.”
She laughed politely and walked away.
Nobody recognized me.
Not one person.
At first, it hurt.
Then, when Ashley stopped in front of me with Brielle at her side, it became useful.
“I love your dress,” Ashley said.
“Thanks.”
Brielle smiled. “Are you someone’s plus-one? I swear I’d remember you.”
“I came alone.”
Ashley lifted her eyebrows. “Brave.”
“Curious,” I said.
Brielle laughed. “Then come sit with us. Our table needs better energy and more younger-looking faces.”
I looked past them to their table.
They all had the same smiles and the same sharp eyes, just with better makeup.
“I can sit for a few minutes.”
Ashley pulled out a chair for me. “So, what do you do?”
“I manage a marketing team.”
“Of course you do,” Brielle said. “You look like you send emails people are scared to ignore.”
“Only when they deserve it.”
Ashley laughed. “I like her.”
That stung.
In school, Ashley had once asked if my face hurt from looking like “that.”
Now she liked me because she didn’t know I was the same person.
Then Madison arrived, loud enough for three tables to turn.
“Please tell me you saved me a seat,” she said, dropping her clutch beside Ashley’s glass.
Ashley grinned. “Madison, meet our new friend.”
Madison looked me over.“Well, thank God. This table needed help.”
I smiled. “Rough night?”
“Reunions are always rough,” Madison said. “Too many people pretending they peaked after graduation.”
“Happy to serve,” I said. “Most people did peak in high school, they’d just never admit it.”
For a few minutes, she sounded normal.
She talked about traffic, work, and how weird it was seeing everyone older.
Then the organizer tapped the microphone.
“Everyone, don’t forget our ‘Where Are They Now?’ slideshow starts soon!”
Madison clapped. “Oh, this is going to be amazing.”
Ashley’s smile faded. “What did you send in?”
“The funniest clip.”
Brielle covered her mouth. “Please tell me it’s not sophomore year.”
Madison grinned. “The hallwayvideo.”
“The one with Evangeline?” Brielle asked.
“Yes!” Madison said. “I forgot how funny that was.”
Ashley shifted in her chair. “Madison…”
“What?” Madison said. “Come on. She was basically our class mascot for awkward.”
I set my glass down before I dropped it.
“What was she like?” I asked.
Madison smiled like I’d handed her a gift.
only
“Oh, it was tragic. Braces, frizz, always red in the face. You barely had to say anything, and she’d panic.”
Ashley looked down. “We were awful.”
