Chapter 7

Dawson stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his tie. His freshly dry-cleaned suit was perfectly tailored, the fabric a deep navy blue, and the shoulders cut perfectly to fit his frame. He ran his fingers through his neatly styled hair, running one last inspection of the ensemble. He felt confident and composed, ready to face the crowd of old classmates.

He had worked hard over the past two decades, built himself a successful business, and amassed a fortune. He had never expected to be as successful as he was, but he had made it, and now he was ready to show everyone just how far he had come. He was ready to prove that he was no longer the awkward, introverted teenager they once knew. He was a successful adult now, and he couldn’t wait to make it known.

Dawson walked out of his hotel room and down the hallway, feeling the butterflies in his stomach as he approached the elevator. His rental car was dropped off last night, so he swung by the front desk to pick up the keys.

Dawson drove through his hometown of Grapevine in a luxurious Maserati. The gaze of the townspeople followed him as he made his way down Main Street toward the high school. He could almost feel their jealousy and disbelief as he passed them.

He took a deep breath and tried to put the past out of his mind as he pulled up to the school parking lot. He had grown up, made something of himself, and now he was a tech tycoon with a net worth of two billion dollars. It was time to put the bullies in their place.

As he got out of the car, he straightened his chest and squared his shoulders. He was determined to show them his success and make them regret their years of tormenting him. He had come a long way since his days as a scrawny high schooler, and he was ready to show them his true potential.

He walked through the doors of the school with a newfound confidence. His gaze swept across the room. He was surprised to find that the school had changed very little in the past two decades. The building was exactly the same, the parking lot was just as full, and the football field was exactly the same size as it had always been. But as he walked up the steps of the school, he could feel the emotion of the reunion emanating from the building. He could feel the nervous energy of the surrounding people, and it made him feel both excited and uneasy.

He was among the first to arrive, and he stopped in the lobby of the school to take it all in. He took a moment to look at the various posters on the walls that had hung there when he was a student. He remembered seeing them then, but now they seemed almost surreal, like a snapshot of a past life.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Maci standing there with a huge smile on her face. She was wearing a dress that was far too nice for a high school reunion, but it was a style she had always worn and it suited her perfectly.

“Dawson!” she squealed, and before he could say anything, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. “Weird to be back here, right?”

Dawson smiled and returned the hug, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over him.

“You look great.”

“Thanks,” she said, blushing a little. “So do you.”

They walked together to the crowded lobby, his eyes lingering on the people he had known in high school. Some of them changed dramatically, while others were exactly the same. He felt a strange mix of emotions as he looked around, remembering the good times and the bad. He had been both bullied and stuffed into lockers by the football team.

As the hallways filled up, Dawson felt himself getting more and more nervous. It was finally here. He knew he had to make a good impression if he wanted to prove everyone wrong, and he was determined to show them that he was the man he had become.

Here he was, back in his old stomping grounds and feeling the nostalgia of seeing familiar faces. As he walked into the lobby, his attention was drawn to the check-in counter where all the nametags were placed in alphabetical order. He quickly collected his nametag and then headed straight to the gym for the mixer.

Classmates filled the gym. Some of them had aged better than others, some had gained quite a bit of weight, some had balded, and yet some had the same pleasant look he remembered from the good old days. But no matter how they had changed, they were all here to celebrate their past.

As he made his way towards the middle of the gym, he spotted Miller, the guy who bullied him throughout high school, in the corner talking to Holly, Maci’s arch-nemesis. Time had been unkind to them both. Miller had gained some weight and had a big beer belly now, which had replaced his old football physique. His dark, curly locks were now matted with patches of grey and his once clean-shaven face was now covered in an overgrown beard.

Holly, on the other hand, had not aged as gracefully. Her once gorgeous face was now marred with crow’s feet. Her bright blonde hair was now streaked with grey and her once slim figure had been replaced by a few extra pounds. But despite the ravages of time, Miller still had that cheerful, flirtatious look in his eye, and Holly still had that same fire in her veins.

He could not help but have a sense of bittersweetness when he looked at them. On one hand, they were both much older and much less attractive than they had been in their younger days. On the other hand, they were still the same person he remembered, and the same people who used to be the life of the party. It was almost like they had peaked in high school.

He took a few more steps and noticed other people he remembered from high school. There was Paul, who would always wear the same faded blue jeans and had a love for classic rock. And then there was Karen, who was the student president, who always had a smile on her face and had a passion for helping others.

As he observed the people in his old school, he remembered what it was like to be a teenager again. He remembered the struggles and the successes.

Dawson approached the makeshift bar, feeling a bit intimidated by the guests seated around it. He grabbed a drink from the bartender and scanned the area for a familiar face, but his search was fruitless.

Then his gaze fell on her, standing in the corner by herself, staring at her phone. He knew Maci was only doing that, so no one would approach her.

He cleared his throat and stepped closer to her. “What are you doing hiding over here?” he asked.

She looked up, her eyes meeting his. She offered a forced smile back. “Checking on emails.”

“Come on, get out there and show them the amazing woman you have become. Don’t shy away in the corner,” he said, extending a hand. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, her slim fingers curling around his.

Suddenly, he remembered something his father had once said to him.

“Look,” he said, taking a deep breath. “We aren’t in high school anymore, and these people aren’t superior to you. So, don’t let their opinion of you affect how you view yourself. Hold your head up high and show them the amazing woman you’ve become. No thanks to them or their bullying.”

Maci’s expression softened, and she looked up at him. He had finally gotten through to her.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He smiled. “Anytime.”

* * *

Maci took Dawson’s hand, her hair cascading down her back, and walked with a confidence approaching Miller and Holly. The two had not seen each other since graduation and yet here they were. At first, neither of them recognized them, but when they saw their name tags, their eyebrows lifted.

“Maci!” she said. “How have you been?”

Dawson wasn’t surprised at how fake Holly came off. She made Maci’s life hell for four years, and now she was playing like they were good friends and just getting reacquainted.

“I’m doing great,” Maci said. “I’m the CFO of a multinational finance company and I live in New York City. Dream job achieved.”

Holly’s face did a double take, and she tried to hide any hints of jealousy as she took Maci in from head to toe. “That’s fantastic!” she said. “I’m so proud of you!”

Maci glanced over at Dawson, and then smiled and thanked her. Now she was staring right at Miller. “It’s good to see you too,” she said. “Looks like you guys are still joined at each other’s hip, even after all these years.”

Miller and Holly looked at each other. “It’s a funny story. We got married right after high school and then got divorced a few years later. Remarried and divorced again. We matched on a dating site and rekindled our relationship. Apparently, the universe thinks we should be together.”

Dawson chuckled at that story.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been back here,” Miller said, glancing around the gym.

“Yeah, I remember when you used to pummel me in dodgeball once a week in this gym. Wonderful memories,” Dawson said, giving him a death stare.

Maci couldn’t believe how fake they were acting, like they didn’t make their lives a walking nightmare every day back then.

The gym kept getting fuller and fuller and everyone was wearing their name tags now. It was time to move on from those two and mingle with some others.

Miller and Holly seemed almost too impressed with the change in Maci and Dawson. They had gone from being puny high school kids to successful adults. They seemed almost in awe of their accomplishments.

Holly seemed taken with Maci and she asked her questions about her job, her life in New York. Maci answered and with a note of pride in her voice. Holly seemed both surprised and impressed with the strides Maci had made since high school.

Maci seemed to have a new confidence about her since Dawson’s peptalk. A subtle but powerful presence that was both intimidating and captivating. This was the version of Maci he knew.

He watched her eyes as she spoke, looking for any sign of the timidness he knew so well, but the spark he felt only grew. She had changed, and he wanted to know her even better.

Finally, Dawson focused on Maci’s words as she told them of his newfound wealth and status. She was gloating on me, but he couldn’t help but be impressed by the air of confidence she carried. It was like a silent challenge to the world, and he wanted to know what it felt like to take it on.

“We got other people to see.” Dawson took her hand in his and led her back to the bar. He felt like a different person; emboldened by her presence and eager to explore. As they entered, the buzz of conversation and the clinking of glasses filled the air, and Dawson let out a sigh of relief.

“To new beginnings,” he said, clinking his glass against hers.

She smiled, and the silence between them was comfortable. It felt like the barriers he had built around himself were melting away, replaced by the profound connection between them.

As the night went on, Dawson felt a warmth radiating from Maci. She was full of life and ambition, and he knew no matter what the future held, he wanted to be part of it.

Holly stood on the stage and stared out into the auditorium. Anticipation and tension in the air like a thick fog. She cleared her throat and began.

“Good evening.” Her voice echoing throughout the auditorium. Her classmates looked up at her, some with curiosity and others with trepidation.

“As many of you know, twenty years ago, we gathered together to create a time capsule to commemorate our high school graduation. It was a chance for us to look ahead to our future. We filled it with letters to ourselves that we were to open on our twentieth reunion.” At this, she paused and surveyed the faces. “Tonight, I am pleased to announce that the time capsule has been uncovered and is now open. I invite all of you to come and grab your message. Who knows what you wrote all those years ago? I certainly don’t.”

With that, she stepped away from the podium, and Dawson watched as the line formed in front of the table by the stage, holding everyone’s letters.

Dawson was curious. He had no recollection of what he had written to himself, but an odd sense of anticipation had taken hold of him. He thought back to the day that he had written the letter: what had he wanted to be when he was eighteen? What had his hopes and dreams been? He had no way of knowing, but now he was eager to find out.

Tension was coiling in his chest as he grabbed Maci’s hand and they made their way into the line forming in front of the table. She asked if he remembered what he wrote and he shook his head. He asked if she could, and she said she was pretty sure it was something along the lines of having a good job, a nice house, and a house full of kids, but she could be wrong.

Dawson was antsy until they finally made it up to the front of the line and he grabbed his card. Maci and he stepped to the side and opened up their cards. Sweat formed on the back of his neck.

Maci looked at him, worry creasing her forehead. “It can’t be that bad.” She reached out and grabbed the piece of paper from his hands, shoving him away when he tried to take it back. With trembling fingers, she unfolded the note and read the words aloud.

The note read: In twenty years, I will be living in a big city, in love and married to my best friend, Maci, with our dream house full of kids.

Maci stared at Dawson, her eyes wide with disbelief, the paper clutched in her hand. His heart thudded in his ribcage, realizing the powerful meaning of the note now more than ever. He raised his gaze to meet Maci’s, the shimmering tears in her eyes as a reflection of his own emotions. She sniffed lightly, her voice quivering as she spoke. “Did you mean it?” she asked.

He swallowed and nodded, unable to find the words for what he felt. Finally, after some moments of silence, his voice became a low rumble from deep within. “Will all my heart.”

Maci’s face lit up with joy, and she moved closer to him, her eyes sparkling with emotion. She grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him deeply, their mouths merging together in a passionate embrace.

Dawson could feel himself flying high, the sensual power of Maci’s kiss taking his breath away. When they broke apart, they both were wearing ear-to-ear grins.

“Can I see yours?” He asked, and she stepped back slightly, her posture guarded.

“It’s only fair, I guess.” She said as she handed him the notecard. He read it silently: In twenty years, I want to have achieved great success surrounded by a loving husband like Dawson and beautiful children.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. His throat tightened, his heart aching with understanding. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked softly.

A single tear escaped her eye, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I was scared,” she whispered. “I always thought that if I opened my heart to you, then you’d leave.”

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I would never leave,” he said gently, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. Somehow, fate had brought them together; this city, this reunion. “Fate has given us a second chance. It may have taken us years to find each other again, but we are here now.”