Kate Wilson got along with everybody when they were in high school. Probably because Kate loved getting intoxicated on whatever was available and then doing things that required as little clothing as possible. During her four years of high school, there was a joke that if you hadn’t slept with Kate Wilson by the time you graduated, they held you back until you did. While Kate did get around, she wasn’t as promiscuous as her reputation led you to believe. Part way through her senior year, at a party, she had passed out. She was dead to the world but not to some of the party-goers. They positioned her bent over a bed sans pants and used her repeatedly. No one knows how many guys had used her but as she groggily woke up and realized what had happened, she knew things had to change.
The parties slowed down, as did the drinking, and most of her nights and weekends were relegated to just staying home, usually with Chrissy, who was her best friend. After graduation, Kate disappeared and hadn’t been seen by any of her classmates since.
“So how are you doing?” Kate asked, breathing heavily, as she sat on Chrissy’s couch.
“I’m doing good. How are you? What happened after graduation? What have you been doing?”
“Oh, just living life. I moved out east and have just been enjoying my time out there,” Kate said.
“Then why are you back here. Looking upset or worried?” Chrissy asked.
“I had to leave. There was this guy causing trouble for me so I had to get out of there.”
“Are you in danger? If you’re being hurt, you need to call the police. Like you should’ve done our senior year when you passed out and were gangbanged,” Chrissy reminded.
“We don’t know what really happened and we all know nothing would’ve been done. Besides, it’s kind of a fantasy I go back to once in awhile,” Kate smiled.
Chrissy rolled her eyes. “You should get some sleep. You can take my bed and I can sleep on the couch…”
“No, please. I’ll sleep on the couch. I don’t want to put you out. Besides, you getting a good night sleep is more important than me getting one. You have a job after all,” Kate said. “Are you still in touch with Jess, Randy, and Brian?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Can we get together with them tomorrow? For dinner?”
“I’ll call and ask them tomorrow but it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Great. It’ll be nice to see them all.”
“It is amazing to see you,” Brian said as he hugged Kate. “What have you been doing over the last 14 years?”
“This and that,” she smiled. “Mostly working to be honest. I worked at an oxygen supply place, a nursing home, customer service, of course. What do you do?”
“I’m a mortician. I get dead bodies ready for burial,” Brian said. “I took my love of the macabre to its natural conclusion.”
“Weird,” Kate said. “At least you’re doing something you love. I wish I could find a job like that. Honestly, I would like to find anything that I love.”
“Now that you’re back maybe you can work on that. You’re staying with Chrissy?”
“Yeah, at least until I get a job and can move into my own place.” Randy came into the bar with Jackson following behind. They joined the group of friends. Kate hugged Randy around his neck with her free arm. “Randy, you gay bastard. How are you?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Getting better,” Kate smiled. “Hey, I read your book. It was very good. I loved it. Are you working on another?”
“No. I’m taking a break from writing for awhile. I’m working at a grocery store right now. This is Jackson, I work with him,” Randy introduced.
“Hi, Jackson. I’m Kate,” she shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Jackson said. Kate walked away and Jackson turned to Randy. “You wrote a book?”
Randy sighed. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”
“Jackson, huh?” Jess came up to them. “Are you two together?”
“No, we’re just friends,” Randy corrected. “We became fast friends and I wanted to introduce him to my other friends.”
“Good, now maybe you can bother him instead of gloming onto us all the time,” Brian joked.
“I will gladly take Randy off your hands as long as he tells me about his book,” Jackson said. “In excruciating detail.”
“Yeah,” Chrissy smiled. “Leave no detail untold, Randy.”
Randy blushed and Brian called for a couple of drinks to be brought over. “Okay, fine. The entire story of the rise and fall of Randy Brubaker’s writing career,” Randy began.