Prettiest in Pink

The story of simple love - the best kind!

Prettiest in Pink

            The high school reunion was one week away.  She had gone back and forth trying to decide whether or not to attend but on this particular morning, after peering down with barely one eye open, she sheepishly peeked at the number on her bathroom scale.  It was obvious she would not make it to her self-imposed goal weight so twenty-eight year old Audrey Reynolds came to a decision.  Sweeping her long, dark brown hair into a ponytail, she sat down at the computer in her home office, stretched her slender hands onto the laptop keyboard and wriggled her painted fingertips as if preparing for a piano recital.  She would send an e-mail to the reunion coordinator, Greta Van Moss (aka: Gorgeous Greta), explaining in her most convincing Marcia Brady style that “something” had “suddenly come up” and she would be unable to attend after all.  (Never mind the only thing that had gone up was her blood pressure at the thought of seeing ‘him’ again!)

            Off went the e-mail and … that was that. 

Or was it?  A tinge of regret instantly swept over Audrey after she hit the “SEND” key.  For ten years now she had wondered about the one guy she’d never been able to forget.  Had he married?  Was he happy?  She had to chuckle a little as she thought back to those days of yesteryear and the many (many!) times she had envisioned her best buddy, the schools’ star athlete, the one and only Philip Jeter,  finally coming to the realization of what his “buddy” … Audie … really meant to him!  She had always pictured the scene so vividly in her imagination:  It would be at the conclusion of the biggest high school game of the season (after Philip had, of course, scored the winning touchdown), amidst the cheering and applause from the crowd he would search the stands for her eyes alone!  Then, running to her as fast as he could " taking the bleacher steps two at a time if necessary " he would scoop her up in the tightest of bear hugs, reveal his true feelings and proclaim his love for her!  Then, following his big reveal, the two of them would make plans for their first official date " to which Audrey would wear the perfect pink sweater!

            Ahhh yes, Philip Jeter.  Though Audrey thought of him throughout the years following high school, she always stopped to remind herself of that moment at their senior prom when any hopes of a bleacher pronouncement had been dashed!  Because Philip and Greta had been crowned …

            Yep, she remembered it well " the popular king and queen of Marina Del Rey.  Shortly after the senior prom Philip and Greta began dating " though Audrey always thought Philip had just succumbed to peer pressure.  After all, he and Greta had been voted not only most likely to succeed but of all things " most likely to marry.  She had to admit " that one stung!

            After graduation, life moved Audrey and Philip " once such close friends " in very different directions.  Audrey had an opportunity to study abroad that fall during her first year in college and Philip was offered a scholarship playing football at a university out of state.  Though they tried to keep in touch, exchanging letters here and there, over time they simply lost track of one another as old high school friends often due.  Today, however, she couldn’t help wondering if she had ever crossed his mind throughout the past ten years.

Now Audrey sat in front of her computer screen completely lost in time, once again a teenager walking down the corridors of their school.  She could practically hear the sounds of slamming lockers and tardy bells ringing in her ears and it took a while for her to realize the ringing she now heard wasn’t a bell from her past but the phone right on the desk in front of her.

            “Hello?”  Audrey answered - a bit hesitantly since she didn’t recognize the number on her caller ID.  She snapped the lid on her laptop closed and quickly snapped herself back to reality trying to focus on the incoming call. 

            “Hello, Audie?”  (What?!?  No one had called her Audie since …)

            “Audie, it’s Philip!  Phil Jeter from Marina Del Rey.”  There was a slight pause on the other end of line and then he quickly continued, “You do still remember me, don’t you Audie?” 

“Remember you?” Audrey thought.  “If you only knew how many years I’ve been trying to forget you!”

            “Of course I remember!  Philip, how have you been?  And how in the world did you get this number?”

            “I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time -- I found your number on our reunion roster.  The e-mail you sent to Greta was automatically forwarded to me because she’s out of town for a few days.  I got suckered " I mean I “volunteered” " to help with the reunion and I’m so sorry to read that you’ll be unable to make it.  Is there anything we can say to make you change your mind?”

            We?  Had he really just said ‘we’?  After wondering for years if the prom king and queen had married, Audrey now had proof that Greta had achieved her “happily ever after” after all.

            “Actually Philip, I’m just heading out the door but I did want to take care of that e-mail before it slipped my mind.”

            But Audrey didn’t really have plans to go anywhere and her mind wasn’t slipping.  It was more like “reeling” as she willed herself to calm down and think straight!  She attempted to make her tongue and lips come together to form a complete sentence while everything inside was one complete jumble.  A call from Philip Jeter was the last thing she’d expected today and the one thing she’d hoped for throughout the past ten years.  Had she really just told him she was too busy to talk?  But he was married after all!  She had no business having a conversation with Greta’s husband.

            “I’ll let you go then,” said Philip.  “Would you mind if I called back another time?”

Audrey sat silent.  Her heart skipped a beat. 

“Audie, are you still there?” 

“Philip, I don’t think …,” she paused for a bit, unsure of what to say next.

“Hey,” Philip continued, instantly stopping the train that had started to barrel down the track in her head, “on second thought, scratch that call back. Greta and her husband will return from their trip sometime Friday afternoon.”  He barely took a breath before he continued on, “I’ll be off the hook with this reunion gig!  How’s about we grab some dinner and a movie Friday night?  I have your address on the roster " it doesn’t look like too long of a drive to your town.  The lady in my car will bring me to your door!  Pick you up around seven?”

The lady in his car?  Greta’s husband!?  What the heck …

As if reading her thoughts like he used to do so many years ago, Philip said, “You know!  The automated GPS gal.  We’re like this!”  There was a slight hesitation, followed by a hearty chuckle.  And with that Audrey found herself chuckling, too!  She could clearly picture Philip squishing his thumb and pointer fingers together as tight as he could " just like they used to do when they’d cross in the halls back in high school.  It was their ‘secret handshake’ so to speak " the sign that their friendship was “this close!”  When he could sense Audrey relaxing, Philip quickly added, “And yes Audie " Greta’s married " but not to me!”

Audrey thought about the upcoming reunion.  She thought about that ridiculous scale she stood on this morning.  And then she thought about Philip Jeter.  After all these years he was on the other end of her phone line.  Now she knew exactly what to say. 

“You know what Phil, that’d be really nice!  You tell your Google gal to bring you to right to my door and I’ll be ready and waiting.  Seven o’clock it is!”

Audrey hung up the phone " surprised to find she felt like a school girl all over again!  She pinched herself to make sure she really was awake and then realized she did have plans to head out the door.  After all, the time had finally come to shop for that perfect pink sweater!

 

Reviews

[blackcayne]

awww that's cute c: I didn't find any mistakes I liked your descriptions and the way that you worded it, but it's always a good idea to put more detail into things (the five senses)
overall a good story, good luck in the future!

[Tinderhrted]

Thank you for taking the time to post a comment - I really do appreciate your feedback! I liked your suggestion with regard to adding more detail (five senses) and will work on this in the future. Poetry is what I enjoy ... I have brain block when it comes to writing fictional stories so the feedback you offered is not only appreciated but welcome! Thanks again.