Hello My Name Is...
A Proper Ending
AT THE TEN YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION.....
Alice was linked arm in arm, like that night at the dance. They walked into the old familiar hallways of that school, not much had changed. David gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she returned the gesture. She still had foreboding feelings about the school, the shooting still fresh in their memories.
"You okay?" David asked, giving her a concerned look.
She nodded, "Yeah, just a lot of memories y'know?"
David did know. They had put a plaque on the wall of the main lobby, commemorating Elle and Bobby. Clay had met a suitable end by lethal injection. He sat on death row for nine years, and all those involved were permitted to attend outside of the prison complex. None of them attended. It was unclear whether it was out of sympathy for the family, or out of respect, but Clay's name was on the plaque as well.
Alice saw David bite his lip, something he always did when he wanted to say or do something, but wasn't sure of it.
"I..forgive you.." he said softly before turning away.
Alice saw and felt the unease it was causing him. She knew he felt somewhat relieved, but this wasn't the time or place to dwell on what had happened in these halls years ago.
She tugged on David's arm to get his attention, "Look, Williams here!"
They walked up to William and his wife, exchanging hugs, handshakes, and kisses on the cheeks.
"It's so good to see you, after all these years!" Alice said, giving William a big hug.
"I know, you guys look great! I knew you two would get married someday! Hell, Davey here beat some dudes ass protecting your honor!" William said.
They all laughed at the memory. They made their way to the gym, where all the social events of the school took place. Some things really never did change.
A short balding man ran up to them, smiling and offering a handshake. It was Ricky.
"Hey Davey, how are you?!" he exclaimed, shaking David's hand.
"Told you they'd call you by that name," Alice whispered.
"No kiddin.." David whispered back at her.
"Hey, it's the myth, the legend!" shouted someone from behind them.
A heavyset man came up to them, smiling and greeting them. Jack had gained a couple extra pounds over the years.
"Hey man, how're the kids?" Jack asked.
David smiled and playfully punched him in the arm, "Doing great, how's yours?"
Jack laughed, "Doing fine, your daughter convinced mine that she should join the soccer team!"
As David and his old friends conversed, Alice looked back towards the main entrance. She was hoping he would come. She was certain he would come. She sighed and looked away from the door, figuring it'd be another five years before she'd see him again. But then he walked in.
Seth came in, looking a little lost and reluctant. He saw the dedication plaque, stopping to read it. He smiled as he reached out to touch her name. He continued to read the plaque, paused at one of the names and swallowed hard. He gazed hard at one of the names, then the floor.
"Seth, good to see you again," Alice said, catching his attention.
He turned and smiled at her as he walked up to her. They embraced and walked back towards the group of friends.
"Where were you at?" Alice commented on his tuxedo.
He smiled, "Oh, just a little thing I do, nothing major."
They joined the group and as they went to head into the gym, they stopped by a table set up.
"Take a name sticker and write your name on it. That way we all can identify each other," a woman said who was handing out the stickers and markers.
David took his and wrote, "DAVEY" on it in sarcastic quotes. Alice laughed at it, knowing that would be his name for the next couple of hours. She put hers on with her name, William and Esther doing the same. When she looked at Seth's she smiled warmly. He had written it simply and plainly.
It read, "HELLO, MY NAME IS THE BOY WHO LIVED".
THE END.
Alice was linked arm in arm, like that night at the dance. They walked into the old familiar hallways of that school, not much had changed. David gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she returned the gesture. She still had foreboding feelings about the school, the shooting still fresh in their memories.
"You okay?" David asked, giving her a concerned look.
She nodded, "Yeah, just a lot of memories y'know?"
David did know. They had put a plaque on the wall of the main lobby, commemorating Elle and Bobby. Clay had met a suitable end by lethal injection. He sat on death row for nine years, and all those involved were permitted to attend outside of the prison complex. None of them attended. It was unclear whether it was out of sympathy for the family, or out of respect, but Clay's name was on the plaque as well.
Alice saw David bite his lip, something he always did when he wanted to say or do something, but wasn't sure of it.
"I..forgive you.." he said softly before turning away.
Alice saw and felt the unease it was causing him. She knew he felt somewhat relieved, but this wasn't the time or place to dwell on what had happened in these halls years ago.
She tugged on David's arm to get his attention, "Look, Williams here!"
They walked up to William and his wife, exchanging hugs, handshakes, and kisses on the cheeks.
"It's so good to see you, after all these years!" Alice said, giving William a big hug.
"I know, you guys look great! I knew you two would get married someday! Hell, Davey here beat some dudes ass protecting your honor!" William said.
They all laughed at the memory. They made their way to the gym, where all the social events of the school took place. Some things really never did change.
A short balding man ran up to them, smiling and offering a handshake. It was Ricky.
"Hey Davey, how are you?!" he exclaimed, shaking David's hand.
"Told you they'd call you by that name," Alice whispered.
"No kiddin.." David whispered back at her.
"Hey, it's the myth, the legend!" shouted someone from behind them.
A heavyset man came up to them, smiling and greeting them. Jack had gained a couple extra pounds over the years.
"Hey man, how're the kids?" Jack asked.
David smiled and playfully punched him in the arm, "Doing great, how's yours?"
Jack laughed, "Doing fine, your daughter convinced mine that she should join the soccer team!"
As David and his old friends conversed, Alice looked back towards the main entrance. She was hoping he would come. She was certain he would come. She sighed and looked away from the door, figuring it'd be another five years before she'd see him again. But then he walked in.
Seth came in, looking a little lost and reluctant. He saw the dedication plaque, stopping to read it. He smiled as he reached out to touch her name. He continued to read the plaque, paused at one of the names and swallowed hard. He gazed hard at one of the names, then the floor.
"Seth, good to see you again," Alice said, catching his attention.
He turned and smiled at her as he walked up to her. They embraced and walked back towards the group of friends.
"Where were you at?" Alice commented on his tuxedo.
He smiled, "Oh, just a little thing I do, nothing major."
They joined the group and as they went to head into the gym, they stopped by a table set up.
"Take a name sticker and write your name on it. That way we all can identify each other," a woman said who was handing out the stickers and markers.
David took his and wrote, "DAVEY" on it in sarcastic quotes. Alice laughed at it, knowing that would be his name for the next couple of hours. She put hers on with her name, William and Esther doing the same. When she looked at Seth's she smiled warmly. He had written it simply and plainly.
It read, "HELLO, MY NAME IS THE BOY WHO LIVED".
THE END.