As Annie Stones made her way down the familiar hallway of Crestwood High during the reunion, the memories came flooding back. The rows of lockers, the faded banners that hung from the ceiling, the distant echo of voices in the cafeteria—it was all so much like she remembered, yet somehow different. Time had worn the place down, just like it had with her memories of those high school days, but some details stood out as if they had happened only yesterday.
Walking past the old chemistry lab, she paused for a moment, the faint smell of chalk and chemicals still lingering in the air. It was in that very room where she had spent hours with her nose buried in her textbook, more concerned with acing her exams than anything else. She had been the type to focus on her studies, determined to leave this small town behind for a bigger, better future. Back then, she thought nothing could distract her—until Calix Wood came into the picture.
It was hard to pinpoint exactly when she started noticing Calix. He wasn't the loudest or the most popular guy in school, but he had this magnetic energy that seemed to draw people in. He was easygoing, always smiling, always cracking jokes that made the girls laugh, and the boys want to be around him. Annie, who considered herself more of a wallflower, couldn't help but be intrigued by his carefree attitude.
She remembered sitting two rows in front of him during chemistry class. Calix was never the most focused student, often doodling in the margins of his notebook instead of paying attention to the lecture. But whenever their teacher asked him a question, he somehow managed to charm his way through it with a witty remark or a sly grin. The whole class would burst into laughter, including Annie, though she tried to hide it behind her hand.
There was one particular day that stood out in her mind. It was near the end of their junior year, and they were paired up for a lab experiment. Annie had been nervous, knowing Calix wasn't exactly known for his lab skills. But as they worked together that day, she saw a side of him she hadn't expected. He wasn't as distracted as she thought—he actually knew more than he let on. There was something about the way he leaned in close, his voice low as they whispered back and forth over the Bunsen burners and glass beakers, that made her stomach do little flips.
"You're not as serious as I thought you'd be," Calix had said with a teasing smile as he carefully measured out a chemical solution. "I figured you'd be all business."
Annie had rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile. "And you're not as clueless as I thought you'd be."
He had laughed, a deep, easy sound that filled the room. "Guess we're both full of surprises."
That moment had stuck with her, even after graduation. There had been something unspoken between them—nothing ever came of it, of course, but it was there, like an almost-flicker of something more. At the time, Annie had been too focused on her future to explore it. She had her eyes set on college, on leaving Crestwood behind, and Calix was just a distraction. Or so she had told herself.
But now, standing in the hallways of her old high school, she wondered if she had been wrong. Had there been something real there, something she had ignored in her rush to move on?
Annie continued walking, passing by the gym where she had spent countless hours at pep rallies and school dances. The faint echoes of music and laughter filled her mind as she recalled the homecoming dance their senior year. She hadn't gone with Calix—she had gone with a group of friends, too focused on having fun to worry about dates. But she remembered seeing him that night, standing at the edge of the dance floor, his hands in his pockets, watching the crowd. He had looked out of place, almost lonely, though he was surrounded by friends.
She had considered going over to talk to him, maybe ask him to dance. But before she could gather the nerve, one of the popular girls had pulled him onto the dance floor, and just like that, the moment was gone. Annie had watched from a distance, feeling a strange pang of disappointment she couldn't explain.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she turned a corner and ran straight into Emma, her best friend since high school. Emma's bright smile pulled her back to the present, and for a moment, they stood there, laughing at the awkwardness of the collision.
"Lost in thought, huh?" Emma teased, adjusting the strap of her purse. "Or were you just avoiding me?"
Annie smiled, shaking her head. "Just... memories. This place feels so much smaller now, doesn't it?"
"It really does," Emma agreed, her gaze sweeping the hall. "It's weird to think how much time we spent here. So much drama, so many crushes..."
Annie chuckled. "And yet it feels like a lifetime ago."
They walked together toward the gymnasium, where the reunion festivities were in full swing. As they entered the room, the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air. People were huddled in small groups, reminiscing and catching up. The DJ played songs from their high school days, hits that brought back memories of Friday night football games and late-night study sessions.
Annie's eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces, some of whom she hadn't seen in years. A few had changed drastically, while others looked almost exactly the same. She exchanged polite greetings with old classmates, but her mind was still elsewhere—still back in those high school days, reliving the moments that had shaped her, wondering what could have been.
"Looking for someone?" Emma asked with a knowing smile.
Annie glanced at her. "What do you mean?"
"You've got that look on your face," Emma said, raising an eyebrow. "Like you're searching for someone specific."
Annie hesitated, unsure whether to admit it. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Let me guess," Emma said, her voice low, "Calix Wood."
Annie blinked, surprised by how easily Emma had guessed. "How did you—?"
Emma laughed. "Come on, Annie. It's not exactly a secret you had a thing for him back in high school."
Annie felt her cheeks warm. "It wasn't a 'thing.' We were just... friends."
"Friends who flirted in chemistry class and exchanged looks in the hallway," Emma teased. "Face it, you had a crush."
"Maybe," Annie admitted, laughing despite herself. "But it doesn't matter now. It was high school."
Emma shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows what could happen at a reunion?"
Annie didn't respond, but as she scanned the crowd once more, her thoughts drifted back to those high school days. Maybe this reunion wasn't just about catching up with old classmates. Maybe it was a chance to explore the things she had left unresolved all those years ago.
And maybe, just maybe, it was an opportunity to see where life could take her next.