REDDING, CA – HARBOR HIGH – APR.10th, 2002 – WEDNESDAY

     “Ok. Now I’m nervous.” Kirstin stated as soon as she got out of Ashley’s car.

     “Why?” Ashley couldn’t understand Kirstin when it came to her feelings for highschool time. Kirstin hadn’t had the best time and wasn’t as popular during her highschool years at Harbor as Ashley was. He would never get her when it came to her highschool traumas.

     “Because, Ash. We’ve already talked about it. I don’t like this school or the people we studied with.” Kirstin had her fingers entwined with Ashley’s as they trailed to the entrance.

     “K, I already told you. You shouldn’t be afraid of them. You were always much better than them. So just don’t let them get to you.”

     “It’s not gonna be that easy.” Kirstin sounded sad.

     “Listen.” Ashley stopped walking and placed both his hands on her face so she could look deeply into his eyes “I’m with you now. I’m gonna take care of you for the rest of your life. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’m here. I always will be.”

     Kirstin’s eyes filled up with tears, but she didn’t want to let them drop. She was tired of being afraid of her highschool years. Ashley was right. She shouldn’t feel that way anymore. She was a grown up, independent woman, in a great college, with a great job and a perfect fiancée.

     “Thank you.” Kirstin kissed him lightly on the lips. Ashley didn’t even have to say anything else. He knew Kirstin felt his words were for real. He let a smile out and they continued walking to the entrance.

 

     Ashley and Kirstin stepped into the gym. The place was packed. People were dancing to the sound of a Smash Mouth song.

     “Wow… that’s… a lot of people.” Kirstin pointed out the obvious.

     “Well… it’s a party. What did you think?” Ashley led them to a table near by to get them something to drink.

     “I don’t know. It’s a Charity Event. I thought Harbor people wouldn’t be interested in coming to a Charity Event.”

     “Well, don’t you think most of them are dying to know who looks better and who looks worse from their highschool years?” Ashley got a glass from the table.

     “Yeah…” Kirstin didn’t sound happy at all.

     “Don’t worry. We’re into the better looking category.” Ashley smirked and kissed her softly on the lips.

     “Oh, my God!” the high pitch voice made them pull back from the kiss.

     “Hey, Cindy.” Ashley greeted not at all excited, while pouring some punch in his glass. Cindy got rid of Jared’s grip and got closer to the couple.

     “You look so perfect, Ash!” Cindy’s comment was not heard by Kirstin because she was heading towards Jared.

     “Hey, boy.” Kirstin smiled at Jared, who couldn’t stop staring at her “Oh, God. Not you too.” Kirstin rolled her eyes.

     “Oh… my God.” Jared said.

     “There it is. That ‘Oh… my God’ thing again.” Kirstin sounded a little mad.

     “What?” Jared frowned, not even paying too much attention to her comments.

     “Nothing. Forget it.”

     “You look great. So great.”

     “Thanks.” Kirstin didn’t wanna sound ungrateful, so she thanked him hoping they could just drop that subject “You look great too!” Jared was wearing a navy blue jacket with a baby blue shirt underneath it and matching navy blue pants. His hair was like always, messy in a sexy model way. He did look good.

     “Thanks. I don’t think I’ve dressed up this nicely since… prom, I guess.”

     “Me too!” Kirstin exclaimed. “I hate it.” Kirstin made a face.

     “I hate it, too!” Jared also exclaimed and they both laughed a little.

     “What’s so funny?” Ashley asked when he got closer to Kirstin and wrapped his arm around her waist.

     “Oh, hey.” Kirstin said after looking at him “Nothing. Hey, Cindy.” Kirstin didn’t sound too happy greeting Cindy. Cindy also looked great with a velvet royal blue dress that went to the middle of her thighs. The dress was really tight and had no sleeves, showing a lot of her big breasts. But the dress was really classy and fit her perfectly, so it didn’t look too slutty.

     “Hey.” Cindy looked Kirstin up and down and rolled her eyes a little. Kirstin noticed that and so did Jared.

     “Let’s go, Cin. Let’s dance.” Jared took Cindy’s hand.

     “Bye, Ashley.” Cindy waved at him while heading to the dance floor.

     “Pathetic...” Kirstin shook her head and sighed.

     “Cindy?” Ashley asked.

     “Who else? Did you see the look she gave me after looking me up and down?”

     “No. Was it that bad?”

     “It was pathetic.”

     “Too bad she didn’t see the ring, huh?”

     “Oh…” Kirstin looked at her ring “Yeah. She would die.” Kirstin smiled.

     “Maybe we should show it off a little, what do you think?”

     “Yeah, rub it in some people’s faces?” Kirstin sounded evil.

     “Now you’re getting way too excited.” Ashley chuckled.

     “Let’s go dance, then?”

     “Let’s go!” Ashley took her hand in his and they headed to the dance floor.

 

     After 30 minutes and a lot of uncomfortable encounters for Kirstin with Ashley’s former football teammates, Kirstin decided to leave him talking to a group of guys and head to the table to get something to drink.

     “So?” Kirstin heard a voice from behind her and already knowing who it was, turned smiling.

     “So what?”

     “So, what are you thinking? Bored to death yet?” Jared asked, pouring some punch for himself.

     “I’m getting there.” Kirstin smiled “What about you?”

     “Oh, I’m there. And it’s been a while.” Kirstin giggled at Jared’s statement “So… Ashley is talking to the dream team, huh?”

     “Yeah…” Kirstin glanced at where Ashley was. He was laughing.

     “So… how is your engagement going?” Jared asked.

     “Oh, God! I forgot to thank you for making the arrangements so I could do the proposal here. Oh, God. I’m so embarrassed.”

     “Oh, don’t be! It’s totally fine. I bet you’re still mesmerized by all that.”

     “I am. Really.” she looked down at her ring.

     “Wait.” Jared said when he noticed the ring on Kirstin’s finger “Weren’t you suppose to ask him to marry you?”

     “Yes. And that’s what I did.”

     “Girl, did you buy an engagement ring for yourself?” Jared chuckled before even finishing the sentence.

     “No!” Kirstin laughed “It turned out that Ashley was about to propose to me, too. He already had the ring and everything. He was just waiting for the right time and yesterday was it.”

     “Oh…That’s nice.” Jared half-smiled.

     “Is something wrong?” Kirstin felt a strange vibe.

     “No. Everything is fine. I’m happy for you.” Jared smiled big.

     “I’m happy for me, too.”

     “You deserve it, girl. Congrats.” Jared placed both their glasses on the table and hugged Kirstin tight.

     “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” the high pitch voice interrupted again “Now, you’re not satisfied only with Ashley, you gotta have my boyfriend too?” Cindy had her arms crossed over her chest and was tapping her right foot. Behind Cindy there were two other girls Kirstin recognized as Amanda Stone and Claudia Banks, also from the cheerleading squad.

     “Oh, come on, Cindy. Give me a break, alright?” Kirstin started “I’ve never done anything to you, I don’t know why you act like that towards me.”

     “Well, when you’re all over my boyfriend I think I have the right to act like that!”

     “Oh, grow up, will you?” Kirstin snapped.

     Amanda and Claudia giggled. Cindy looked back and shot them a look, making the girls stop the giggling.

     “Just stay away from my boyfriend.” Cindy warned.

     “I’m not the one going after your boyfriend. He’s the one who came to talk to me. Maybe you should take better care of the things you claim to love.” Kirstin said.

     “Don’t do that, Kirstin.” Jared warned in a low tone of voice to Kirstin, realizing she wanted revenge from all the hard time Cindy had put her through during highschool.

     “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Kirstin also whispered to Jared.

     “What’s that? What are you two whispering about? Jared!” Cindy got closer to them and pulled Jared to her side.

     “Cindy, just stop it!” Jared ordered.

     “Oh, you were hugging and whispering. I won’t let her steal you from me!” Cindy exclaimed.

     “Oh, my God! It’s nothing like that!” Kirstin couldn’t believe it “Everything is a competition to you, isn’t it? And you’re so afraid to loose something to me, aren’t you?”

     “You wish! I’m better than you in everything.”

     “You’re just pathetic...” Kirstin shook her head. At this point, some people were starting to stare at them and Kirstin didn’t wanna continue with that or else people would start to gather around.

     “No, you are!” Cindy exclaimed.

     “Try better come backs, alright?” Kirstin laughed a little. At that moment, Ashley came over to them.

     “What’s going on here?” he placed his arm around Kirstin’s waist.

     “Nothing. Let’s just...” Kirstin started, but got cut off by Cindy.

     “It’s you’re girlfriend, Ashley! She was all over my Jared, hitting on him!”

     “Oh, God...” Kirstin just smiled and shook her head.

     “Is that true, Kirstin?” Ashley looked at her.

     “I can’t believe you’re asking me this.” Kirstin looked seriously at him.

     “I...” Ashley pulled her aside and continued “I saw you two giggling and hugging a while ago.” Ashley looked at Cindy and Jared some feet away and they were starting what looked like to be a fight.

     “You can not be serious. Tell me you’re not serious, Ashley.”

     “It’s just that…”

     “You don’t trust me.” Kirstin stated “You’ll never trust me. I can’t believe you’ll never trust me.” Kirstin shook her head.

     “That’s not it.”

     “Then what is it? Because I really can’t believe you’re taking Cindy’s word on this one and…”

     “I’m not taking her words, Kirstin! I’m telling you what I saw! And what I saw was my fiancée giggling, touching and hugging a guy that clearly likes her more than a friend.”

     “What?” Kirstin asked incredulous.

     “I’m sorry, I…”

     “You’re not only not trusting me, but you’re also delusional, saying Jared likes me more than a friend? He has a girlfriend, for crying out loud!”

     “Well, that didn’t stop you when we were together from being with Tom.” Ashley said it and at the second he finished the sentence, he regretted saying it at the first place.

     “Oh, my God. Oh, my God!” Kirstin was pacing back and forth and laughing nervously in disbelieve.

     “I’m sorry, Kirstin. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, I know things were different and…”

     “Just… stop talking! You’re making matters worse. If that’s even possible!” Kirstin was shaking her head and Ashley was about to get closer to her when they heard a loud voice and Cindy storming at their direction.

     “You bitch! You kissed my boyfriend!” Cindy exclaimed and Ashley immediately turned to look at Kirstin.