She was in a midst of walking around slowly, trying to be familiar again with the place she once called her second home.

The narrow parking area, the bulletin board near the entrance showing old and new faces, the building where she stayed at least eight hours a day every weekday, the smallish field where she stayed under the sun for thirty-minute ceremonies on Mondays and Fridays.

Although, this was far more different than what she remembered five years ago. This time, the sky was dark and the whole campus was quiet. The only sound and lights she can hear and see were coming from the gymnasium, where the school’s grand reunion was being held.

She took out her phone and checked if she had any new messages. None.

She proceeded to the event, closing in the few meters of distance between her and the place, and peered into the side entrance.

There were tables wrapped in white cloth in the middle, the whole ground area occupied, the bleachers empty; at the tables sat different people, some were familiar, some were not.

She looked around, hoping to see a very familiar face but no luck. She went outside for a five minutes, looking at her phone hoping for a text but no luck, causing her to go inside again, hiding in the shadows, like she used to do back then. A few caterers saw her lingering at the background and kindly invited her in, but she refused with a nervous smile. They insisted for a couple times but to no avail, as she was also pretty persistent of her choice.

That was what she was, too. That awkward, shy and introverted teenage girl who hardly made any close friend. The sole reason why she was back was because she wanted to see if she could already mingle naturally with her former classmates and batch-mates, who invited her over for the reunion.

And right there, standing at the back area of the gymnasium beside the food to be served, her anxiety began to increase at a slow and steady rhythm.

Then she felt it. A vibration between her leg and the fabric of her jeans. She finally received the text she has been waiting for.

I’m at the statue at the field, it said. She proceeded to the mentioned spot and saw the person she was expecting; her seatmate from senior high.

But she wasn’t alone. She was with her two best friends. They were nice people, of course, but it didn’t stop our heroine from feeling uncomfortable, as she doesn’t really know the personality of these two.

Then a conversation started. It was pretty fine, but she was only asked a few times then ignored again. She couldn’t possibly insert herself, because she couldn’t relate to their topics and she couldn’t contribute anything into the dialogue.

Then things only got worse after when more and more of her batch mates came pouring in. Then she had just learned that they won’t be having their reunion at their former school but, instead, somewhere near someone’s place.

She was scared, of course, because not only was she going to a location she has never been in, but because her father will surely be mad at her for “lying” that she would only stay at her old high school. Yes, she DID tell him that she was only staying there, but she never knew of the plan. She was never TOLD of the plan.

She texted him on the way. She could already judge from the exchange that he was pretty angry about it, but she tried her best to shrug it off, and she couldn’t do anything about it anymore.

They had arrived at the place and began to settle down. She made sure that she wasn’t going anywhere far from the closest person she has for a friend so she immediately sat down beside where her friend was.

There was chatter all around among the people she was with; the only person who was not talking was her. She was just sat there awkwardly, glancing at every corner.

The people at her table finally talked to her, but only for a few questions, then they must have realized that they couldn’t get out anymore answers or words from her mouth, they went back to their discussion. More and more people arrived, and a few more former classmates of her arrived, but not the ones she was close to.

She finally took out her phone, only to be told by the first friend to contact others and tell them to come, which was what she was about to do.

She had texted three of the ones she was closer to, but unfortunately, one of them couldn’t come, one was still undecided, and one was still waiting for others to decide if they would come or not.

A couple of plates half-filled with food and a glass of water later (she had turned down the offer of beer and vodka), they all decided to take an initial group picture. She smiled as wide as she can, hoping that she would look like she was having a good time but the truth was she didn’t; she only got more uncomfortable as time passed.

At last, a text came from her father that he’s already coming to fetch her. She let out a sigh of relief that she prayed no one heard.

It took her moments to get the attention of her friend, who was busy talking to others. When she finally did, she whispered to her that she had to go. Unexpectedly, with the loud voice that she has, she announced the departure of our protagonist, to which she felt her cheeks burn.

They bid her goodbye, some joking that they wouldn’t let me go if I don’t take a shot of alcohol. Thankfully, her friend told them that she doesn’t drink, finally signalling her to say her goodbyes and dash out the place, solace ultimately washing out the uneasiness that tensed her mind and body all over. She messaged the ones she texted that she was already going home, walking over to her family’s service car telling herself never again.

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So this post was about an adult who was an introvert as a high school student, if you haven’t got it yet.

If you reach this part of the post, thank you so much for reading this. Have a good day!

-claude