Over the next week and a bit, Grace ended up meeting Harrison four times to "discuss" the reunion.

James and Ruth hadn't shown again, always claiming some excuse or another. After the third evening of the couple being a no-show, Grace stopped enquiring after them.

The truth was, she was enjoying the quiet evenings with Harrison, where they would just shoot the shit, laugh and joke with one another. She was feeling more and more comfortable in his presence and even worse - her attraction was so overwhelming she couldn't deny the jolt of excitement that occurred whenever he aimed his dimpled smile her way.

She was also starting to feel very sexually frustrated. She wanted him so badly that she was at the point where she would sell her soul for a night of debauchery between the sheets with him.

She couldn't stop thinking about the night that they hooked up. If Amelia hadn't walked in on them, how far would they have gone? She wasn't into public sex, but if he had ripped her panties off and slid into her wet, quivering flesh she would have probably helped him inside. She knew by the feel of his sizable bulge against her mound that he was impressively endowed. She wanted to test her theory in person.

"I haven't really spoken to or seen him since then." Grace had finally worked up the nerve to start chatting about their high school days.

The majority of young people in Langley ended up leaving to the bigger cities in Kentucky or, like her, out of State for college. Most ended up staying or moving elsewhere for work but there were still a good few who returned back to Langley.

After all, it wasn't like they were isolated. They had two neighbouring towns, one slightly larger where residents of Langley could commute.

Some of Harrison's old crew had stayed in Langley - namely James, Jessica and Dee but she was curious about the whereabouts of Kyle. Even his family seemed to have moved away.

Apparently he had been taking drugs the majority of their time in high school. After Harrison had caught him smoking meth he tried to encourage him to quit, even threatening to tell their coach.

He thought that he had gotten through to him. Unfortunately, it just made Kyle more efficient at covering up his addiction. His behaviour worsened until he drove high out of his mind and crashed into the side of the local post office. Luckily, since it was after hours, no one was inside and even Kyle had escaped relatively unscathed. Although Harrison had since stopped hanging out with Kyle by the time of the accident, he had still visited him in hospital and let him know that he was there for him whenever he needed.

Kyle was still a mess, mental wise, so his parents sent him to a rehab facility in Lexington before selling their house and following him a few months after.

"Wow," she commented. "I hope he's doing okay."

"I'm always here if he needs anything. But unless he's done a complete personality overhaul as well as kicking his drug habit, I can't be a friend to him anymore."

"He was always an angry kid. I was surprised when you started hanging with him."

"It was one of my bad choices in life, for sure. He was always this lovable bully. I know that's not the right thing to say-"

"No, I get it. He was the class clown. Kinda mean, kinda adorable, always teasing the teachers and giving them a hard time but in a jokey way. Somewhere down the line he just turned plain mean."

"Yeah, he was the cool kid. I was thrilled when he wanted to hang out."

"But it seemed like you were the leader of the pack by the time we hit highschool?" Everyone started taking their lead by following Harrison's example. He was the school quarterback, handsome, funny, charming. Just not to her.

"Yeah, he just became too erratic. Starting too many fights, a hot head. He was a talented tight end so he scrapped by with a lot of chances. I'm ashamed to say that I helped him with his school work. All I cared about was having my friends with me and having a good time. Pretty soon he started following me and doing what I did or said. The power went to my head, for sure."

"You don't say," she joked, leaning forward, resting her elbow on the table, chin in her hand.

Harrison leaned forward, his eyes lowering to her mouth.

"Have dinner with me."

She jerked back in surprise, heart in her throat.

"What?"

"Have dinner with me. Tomorrow. We were gonna meet up anyway to discuss the reunion-"

"Which we've barely talked about."

"Exactly. So why waste it in a dusty school hall when we can be out having a delicious meal. Maybe some wine."

Since the reunion was in two days, she was very aware that tomorrow would be the last night that they would be alone together. She was starting to dread not seeing him again, in a private capacity. She enjoyed their chats and realised how mature he was. I mean, that's what happens when you grew up, she knew, but in her mind he was always frozen in time as the mean bully who had made her life hell.

Now, getting to know Harrison as a man, she saw the sweet boy he used to be as well as the strong, sexy, flirtatious man he's grown into.

"So this dinner, it would be..?"

"A date." he confirmed without hesitation. "No bullshit, Gracie, it will definitely be a date. So if you agree to dinner, just know that I'm looking at it romantically. I will pick you up, I will be paying the bill and I will be trying to steal a kiss at the end of the night. Ball's in your court, sweetheart. What's your answer?"

It wouldn't be smart to say yes. She should tell him no and skip tomorrow's meet up since it was clear that they really didn't need to discuss anymore details of the reunion. She should just firmly tell him that she would see him at the reunion and then the wedding. That's what she should be saying. Instead, she said the only thing she wanted to say.

"Yes."