Callbacks

Now it's for sure: Nicky and Sid are tag-teaming in trying to talk me into going. I've talked to Sid every few days for years, but I haven't heard from Nicky in nine years, and all of a sudden I talk to him five times in three days.

It's been nice hearing from Nicky, though. Back in high school, he was such a little neurotic. Just from the sound of his voice, he sounds like he's done so much better for himself. I mean, high school can be hell for anyone, but it must've been double so for Nicky. He was gay. So gay, in fact, that it was impossible to hide...He practically had rainbow colored fireworks shooting off behind him all the time. And this was Small Town, Southern State, USA. I can only imagine how hard it was for him. None of us in "the group" cared. In a lot of ways, we were the only ones to which he could be himself, although we did kinda tease him when he'd try to butch it up. Nothing really cruel, just a who're-you-kidding kinda thing.

His twin sister Clara was the complete opposite; a tomboy, even. Some even went so far as to accuse her of being a lesbian, but only got so far as to call her a "DY-" before she would start beating them senseless. But according to Nicky, she's not gay. Turns out, she's just a bitch.

As I said, it's been nice catching up with Nicky. I might consider going back home if it was just to visit with him. Unfortuanately, this whole thing is a package deal. Sure, There's Sid and Nicky, but there's also Clara, Sam, Jeff...and Grace. I don't know if Nicky managed to track down Alex, who had to go back to Ireland rather abruptly halfway through the school year, and no one's heard from him sense. Clara, I could completely do without. She was the one that organized the whole screw-you on graduation day. Sam, I could give a rat's ass about. He rode the fence throughout the whole mess and waited to see who came out on top, the spineless bastard.

I might even go back for Grace, but if I ever see her again it'll probably be with my tail between my legs. I really screwed up big time with her, and I've regretted it ever since. I probably would've been okay if it weren't for Clara. She took a simple misunderstanding and blew it way out of proportion, effectively ruining any chance I had with Grace.

Then, there's Jeff. I can't remember if he was involved in this little reunion pact or not. I'm pretty sure he wasn't. He was always too stuck up to be a part of anything so sentimental. I remember he used to egg me on every day, trying to get a rise out of me. He succeeded several times, and I always mananged to put him in his place...at the cost of making myself look like the bad guy.

This is what turned Grace away from me, and everyone else against me. Jeff started beating up on Nicky one time. I pulled Jeff away and started beating the crap out of him. That's when everyone else showed up. Sid tried to break it up, but I pushed him aside and focused right back on Jeff. I though I saw Sid coming back, so I pushed him down, hard. As it turns out, it was Grace the second time. Clara saw this and went ballistic. I had just knocked Jeff out when Clara jumped on me, pulling out a large clump of my hair and scalp. I got her off of me, and I found myself in a true lose-lose situation: do I walk away a coward, or do I fight and be the biggest asshole in the world for fighting a girl?

Clara lunged at me, and I put my arms up to defend myself. I remember her face running right into my elbow as I pushed her aside. it was at that moment, I saw Grace sitting on the ground, looking up at me. She scuttled backwards, trying to get away from me and stand up at the same time. I ran after her, trying to explain myself. When she got into her car, I in front of her car to keep her from driving off. She put it in reverse and drove onto the curb and away from me.

For the rest of the school year, the only words she ever spoke to me were scripted lines from drama class. This was particularly hard, because it meant she even refused to do any improvisation with me, which she and I both were REALLY good at.

I stayed a ghost the rest of the year, speaking only to Sid and Nicky...Everyone else formed the "No Declans Club". Clara tried to file assault charges against me, as did Jeff, but neither could prove that I wasn't defending myself or Nicky. Sam decided that there more people on their side than mine, so that's that. Grace took pity on Jeff, and by the end of the school year, they were a couple.

After graduation...before the caps were thrown into the air...I made a beeline for my car and went home. No graduation parties, no celebration, nothing. I enrolled in summer courses rather than wait until fall, so within two weeks, I had left town for college, not letting anyone from the group know I was gone.

Sid managed to track me down about a year later, and we've been in contact ever since. We've never reall spoken about the falling out until now. It's just good to know that no matter what, He's got my back.