Free The Right Equation by Tracy Krimmer

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ONE
     
     
    Not one thing changed in the high school after fifteen years. Polk High's linoleum floors still scared me, the lockers taunted me, and the gym terrified me most. When the event invite popped up on my Facebook page, I initially ignored the notification. I wanted to click "No," refusing to attend my reunion, but my thoughts wandered to the few friends I lost touch with, those I didn't find online, and wanted to reconnect with. I contemplated the decision for an entire week before I clicked the big "Yes" button, overlooking the fact not only was it my fifteen year reunion with my class but a costume party. Coming up with a clever outfit always stopped me from attending costume parties, and now if I wanted to see anyone, I needed to force myself to come up with one, which I somehow managed to do with two days to spare.
    I entered the gym in my costume, self-conscious as though I stood in only my bra and underwear. The committee did a wonderful job decorating the gym. Streamers fanned out from the center of the ceiling to every side of the room, a mixture of reds, yellows and oranges, gentle twinkling lights accenting each line. Round tables with white linen tablecloths rested underneath the lights, carved pumpkins as centerpieces. Throughout the gym, fake headstones with lame names like Al B. Dead and Ben ScaryMore sat alongside statues of zombies and witches. The reunion committee went all out with a fog machine rolling the white cloud across the dance floor and tables.
    A quick scan of the room registered a few familiar faces - most I cared to forget. Tim Westfall, star quarterback, managed to squeeze his beer gut into his old uniform, ripping up the arms, and drawing cuts on his face. I ran my fingers through my hair as I recalled the numerous times on the bus he spit at me. Kristen Garrett pretended to be my friend for a week, before spilling some of my biggest secrets to all her friends. It didn't surprise me she came dressed in a tight black number with a tail. She stood next to Tim, flicking her head back in laughter at something he said, which I doubt was even funny. Disappointed I didn't recognize anyone I cared to catch up with, I found my name tag at the unmanned check-in desk and decided on a seat in the back.
    The last reunion I attended, my ten-year, could be described as uncomfortable at best. I arrived, anxious to run into one person in particular, Will Odenberg, my study partner senior year. Nothing happened between us, as much as I wanted it to. We sat together in the library every day the entire year while I tutored him in Algebra and he helped me with science. After a long year of hitting the books, I managed a B in my course and I guided him to an A. Besides tutoring, we only exchanged a few words all four years of high school. I waited for Will to show up. He never did, and I never found out why because no one bothered to talk to me. Not a soul.
    Even if Will didn't attend this soirée, I promised myself not to leave without talking to someone, as long as said person didn't tease me in high school for my love of numbers and my braces, though confronting those bullies did cross my mind. I made a decent salary because of those numbers, and my once crooked teeth were now straight and close to perfect as I could hope.
    The music choices by the DJ in the opposite corner sucked, in my opinion. The speakers blared songs such as Monster Mash and the Addams Family theme song, or instrumental heavy metal. I didn't even realize that type of music existed. Still, I managed to find myself tapping my fingers and feet to the beat.
    After two lame songs played, a familiar face who didn't torment me through my high school years caught my attention.
    "Tammy!" I waved to my old home economics classmate as I approached her at the now occupied registration table. I couldn't forget the straight black hair of Jenny Wildes or huge brown eyes of Stacia Cheeler. I hated most of the popular