Present Day

 

 

 

Yuri felt a bit self-conscious as she made her way to the ballroom.  Most of the other women were dressed in near formal attire, none in slacks.  But she reminded herself she was what she was, and she was who she was.  And formal attired and Kwon Yuri did not mix.

 

“Screw it,” she murmured as she entered, no longer caring.  She glanced around, instinctively knowing Jessica wasn’t there yet.  She found it amazing – and a little disconcerting – that she could still feel Jessica’s presence, still find her in a crowded room.  All this after twenty years.

 

She spotted Hara and made her way over to her.  While she and Hara had never really been friends, only tolerating each other because of Jessica, she found Hara’s personality had grown on her.  No longer the airheaded cheerleader, yet every bit as gregarious, she was the perfect hostess for the reunion.  She smiled and waved Yuri over.

 

“Yuri, do you remember Bora?”

 

Yuri smiled apologetically.  “I’m sorry, no.”  She shook Bora’s hand.  “It feels like I left here the day after graduation and just forget everyone I’d ever known.”

 

“That’s okay.  This is my first time back too.  I joined the military,” she explained.

 

“I see.  Been around the world, huh?”

 

“A few times.  Well, I should go find Mark.  Good to see you again, Hara.”

 

Yuri raised her eyebrows.

 

“Well, you didn’t remember her.  Should she have said…nice to meet you?”  Hara stood back and appraised her.  “Wow.  I never really could picture you in a gown, anyway.”

 

“So you wouldn’t be shocked if I told you I didn’t own a dress?”

 

“Not in the least.  You were always a jock.  In fact, I used to think you were gay.  It never occurred to me Jessica was.”

 

Yuri just smiled and shrugged.

 

“But wait.”  Hara frowned.  “You never married.”

 

“A lot of people don’t marry,” Yuri said easily.  Then she tilted her head, feeling Jessica’s presence in the room.

 

“Oh, my God,” Hara whispered.

 

Yuri turned, following Hara’s gaze.  Oh, my God, indeed.  Jessica stood in the entryway, looking like a vision from heaven.  Yuri felt that old familiar tug at her heart when Jessica smiled at her.  Yuri stared, her eyes greedily traveling over Jessica’s body, the tiny black strapless clinging deliciously to every curve…every curve that Yuri once knew intimately.

 

She finally looked up, meeting Jessica’s eyes.  She couldn’t believe the nervousness she felt as Jessica came toward her.  It was like she was in high school all over again when Jessica’s mere presence sent her into a tailspin.  But she wasn’t in high school and Jessica was no schoolgirl.  She was a beautiful woman.  A woman who still took her breath away.

 

“You look…stunning,” Yuri said softly.

 

“Thank you.”  Jessica moved closer.  “You look quite handsome yourself.”

 

Yuri felt a blush cross her face and was thankful for the muted lighting in the room.

 

“Jessica Jung, good grief, woman,” Hara said.  “you now have all the married men drooling and the women thankful you’re a lesbian.”

 

Jessica laughed.  “Thanks a lot, Hara.  I’m sure you meant that as a compliment.”

 

“You look gorgeous in that dress.”  She leaned closer.  “Are you sure you’re gay?”

 

Jessica met Yuri’s gaze.  “Very.”

 

“Pity.  I see Siwon Choi making his way over.  Apparently, he’s got that crush going again.”

 

“He never could take a hint,” Jessica said.

 

“Maybe it’s the dress,”  Yuri said, unable to stop herself from staring, her eyes glued to the plunging neckline, the swell of Jessica’s s visible when she turned.

 

“Glad you liked it,’ Jessica said as she caught Yuri staring.

 

Yuri blushed immediately.  “Sorry.  I…I’m – “

 

“Gosh, Jessica, you look fabulous,” Siwon said, saving Yuri from further embarrassment.

 

“Thank you, Siwon.”

 

“I came by to claim a dance,” he said.  “the only opportunity we had was the prom, and you got sick.  Remember?”

 

“I remember,” Jessica said, chancing a glance Yuri’s way.

 

“So is that a yes?”

 

“Of course.  Come find me,” she said, albeit a bit awkwardly.  When he finally moved away, Jessica turned to her.  “I swear, it’s like we’re back in high school and he’s got that look in his eyes again.”

 

“Which look is that?”

 

“The I’m-so- teenager look.  When I first talked with him, I got the feeling that he was gay, just closeted.  But maybe not.  Maybe – “

 

“Maybe he’s carried a torch for you all these years?”

 

Jessica smiled.  "Yeah, that would be crazy, wouldn’t it?”

 

“Very crazy.”

 

Jessica moved closer.  “Will you dance with me?”

 

“Determined to get tongues wagging, aren’t you?”

 

“I don’t care what any of these people say or think, Yuri.  They’re not part of my life.”

 

“And they’re certainly not a part of mine.”  Yuri was surprised at how badly she wanted that dance.  Jessica was dressed in next to nothing.  To think she’d be in Yuri’s arms again after all these years made Yuri’s heart race just a bit faster.  “Of all the scenarios I played out at the prospect of seeing you again, dancing was not one of them.”

 

Jessica laughed.  “God, mine either.  I envisioned meeting you with a curt nod and then not speaking to you the entire time.”

 

The DJ Hara had hired was all set up and music started.  She’d promised he’d do a mix of current and oldies from when they were in high school.  She didn’t, however, warn of the re-enactment of the prom dance.

 

“Hello everyone,” Hara greeted from the microphone.  “Let me first say how grateful I am for the large turnout.”  She stepped away, leading the applause.  “I see so many new faces here, those who didn’t make the ten-year reunion.  Thank you for coming,” she said, her glance landing on Yuri.  “Before we get started on a fun evening of dancing and partying, let me remind you of the brunch scheduled for tomorrow morning, for those of you who don’t have to leave early.  Now, as a special treat, let’s go back to our senior prom.  Some of you may remember that Jessica Jung was voted prom queen, but got sick the night of the prom.”

 

“Oh my God,”  Jessica whispered.  “I’ll kill her.”

 

“I had to settle for runner-up,” Hara said, “And was forced to dance with TaeYang.”  She rolled her eyes dramatically, drawing laughter.  “Well, I think Jessica needs her due.  How about a prom dance?”

 

The music started and Jessica nearly clung to Yuri as TaeYang made his way over.  He bowed gallantly, holding out his hand.  Jessica took it, glancing quickly at Yuri before going out to the dance floor.

 

Hara joined Yuri on the sidelines, her smile contagious.  “Oh, I so owed her for that,” she said as she held up her camera and snapped a picture.

 

“Jessica hated the whole prom thing,” Yuri said.

 

“I know.  She hated the whole cheerleader thing too.”  Hara clapped as TaeYang spun Jessica around, her black dress flowing out, exposing tan, lean thighs.

 

Yuri’s breath caught at the sight.  After twenty years, she still felt that desire she always had for Jessica.

 

“My God, that dress is a killer,” Hara said.  “Is she beautiful or what?”

 

“Gorgeous,” Yuri said.

 

The dance finally came to an end and relief washed over Jessica’s face as she and TaeYang came over to them, the applause dying down as another song started, prompting the others onto the dance floor.

 

“You know I’m going to have to kill you for that, right?”

 

Hara laughed.  “I owed you.”  She linked her arm through TaeYang’s.  “And now I’m going to dance with my husband.”  She glanced behind Jessica.  “Word of warning.  Siwon is coming over.” 

 

Jessica’s eyes found Yuri’s and she moved closer, again causing Yuri’s pulse to race.  “I so wish he’d leave me alone.”

 

“Tell him.”

 

“Tell him what?  He knows I’m gay.”  She stepped away from Yuri as Siwon approached.

 

“Jessica, may I have this dance?”

 

Yuri saw the smile Jessica forced to her face.

 

“Of course, Siwon.”

 

Yuri felt a tiny stab of jealousy she felt as she watched Jessica move into Siwon’s arms.  She recognized it as the same jealousy she felt in high school when Jessica’s mother talked her into accepting  a date with Siwon.  There was nothing she could do about it then and nothing she could do about it now.

 

She turned away from the dance floor and went to the bar.  As many times as Jessica had mentioned them dancing, she didn’t really think they would.  Despite Jessica’s assertion that she didn’t care what anyone thought, it was still Calloway, a small, conservative south Texas town.

 

Would they really go on the dance floor together – two supposedly best friends from high school?

 

They’d kept their secret then, but surely everyone would put two and two together.  Jessica’s broken heart in college before coming out, Yuri’s “never married” status, the two of them inseparable in high school, both without boyfriends.<