Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Twenty

NED

The best things come during Christmas time.

The food was better, the clothes were comfier, and there were more excuses to stay inside. All the lights and colors and decorations. This also included the outdoor ice-skating rink built in the middle of Champion Park. During the majority of the year, there was a huge stretch of land with trees surrounding it. A huge field that Ned and his friends used to visit to play games. It was where him, and Lena came to bounce ideas and sometimes, just talk. Right where Ned usually spread a picnic blanket was the middle of the rink. It was as long as it was wide with strings of light creating its own ceiling of starlight.

Ned continued both hiding and keeping The Gregor safe inside his backpack, feeling more and more like Luke Skywalker with Master Yoda walking through Dagobah. Sam took the yearbook out, placing it against the edge of the rink.

"Let's go through the index," he suggested, and immediately flipped to the H's and by every name, there was a corresponding number for every page a student's picture had been used. Sam's finger passed over Hall, Harris, and Hill, until he hovered over Hines and out of everyone on the page, he had the most pages where he showed up.

"I guess someone was Mr. Popular," Sam commented, eyeing The Gregor.

"Gregory Hines," Ned said.

As much as it made sense, it still surprised Ned. Thinking of Gregory Hines, the creator of The Gregor, as an actual person didn't quite link up. It was like running into a celebrity in public. Ned had a picture of him in his head and anything that went against that expectation felt wrong like water warping a picture.

Sam quickly started flipping back to the front, keeping his finger bookmarking the Gregory Hines's history.

First, it was his senior picture. Dressed in a black tuxedo like all the other boys, Gregory Hines had a bright white smile and cool dark brown skin with long tight black curls. He took a picture like he was in the middle of talking, like they just caught him in the moment, and he was about to burst out laughing. All the hair on Ned's body stood up.

Sam flipped back and forth, hunting for more pictures and more proof Gregory was even real. In every single picture, Gregory Hines was in the middle of greatness. It was an action shot of Gregory on the soccer field, kicking the holy hell out of the ball. Singing at the pep rally, running a charity marathon, handing out roses as cupid for Valentine's Day, and then, he was standing on a stage as prom king with a girl by his side.

Sam read the text beside it, "Vanessa."

Going back, Ned peered closer at the pictures all over again as he realized it. I never picture in every shot, near or far, that Gregor was there. Right beside him living a life greater in that one year than Ned had his entire life.

A small rumble rattled from one of the old sticky speakers. "Attention skaters, the Champion Park Ice Rink will be closing in an hour. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Thank you for visiting us and happy holidays."

"We gotta be quick," Sam said, and Ned nodded in agreement. Sam quickly shoved the yearbook back in the backpack and they walked the circle of the rink, looking for someone that resembled the girl in the picture.

Vanessa had glossy stick straight black hair and thin brown eyes. Ned was sure he'd be able to recognize her.

"I think that's her," Sam said, pointing at the concession stand placed right in front the rink. Ned tilted his head in confusion. This woman was tall in her boots with a shaved head and tons of piercings. She looked like the teen prom queen in the picture, but if she was shoved into a Hot Topic and rattled around, until she popped out Machine Gun Kelly music video ready.