So Long To Yesterday
By: Stacy Leonhardt Gravely
© All Rights Reserved – 2011
18.
Normally Katia was pretty level headed and refused to let her nerves get the best of her, but this wasn't like anything she was prepared for. As she finished touching up her make up she pulled out a silver tin popping it open and pulling out a cigarette. No one knew she smoked, she kept it a secret for many years, but when her nerves got the better of her like they did now, she couldn't stop herself from lighting up.
Her mind was spinning around the concept that Blake had in fact married Hailey. How could he marry her? Was he forced? Was he happy? The questions kept coming causing Katia to pull a bit harder at her cigarette.
Of course he's happy, he was smiling until he saw me. She thought to herself as she took one final drag from the cigarette before snuffing it out with the toe of her shoe.
“Kat?” Ty called as she walked towards her friend. “Honey, are you okay?”
“I'm fine, Ty. I just wasn't expecting that. At all.” Katia pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers as she breathed deeply. “Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“Tiana, please don't play stupid with me. Did you know about Blake and Hailey?” Katia didn't mean to snap at her best friend but she felt like she was being set up to be hurt all over again.
“No. I knew he was dating someone but never heard who it was. The last person I expected him to show up with was Hailey.” Tiana stated as she leaned against the trunk of the car.
“He didn't just show up with her, Ty. He's married to her.” Katia blurted out as she scoffed out the last part.
“Wait! WHAT?” Tiana jumped from the the trunk turning to look directly at Katia. “Excuse me, say that one more time!”
“Blake Trinton is married to HAILEY!” Katia spoke slowly and emphasized each word.
Ty's face fell into complete shock for a moment, then quickly turned to one of determination. Katia knew that face, it was a face that said her friend would be up to no good. “Tiana, whatever you are thinking about doing, don't. I don't need trouble. I'll spend my week here and go back to New York and forget he ever existed.” She tried to smooth over whatever crazy idea was molding in Ty's head but she should of known better.
When Ty decides to do something, Ty does it!
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After a few more deep breaths and another cigarette, in the presence of Tiana, Katia was ready to return to the reunion.
Tiana left Katia with Mikey, who offered to dance with her a couple times while his wife was off hatching her plan into action. He continued to swirl her around the room or keep her just out of sight of Tiana, who was chatting with some of the people who helped put the reunion together.
All the songs that were being played were chart toppers when she graduated, and she was certain she danced to these exact songs at her prom. Katia couldn't help but to laugh at some of the songs that she once found awesome were completely ridiculous now.
Poor Mike was parched after the third song and pulled Katia with him over to the bar and got them each a beer, which she gladly accepted. Typically Katia couldn't stand the taste of beer, but at the moment her mouth was so dry she could of cared less that she was drinking a beer.
“Alright everyone! Thank you for coming here tonight. Can you believe it's been ten years?” The man, who was once their class president was addressing the gym. “We would like for everyone to return to their tables for a few seconds during the next song. There are cards on each table for you to list your favorite couple you remember from our senior year. That couple will have a remembrance. And don't forget everyone, there is an open bar, but please tip the bartender!” With that the man turned off the microphone and walked off the stage and the music was brought back up.
“Want to dance some more or want to go fill out that card?” Katia questioned Mike as he drank from his bottle hungrily.
“Table! My feet are killing me.” Mike looked down at his loafers. “How anyone wears these things everyday is beyond me. Give me my steel toe boots any day.” He motioned for the bartender to give him another beer before walking back over to the table with Katia at his side. Luckily as they sat back down Blake and his “wife” were no where to be seen. But their cards had be written on and left folded up on the table.
“Look at it, Kat. You know your dying to.”
Katia peered over at Mike from the corner of her eye with a devilish glint in her eye. Her eyes scanned the room and spotted Blake and Hailey dancing both facing away from the table. And in a flash her hand swiped the folded bits from the table and into her lap. She quickly unfolded them and noticed Hailey girly hand writing, some things just don't change.
“Blake Trinton and Hailey Parrish Trinton.”
“Blake Trinton and Hailey Trinton Katia Reynolds” Katia looked over the second one over and over as she noticed that Hailey Trinton's name had practically been gouged out with her name scribbled in next to it. Katia's breath caught as he trailed her finger over his messy hand writing.
“Give it to me.” Mike said quickly as he pulled them from Katia's grasp and picked up the others from Megan and Devon. “Their coming.” Katia glanced up quickly as she picked up a pen and wrote her name and Blake's on the card then folding it once. Then passed it to Mike, who grinned at her.
“Whoa, I haven't danced like that since our wedding.” Hailey sighed heavily as she flopped down beside Katia. “Right baby?”
“Yeah.” Blake said tightly as he brought his beer to his lips. Katia quickly followed suit but began to chug the rest of the contents, earning her a few looks from Devon, Mike, and Blake.
“I need another.” Katia said breathlessly as she put the empty bottle down on the table. “Need anything Mike, Devon?”
They both answered with a no and watched as she stood up and walked away swaying her hips a little bit more than necessary. Mike watched as Blake waited until Hailey was not paying attention to him then glanced back towards Katia's retreating backside.
“So, Blake, how long have you been married?” Mike sat up straight as he glared at Blake from across the table.
“Um, a year and half.” He answered as he tore his gaze away from Katia, who had finally retrieved two more beers and was heading back toward the table already drinking from one.
“I thought I said I didn't want one?” Mike said with a grin.
“Who said I was for you?” Katia snickered as she downed her second beer in a few minutes.
“Take it easy there, Kat, or I'll have to drive that awesome car back.” Mike chuckled as he nudged her with his elbow.
“Drive the damn thing, I don't care.” Suddenly the three beers had hit Katia really fast slurring her speech slightly. She had never been a big drinker but tonight she just seemed to really want it. “Wow, I'm a light weight.” Katia giggled as she grinned at Devon and Mike.
“I'll say.” Blake mumbled as he turned his head to the stage again.
“Attention, attention! So we tallied all the cards up and it seems it's been a bit of land slide.” The man glanced behind him and the sound of a rolling snare started to play. “The most favorite couple from our senior class of 2004, Blake Trinton and Katia Reynolds!” Everyone clapped.
Hailey humphed from beside Katia, which Katia was full blown laughing now, and Blake's beer sprayed out of his mouth in a fine mist.
“Blake, you can't dance with her!” Hailey hissed as she pulled him down by his elbow trying to secure he never gets up.
“Come on up you two!” The guy with the microphone called.
“Yeah, come on Blake.” Katia giggled a she wavered as she stood up but with Mikes sturdy shoulder to steady herself with she stood up straight fixing her hem line as it had rode up to her upper thighs.
“I have to, Hailey. It's one dance. What's the harm?” Blake whispered to his wife as he pried her fingers from his arm.
All too soon they were walking side by side to the middle of the dance floor. Katia spied Tiana standing by the stairs to the stage passing a wad of folded bills to the class president. That sneaky bitch!
“Excuse me?” Blake asked.
“Huh? What?”
“You said, sneaky bitch. Who?”
“Oh, don't worry about it.” Katia grinned as she turned to face him and the music started slowly. It was a song that Katia remembered well, she had listened to it over and over when he was gone at basic training. Things between them were so perfect then, the song was perfect for them. And now, with every move they made the song still fit.
“I don't know what the future brings, but I know you're here with me now. We'll make it through and I hope you are the one I share my life with.” Daniel Beddingfield's voice filled the gym as Blake held her hip and her hand and spun her out like he had before.
Katia couldn't help but to sing the song to herself as she had so many times before.
“I hope I love you all my life.” Blake finished off a verse as he spun Katia back to face him.
Her breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes. That same feeling from before was there, he made her knees weak and her heart flutter.
“Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away, and I breath you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today, cause I love you. Whether it's wrong or right, I know I can't be with you tonight, you know my heart is by your side.”
His velvety voice murmured the lyrics to her, instantly bringing tears to her eyes. As the music faded away, Blake gave her a sad smile. “I'm sorry, Kitty Kat.”
With that Katia stepped back and walked out of the gym, not looking back as Mike and Tiana called her name.
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“What the fuck was that?” Hailey yelled as she sat in the front seat of Blake's car.
“What are you talking about, Hails?” Blake purposely didn't make eye contact as he started the car up and pulled out of the spot heading back towards their house. After his tours of duty he had saved enough money to build a house beside the ranch that he was now working at.
“You know good damn well what I'm talking about.” She threw her blond hair behind her and crossed her arms. “That bitch, Katia. I saw the way you looked at her. You just remember, who your married to, and who is the mother to your child!”
“How could I forget?” Blake said under his breath earning him an evil glare from Hailey.
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Song: If You're Not The One By: Daniel Beddingfield.