Chapter Text
Jackie Taylor sat in her car scrolling through the texts between her and an old friend, Shauna Shipman. She contacted her out of the blue after a mysterious package arrived at her doorstep with a reminder of the past. A past that haunted all of them. After a very lengthy phone call thry agreed to all meet up in Wiskayok, where they all grew up and met.
"Jacqueline are you listening?" Jackie's mom's voice cut through her thoughts. Right, she was on the phone with her mother who insisted that Jackie called her as soon as she landed.
"Huh? What was that mom?" Jackie questioned setting her phone back into the holder she had stuck to her windshield
"I was telling you about Carol from bookclub! Can you believe she called my idea shallow? I just prefer a happy ending." Jackie's mom rambled on about her bookclub and her issues with Carol. Jackie wasn't really interested in the conversation however, she just got off of a 5 hour flight from Vancouver and she was exhausted.
"So you're really back in Wiskayok? Are you meeting those friends you met back in highschool?" Her mom was quick to change the subject as if she could tell Jackie wasn't listening.
"Yeah I am they're the friends I met in 95." Jackie confirmed for her mother as she glanced down at her hands in her lap.
"You haven't spoken to these girls in years why are they just now contacting you?" Jackie's mother asked. She always had a million questions and yet Jackie had become an expert at avoiding answering.
"I don't know mom. It's just really personal." Jackie answered with a heavy sigh wishing her mom would stop bugging her
"Jacqueline be honest with me here did you have a fling with one of these girls? You can tell me. Back then it wasn't really accepted but-" Jackie's mom started to go on a whole rant but Jackie was quick to cut her off out of pure embarrassment.
"Mom!! That's really personal." Jackie groaned as she sat back in her car seat.
"Why are you always so distant Jacqueline? Even when you were younger you'd rather talk to that cat of yours than us." Jackie's mom continued to poke and prod at Jackie's personal life, something she was more than happy to keep a secret.
"Mom...I really have to go can we wrap this up?" Jackie rolled her eyes as her finger hovered over the end call button. This conversation was exhausting.
"If that's what you want honey. I hope everything goes well with these girls. Just beware that they might not be exactly how you remembered them." Her mom gave her one last warning which made Jackie want to slam her head against the steering wheel.
"Mom I'll be fine. Stop worrying. I'll talk to you later." Jackie finally hung up the phone and let out an exhausted sigh. Talking to her mother was always exhausting. She would always ask too many questions, especially when she was a teenager.
Jackie turned off her car and got out taking a deep breath in to prepare herself for what was to come. She was standing in front of the Yellow Birch, the only bar in Wiskayok. The nostalgic memories hit her like a wave. She was really back in Wiskayok seeing friends she hadn't seen in 27 years. She opened the door to the bar, the bells hanging from the doorframe jingling as she pushed it open.
"Welcome. I'll be with you in a sec. We're short staffed tonight." The bartender greeted her as Jackie approached the bar.
"Uh take your time." Jackie took the opportunity to take a look around the bar. God it hasn't changed a bit since her teenage years. It was almost as if she could hear the voices of her friends coming back to her.
There was Lottie Matthews, the musician of the group although telling by her appearance she didn't look like one. Despite being into hardcore punk music her personality was the opposite, she was eccentric and full of energy.
Next was Shauna Shipman, the skater. She was always the one keeping the friend group in line making sure they didn't do anything too stupid. She was very caring and had the biggest heart out of the four of them.
Last but not least there was Natalie Scatorccio, although she preferred being called Nat for short. She was a poet, a fire cracker. You never knew what she was gonna do next. She was like a baby bird looking to break free from it's shell.
"You okay miss?" The bartender asked as he leaned on the bartop.
"Yeah sorry I uh spaced out." Jackie snapped back to reality as she made eye contact with the bartender.
"I'm Ben I'm gonna be taking care of you tonight, can I get you something to drink?" Ben slung a dirty looking rag over his shoulder as he waitied for Jackie to order.
"Actually I'm meeting some friends here. I'll just wait for them to order but thank you." Jackie smiled politely at Ben before remembering her phone was almost dead.
"Oh actually do you have a charger I could use?" Jackie pulled her phone out from her jacket pocket setting it on the bar.
"Sure thing. So are you new in town or what? I've never seen your face around before." Ben asked curiously as he took Jackie's phone and plugged it in behind the bar.
"I grew up here. The friends I'm meeting are old friends from school." Jackie drummed her fingertips along the edge of the bar nervously.
"That's nice. It can be tough for people to keep in touch after all these years. Even with all the apps." Ben shurgged as he leaned against the bar.
"Ah it's not a big deal. We're not as close as we used to be." Jackie let out a heavy sigh as she shifted on the bar stool. The long pause of silence from Ben was awkward.
"Where is the ladies room? It was a long drive from the airport." Jackie fumbled over her words trying to regain her composure after such an awkward conversation. Even as a teenager she couldn't help but feel awkward. More than a teenager usually should.
"Just turn right and it should be towards the back." Ben pointed her in the direction and Jackie was quick to make her escape.
Jackie pulled on the door to thr bathroom but it was locked. She knocked gently on the door and was met with a soft voice on the other end.
"Just one second." The door opened and Jackie's eyes widened as she was met with a familiar face.
"Shauna?" Jackie couldn't believe her eyes. Shauna still practically looked the same after so many years. Those big brown eyes, that same goofy smile, the only thing that really changed was her hairstyle. Gone were thr green tips in Shauna's hair that she was so familiar with replaced instead with grey hairs from stress and worry.
"Holy shit I can't believe it's you Jackie. Wow you look amazing." Shauna scoffed as she looked Jackie up and down almost as if she was taking in her new appearance.
"Listen why don't you go ahead since you were waiting? We can catch up later. I'm in the last booth in the corner." Shauna suggested as she put her hand on Jackie's arm. Without saying anything Jackie pulled Shauna into a hug. She truly missed seeing her friends. Her only real friends. Jackie's eyes lingered on Shauna as she walked away.
"Don't be weird Taylor." Jackie muttured to herself before opening the door to the bathroom.