The Class Reunion

Molly did not want the day to end. It was already a quarter to eleven, and she was supposed to be home by now. Here she was, drinking her sorrows away, or literally her money away. She did not have much, but whatever she had, she spent on alcohol these days. This was the only satisfaction money could buy for her.

Molly thought back to the time when she was a kid. She used to be the top scorer, everyone’s favourite, teachers included. She was good at sports as well; being a member of her school’s swimming team and the captain of the lacrosse team. Everything was good back then.

Sitting at the right end of the bar, Molly wondered where everything went wrong. Was it the time her mother died, because of which she grew depressed? Or was it the poor college she enrolled in owing to her poverty? Yes, she became the class representative, but was it even worth it? Molly wondered if her life turned out like this as a consequence of her crimes. Nah, the latter could not be possible. Her classmates were with her that night, and they had planned everything perfectly. In addition, the other students were doing just fine, except for the ones who went crazy after seeing a dead body. Or the ones who threatened to report her to the police. They shared the same fate as their beloved old professor.

“That would be a hundred and sixty bucks for the lady, and fifty bucks for the gentleman” the bartender interrupted her thoughts. “Which one of you is paying tonight?”

“Oh no, the lady is not with me,” the man sitting beside Molly as he turned to look at her, “on a second thought, if Molly wants I can pay for her too.”

Molly turned to look at the man who apparently knew her name. As soon as she saw his face, she was reminded of the night that changed everything. “James,” she said, with a hint of disgust in his voice, “what are you doing in New York? I thought you were settled in Florida with your wife?”

He let out a chuckle, “Oh yes I’m very well settled with Lauren thanks for asking. I’m here for the reunion, ya know? I was so excited when I first got the news! I missed you guys so much!”

She did not know about any reunion, but Molly was sure about one thing: she hardly missed anyone.

“What reunion?”

“Oh, you don’t know? The guys from college are holding a reunion for our batch. On the 20th.”

“That’s the day after tomorrow!” Molly gasped, thinking about what she would wear to the party. Then again, she had nothing fancy to wear at parties.

“Yup, and I hope you’re all ready for it too! We wouldn’t want to celebrate without the class rep.” James said with a smirk.

Molly was well aware he hated her. Even after all the things she did for them, almost all of her classmates from college despised her. Not because she was good at everything, but because she had a big mouth. In her defense, she feared the many things that could have gone wrong if she had not exposed them all.

“I guess I’d see you there, then”, James paid the bartender and heard a tiny voice from his right. “Sorry, what was that?”

“I said”, Molly repeated with a hint of anger in her voice, “I won’t be coming to the reunion. I am busy with some stuff.”

A hearty laughter escaped James’s big mouth, “Aww come on, it will be fun! Though I won’t force, you really must be busy if you say so. Suit yourselves!”

With this, he turned and left the bar, a little tipsy after his drink. Molly knew all of this was a façade. She paid her part to the bartender and after a few minutes of silence, left the bar in a daze.

On the way, she thought about what James had said about not wanting to celebrate without her. She had pretended to acknowledge him back then, but deep down she knew no one would want her there. After all, she had turned them all in when the police asked her about that night. However, where had that even gotten her? They got out of jail in no time, that too with a compensation. As if that night would have happened if it wasn’t for them. Sure, she was the one who murdered him, but they convinced her to do the killing. It wasn’t her fault, was it?

***

After walking for 20 minutes or so, Molly reached her sorry excuse of a house. As she tried to open the front door with her key, she wondered why she did not know about the reunion. Though it wasn’t rocket science, but with her current state, it was hard for to realize that they had not even invited her. As her struggles went in vain, she threw the key on the floor and decided to enter through the window at the back. The drunk and desperate 28-year-old opened the window with much force, climbed in, and closed it, locking it from the inside. For a few moments, she stood there, thinking in silence if a robber ever tried to enter her house, it will be a child’s play. Then again, she had nothing anyone would want to steal. No money, no jewelry, no expensive items. She sighed in defeat at her sorry state. With that night on her mind, she dropped on her bed and slept through her insobriety.

***

She woke up to the sound of a man’s voice, asking her to wake up. Molly opened her eyes, only to face Professor Martin. He was standing right there, in her house, alive. She got so scared to see him there that she could not even move herself to escape, or yell for help.

Noticing her fear, Professor Martin spoke up in a soft voice, “Yes Molly, I’m alive. And don’t you worry; I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to ask for a favour.”

As she didn’t reply and continued to stare at him with shock on her face, the professor continued, “I know you did nothing. They asked you to murder me. Being a good friend, you only did what made them happy. I know you were desperate for friends, I saw through you Molly. You were a bright student at school. The college did not appreciate your talents and misunderstood your confusion for arrogance, making people hate you. You only did what you knew would make things right for you. But it all went downhill, and I don’t blame you. I could never become the mentor you deserved.”

Molly was glad to have someone who could understand her, someone who knew why she did what she did. However, this did not make her feel comfortable around him; he was supposed to be dead! She had made sure he did not come out alive that night, but to her surprise, he was consoling her for killing him. Something did not seem right.

Professor Martin continued, “I don’t blame you, Molly, but I want you to do a favour for me. I want you to go to that reunion, to enjoy your time. Live your life a little, kid, and that is all I ask for you.”

Molly could not process what was going on. Was he her guardian angel or something? Was Martin asking her to do all this because he wanted her to be happy? No, this seemed too good to be true.

Martin spoke as if he read her mind, “Yes, there is something else I want you to do. I’ll reward you greatly if you finish the task I assign you. Promise me you’ll go to that reunion, promise me you’ll do what I ask of you and I’ll reward you generously. Those kids made it look like it was all you and escaped trial. They need to be punished. Promise me, Molly Atkins, that you will revenge my death. And if you don’t, I’ll make you regret killing me.”

Molly woke up with a jerk, sweating profoundly after last night’s events. It was probably a dream; she thought. How else would she have seen Professor Martin, that too, in one piece? But what if he was alive? If he had, in fact, escaped that night somehow, what then? He had threatened her as if he’d do something to her if she did not do what he asked. However, his favour was too risky; she was already a criminal in the state’s eyes. She did not want to mess her life up any further. But what did she have to lose? A life not worth living? She was only getting something in return for it. Martin had guaranteed something in return for the service. After thinking a lot, she made her mind about the reunion, and went ahead to prepare for the day.

***

Molly had executed her task. Yes, she laboured all day, but he had promised her a reward. As she looked at their faces, she could not help but think what if she had not agreed to the class reunion in the first place? What if, instead of dreaming of the apparently dead professor, she had stayed sober? Looking at her bloody boots, she shrugged with indifference. The quondam professor stood behind her, inspecting the beautiful but silenced faces of Molly’s victims. She was petite, but she did not disappoint. Professor Martin knew he had chosen the right person for this task. Whatever the case, he would reward her, as he had promised. What else would be better than living a worthless life, if not living one at all?

The students were dead. Now it was the class representative’s turn.