DARNELL, 29, skinny, afro, goatee, and afraid of cats for some crazy reason.

What can I say, I like smoking dope. OK, that’s got to be the understatement of the century… I love smoking dope! Always have, always will.  Doesn’t make me a bad person, does it?

I owe. I owe. That’s why I work at the electronics store and sell weed.  My markers are getting called in round town. Those damn crap games! But I’m not worried. Something always comes up.  

Yeah, about the reunion. I’m gonna bring me a big, old bag of the best cannabis these jokers have ever laid their eyes on. It ain’t for free, you know. I'll have doobies rolling a ring around the group so fast it'll make their heads spin. I’ll make at least ten grand this weekend. Sell the hell out of everyone of GABRIEL's friends. Get the connections.

Looking forward to seeing CHERRY again.  She was so F**king hot.  I always fantasized she was sucking on my schlong when she wrapped those pretty lips around my big old bong.  Never seen a chick cough so much.  I’d love to get her high as a kite this weekend and show her the beast that lurks in my trousers.  Please God?  I’ll never ask for anything else.  I really won’t!

Not many people know that JEANA and I had sex.  But she was banging just about everyone after her Mom died. She really changed.  Too bad her stepfather had all those cats. I think I could have screwed her a lot more if it weren't for those wretched beasties. I would've screwed some sense into her. Damn, I hate cats!  Filthy felines…

My best buddy had to be BURNER.  It was definitely me who turned him on to weed.  How many times did we get blasted together?  Damn, we shared some shimmering highs back then.  He was a cool cat…I mean, dude.  Looking forward to baking with that bro.  Squinty eyes, here we come!

I got stoned with GABRIEL, but not a lot. I’m gonna do my best to rock his big time actor world this weekend.  

JOHNNY got high once in awhile. You just never quite knew with him. He kind of teetered sometimes between smoking it and burying and swearing it off. I think he’s a big, fat pussy, actually.

Maybe that's why we had trouble getting along. I'm a mover and shaker. I'm a player and I wanna play the game, but JOHNNY wanted to settle and plunk down and just watch T.V. and eat. Way too passive for me. Never really liked him.  Just a complete bore.  Maybe he’s different now.  I’ll blow some smoke his way if he’s up for it.

JIMMY was too much of a bleeding heart for me.  He was always hanging around little kids. Kind of weird if you ask me.  Maybe he turned into some sort of weirdo with kids.  Wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Or maybe I'm just seeing things the wrong way.

I actually thought FRANCES was a smart dude… a weird dude… but a good dude.  No interest in weed though, so not much interest in hanging with him.

I’m actually a little shocked GABRIEL invited me to this reunion. I’m cool with it though.  Party on, baby!

JIMMY, 28, good looking, smart, and a heart of gold

I’ve always wanted to make the world a better place.  I really mean that.  I work with children in a Government funded Social Services program.  The pay isn’t great… actually, it sucks.  I could have been making bank if I went into the private sector, but I just feel “right” about helping children any and every way I can.  They say “what comes around goes around”.  I hope they’re right.

I’d do anything for these kids. I plan on asking GABRIEL if he’d like to make a donation for the kids. I  honestly don’t know what he’ll say but I’m gonna ask.

I miss CHERRY.  I lost my virginity with her, but I don’t think anyone even knows it.  We kept it all hush hush.  I know everyone was after her, but I was the one that laid her down. Our sex was so passionate! I was out of character. Like I was a wild man driven by something else. All I know is when she screamed, I pushed harder. I have the feeling she fantasizes about our night together to this day. I do about her and I sense something between us.

I used to play video games with JEANA a lot, but if you ask me, I think she really wanted to play with my joystick and not the controller’s.  She definitely wasn’t my type though… too wild… too crazy.  I know she had sex with BURNER on more than one occasion.  Seeing her at the reunion might be awkward.  I don’t know why I feel this way, but I do.  

She just seemed to change so drastically after her Mom died.  I don’t think I’ve talked with her since grade 11. Except for the one time she saw me struggling with an essay I had that was late. She ripped it out of my hand, wrote it up and hand delivered it to me that same night. No words. Just a "Get Well" card attached. That was JEANA for you. I passed full marks.

BURNER and I were pretty good friends.  I remember so clearly when he got me stoned for the first time.  We were camping up at Silver Lake Dunes.  I couldn’t believe he and DARNELL banged Kiera… my dream girl.  I always thought she and I would get together.  I thought she was a good girl. Wow, was I ever wrong.  

I never felt the same about BURNER after he told me that.  Damn, I was pissed at him.  When I think back, I realize that when you snooze, you usually lose.  That guy always did whatever he wanted… and always got away with it to boot.  Guess I can’t really fault him for that.

Don’t remember much about JOHNNY, other than he was a lump one… and a TV freak.  We did get high once… like really high.  Not sure if it was BURNER or DARNELL that had the weed.  That’s all I remember… could have been the dope I guess.

I thought GABRIEL was seeing FRANCES on the side, but then I learned that JEANA and he were both pushing things. It might have been a dare between the two of them. I saw GABRIEL at the Drive-in with FRANCES and he leaned over towards him and they disappeared down out of my view.

GABRIEL knew I was watching from my car next door. He was no fool. He even looked at me with the kind of eyes that could cut through you if they wanted to. When he gave me "the look", I turned away towards the movie. It was all I could do. But I heard FRANCES, moaning.

After that, and the next day, FRANCES came to school like a new person with a new found confidence. I'm sure that GABRIEL made FRANCES cum that night at the Drive-in. I’m sure GABRIEL is gay.

I can’t wait for the reunion this weekend. Here I come, CHERRY!

JOHNNY, 28, chubby, jovial, self-deprecating humor

Okay, I’m fat. In the last few months I have been going to the gym 4 times a week, but I don’t see much of a difference, other than being really sore all the time!  I plan on sticking with it though… at least up until the reunion.

High School? I was a loser. Not very motivated but loved to watch TV and eat. Worked at my Dad’s DVD store after classes. I still work there and (sigh) live at home.

Jimmy was cool. My best buddy. We had quite a few classes together. He loved sit-coms and we would talk about them in school. He was a Three Stooges fan like me. He used to give me a hard time about how sappy my face would get whenever Cherry went by. But I could see him looking too.  All the guys did.

I first heard about the reunion from Burner. He sent me a text message about it: "Hey you fat s***, come to Gabriel’s place next weekend." I just ignored it thinking he was being an idiot, but Cherry asked a day later if I was going.  I could barely stammer out a yes.

I knew I was in love with Cherry. God, she was awesome. I think everyone else could tell. We hung out quite a bit, watching TV together.  I remember when she actually kissed me that one night.  Man, my head was flying. I wish I had known what to do. I think peer pressure was against me. The guys all said she was too good for me. I wonder if she had the girls saying she was too good for me. I did take a chance at graduation and told her she would always be the girl for me. She smiled and gave me a curious look. Then she hugged me and said “Thank you Johnny” and went out to party with the gang. I didn’t go.

Frances was a weird one. I loaned him a DVD and he gave it back two weeks later with a note asking if I wanted anything in return.  It was just sort of odd the way he posed the question.  I didn’t respond even, cause I was kind of nervous about the whole thing.  Next time I saw him, he pinched my bum.  That was the last I hung with him.  

I didn’t hang out with that Darnell guy at all really.  He smoked weed which I didn’t really like all that much.  Plus he said sitcoms were for losers, and I watched them all, all the time.  I think he was a loser for smoking so much weed.  Can’t wait to see how he’s living, but I’m pretty sure I already know.

Same thing with that guy they call Burner. He would smoke heaps of weed, then go win a football game. We got along pretty well until that Strip Poker game.  I stood up for Cherry and he beat my A** because of it.  I didn’t really like him after that, and probably never will.  He thinks he’s better than everyone else, but he’s really not. What’s he doing now?  Probably nothing!

I always liked Jeana.  Nothing bad to say about her… well… other than all the crazy stuff she started doing after her Mom passed away that summer.

I think Gabriel owes me for his acting career.  He never really thanked me for helping him get discovered, and I kinda hold that against him.  Haven’t spoken to him once he made it.  Maybe he’ll hook me up or something at the reunion.  It would be the least he could do.

Well, at least I’m working out now, and in a better frame of mind. It won't last though; I always fall off and go back to my old habits. No change that. Give me some of what Gabriel's got. (Talking like a computer) "I have so much more self confidence. I hope it shows." (Out of computer voice) "Yeah! Right! Who am I kidding?"

I know it’s stupid to buy a engagement ring for Cherry. But it’s my chance. And with a loan from the parents, it’ll be a really nice ring. I told Jimmy but I think he blabbed. Cherry say you will.

RODDY “BURNER” BURNSIDE, 28, tall, good looking, and in great physical condition.  An easy going, good natured guy, who’s liked by everyone.  Ideal for being a hometown insurance agent.

I always had it so easy growing up in Simply Valley, maybe too easy.  Everything just came… well… easy.  My family life was great… seriously, no complaints at all.  

Every summer, we’d have a family beach vacation. In the winter, we’d have at least one big ski trip.  Colorado, Utah, British Columbia, even Austria.  Yeah, Austria!  What a blast that was!  I actually hooked up with an 18 year old Austrian chick, and I was only 16.  I’ll never forget it.  What a babe!

I played Varsity football, basketball, and even tennis my junior year.  I was a damn good athlete, and I didn’t even have to try that hard. It just came easy for me… again, too easy.

I was 14, and a bunch of us were hanging out Saturday afternoon after sneaking in to see “Casino” at the local theater. It was the normal gang, me, Cherry, Gabe, Johnny, and Jimmy… just hanging out and all trying to impress Cherry.  

Damn, I remember it so clearly. Jeana showed up with a new kid named Darnell.  Darnell had a few joints on him, and none of us had ever been high… s***, none of us had even tried it before.  Like everything else, it came easy… the high that is.  And damn I liked it. Actually, I loved it!

Darnell became my new best buddy… or maybe I should say Mary Jane became my new best buddy.

I just really liked smoking pot and for some reason it didn't affect me the way it did the others who went into pass out and chill mode. It gave me energy. Made me feel like I was flying. Completely out of body experiences. Real trips for me and I just seemed to stay high without the lows for longer than the rest.  

After the Austria trip, I was hooking up with girls all the time… too much in hindsight.  Again, just way too easy.  For some reason, I never thought about an actual relationship. I just wanted to get in and get the Hell out.

Maybe that’s cause of what happened with Cherry and me.  I shouldn’t have told everyone about that lap dance. I should have just whipped out my meat and got it on with her.  And I probably could have ‘cause I was stoned out of my gourd and she was s***face drunk.  For some reason, I didn’t want to though.  

Guess she was different.  Maybe I wanted more.  We were never the same again after that night.  Maybe this weekend, we can rekindle what we never even had.  Who knows, we’ll see.

And then there was the strip poker game in my back yard… It was me, Gabe, Johnny, Jimmy, Jeana, and of course, Cherry. The fun ended with me and Johnny fighting because Johnny wouldn't let Cherry show all and that pissed me off.

Jeana and I had sex in my parent’s bed. After her mother’s funeral Jeana got strange.  Like she’d forgotten we’d even had sex, Well, f*** her, I didn’t need her anyway, I had other girls.

Oh yeah, then there was the camping trip up at Silver Lake Sand Dunes.  I got Jimmy stoned for the first time.  He was so funny.  Kept going on and on about how much he fantasized about this girl, Kiera.  

Told me he thought he was in love with her, and was just waiting for the right time to ask her out.  He literally puked when I told him that Darnell and I had a Ménage with her at a Queensryche concert a few months back.  I don’t think he and I were ever the same after that.  Broke his little heart… he thought she was virgin territory…sorry bud, not quite.

And how could I forget that last weekend my parents were out?  I couldn’t, and still can’t.  We went all out. I actually invited Cherry first, in hopes that maybe it could just be the two of us.  No go, as she already had plans with Johnny.  So everyone came over, including Frances, who I didn’t know from Adam… or Eve.  Damn, that kid was a weird one.

We were all partying and having a blast, and he just kind of sat there with some other dude I’d never seen before.  We played spin the bottle and actually got the 2 of them in the game.  Of course, I was dying for that damn bottle to point to Cherry and I, but it never did.  

Instead, it pointed at Frances and her.  She was loaded, and moved right in, and kissed Francis… like full on Frenchy.  He pulled away and started freaking out.  Johnny threw his A** in the pool and all Hell broke loose.

That was 11 years ago.  Things have changed, relationships have been lost.  I’m alone now, and banging babes isn’t as easy as it used to be.  To be completely honest, nothing is as easy as it used to be.  Times are tough, and the dreams I had haven’t materialized.

About six months ago, I decided to turn my sorry ass around. I wanted to feel good about myself. Easy to decide but hard to do. I’ve sworn off wild women, drugs, drinking and partying. I was almost there anyhow. The gang is not gonna believe it, but I can do this. I have to.

I sure am still looking forward to this weekend.  Maybe Cherry and I can finally have that conversation. Maybe we’ll realize that we were right for each other all along.  

We’ll see what the weekend brings: Were we friends with good dope and good friends with dope?

Darnell is going to be pissed.

JEANA/JEANA-MARIE, 28, attractive in a librarian sort of way.

I was born right here in Simply Valley.  Still here.  Never called anywhere else home.  

I was always close with my Mom in my younger years.  We’d play the piano for hours on end, while my Step Dad, Logan worked at his grocery store.  Those were good years.  I had so many friends and so much life in me.

When Mom died, I went through what I now know was a personality split.  Most didn’t really see it at first, but I could tell something wasn’t right inside me.  Maybe that’s when I started to act out…to be more of a rebel, and more into boys.  I did a lot of crazy stuff that last year, and now that I think back, I wonder who was really doing it…me, or Jeana-Marie, my alter ego.

I pulled out some of my notebooks recently – they are always close by - and I’m a bit shocked at what I found.  I started signing everything Jeana-Marie, not Jeana, like I always used to.  “Something's happening to me. I've been having lapses in time.  I’m not sure who I am.  I used to be Jeana, but now I’m Jeana-Marie.”  I think I even talk differently now that I am Jeana-Marie. No longer the cute little girl, I am now have a definite edge. Maybe even a bitch at my darkest.

As the years flew by, my writing became darker, stranger, and harder to follow and make sense of.  There are bad things in my notebooks.  Things I’ll never tell anyone…can’t tell anyone.  Tales of stealing from people…just little things at first, but bigger items over the years.  I started lying to people for no reason whatsoever, especially at work.  Everything got worse, like things of this nature always do.  I’m no longer sure what’s real and what’s just in my head.  Who am I now?  Jeana?  Or Jeana-Marie?  I’m Jeana-Marie…I know that for sure now.

But there’s more.  A lot more, actually.  After graduation, I continued to live with my Step Dad…but that’s not all I did with him.  I also started sleeping with him in the same bed.  There was more than just sleep going on in our bed.

It wasn’t a bad thing at all. It was sick or disgusting like many thought and even said.  It wasn’t like a grown man was sleeping with his Step Daughter.  Logan’s Step Daughter was Jeana…I’m Jeana-Marie.  That’s why it’s OK. That’s why it makes sense.  I love Logan and always will.  No one can change that. I just hope all the old gang is OK with it, when I tell them at the reunion.

I’m most intrigued with seeing Gabe again after all the years.  We had something special together.  We both felt it.  He just wouldn’t act on it.  He said he wanted to wait until it was right.  I guess it never was right, because we never had a physical relationship.

Maybe it had to do something with the way he was.  Or maybe it was the way I was.  I did get pretty crazy back then.  That’s OK, though, because we were such good friends.  We did so much together, shared so much.  He was always there for me when I needed him.  He was really the only one that really cared for me…maybe even loved me.

One time, Burner and I had sex on the football field.  We were both so high.  Out of nowhere, Darnell showed up, and casually walked up to us.  I didn’t even put my clothes back on, as we sat there in the middle of the field and smoked a big fat joint.  The 2 of them left me there after I passed out.  Assholes!  I don’t know how it even happened, but next thing I know, I’m on top of the frickin’ goalpost, still naked as the day I was born.  Gabe came to my rescue that night…much as he did every time I got myself into trouble.  I just hope he hasn’t changed with all the money and fame he’s acquired.  I hope he loves Jeana-Marie, the way he loved Jeana.

As for the rest of the group, I don’t know, really.  Darnell was always fun, but we were always high.  He was a good guy actually, and really seemed to care at Mom’s funeral.  He definitely had a soft side.

Cherry was cool, but a bit too much of a goody-goody for me.  We were close at one time, but I felt she started to judge me.  Maybe she was judging Jeana-Marie. Maybe she preferred Jeana.  It doesn’t matter now.  I wonder does she still have her looks.  I almost kissed her once when I was high.  Good thing I didn’t, as she probably wouldn’t have gone for anything like that.  Did she ever do anything with anyone?

Frances had such a gentle nature.  He was such a girlie guy.  I think Jeana liked him more than Jeana-Marie did.  I seem to remember actually wanting to help him. Maybe I can now.

I really loved Johnny as a friend and for his funny nature.  He reminded me of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He was always just the kind of guy you wanted around.  He was sure into Cherry there for awhile.  Maybe that’s why we lost touch.  I really look forward to seeing him again and showing him the new me.  I hope the new me plays nice though.  Sometimes I don’t, and that scares me.

Jimmy and I were good pals.  We were video pals, actually.  How many hours did we sit at the TV, playing Warcraft?  Too many?  Nah, not too many. It was fun.  It was just before I started finding more entertaining things to do with my time.  I haven’t played a video game in over 10 years. Wonder if he’s still the video king?

We were really a tight knit little group way back when.  

I hope I behave myself.  I think I can, but those voices keep talking in my ear…in my head even.  Logan’s concerned and wants to be there, but it wouldn’t be right.  It’ll have to be just me…Jeana-Marie. It’ll be fun.

FRANCES/FRANCESCA, 28, beautiful trans-sexual female.

Times were hard at school but I never got into trouble much. I studied hard and mucked around very little. I am an only child and was brought up by my father. My mother died when I was three as a result of a car accident. Dad had a hard time dealing with it and began to drink. He’s an alcoholic. I’ve learned to stay out of his way when he gets the bottle out.

Things today are very different than I ever imagined. I am working for a company that is developing technology to grow living biologic cells that are charged with an electric potential. Think eels glowing and think this technology on a miniature level.

More importantly, I am now a woman! In every way. Years of self doubt and loathing are in the past. I try not to think of those dark days but the reunion at Gabe's has got me remembering.

Let's go back to my rocky beginnings. (I usually don't tell people this stuff.)

In high school I didn’t really find any of the girls very attractive, and it felt weird when I heard people talking about “hooking up” with each other.  

I loved talking to the girls, especially Cherry, she made me feel like I was just one of them, but the only trouble was, that she treated me like a project. Always trying to protect me and it was ok when we were little, but when I got older I resented it.  

When Jeana and Gabriel approached me one night, they weren't like that at all. They were actually mean and they told me that if I ever wanted to be free, I'd better do what they said. I didn't know what that meant until Gabriel said he was going to take me to a drive-in movie.

Just me and him. And he did things and I let him and it felt good. A little oral experiment that went very right. I finally felt like I could be free. Later Gabe told me Jimmy had seen us and I wondered why he had chosen that drive-in as his venue. Anyway, I think of Gabe quite fondly and hope to show my appreciation at the reunion.

But it was not the end of my problems because I was still trapped within a male body and I hated it. I loathed it.

I needed to do something, so when I left high school, I broke off contact with everyone. I had to sort my life out and I got counseling. After many months of sessions, we figured out the problem… I absolutely was a female trapped in a male’s body, and that had to change.

It was a long process, but in the end most people wouldn’t know I had a sex change.  I am a female now, and that’s what I always was, in reality. I still need to figure out why I came to this planet mixed up. But I know the answers are coming. No one except Cherry knows what I did. I hope they don't hate me. In a way, it doesn’t matter, it’s who I am.

Cherry and I spent many nights at her place. I couldn’t invite her over as I didn’t want my father to act out his pitiful drunken attitude around her.  We played silly games, much like teenage girls would and she kept it as a secret.  

She would paint my nails and do my hair, which was always shoulder length.  She was the one person I felt comfortable around, and I’ve always loved her for that. I only wish things wouldn't have changed. I think it was partly the resentment. I'm still confused why I treated her mean sometimes. I think I was jealous because she had the body that I wanted.

I found her not too long ago on Facebook.  She had no idea that I had “changed”.  She was shocked at first, but wasn’t rude or anything about it... she understood.  It was then that she advised me of the school reunion and that I should come.  

First off, I didn’t want to.  I had changed so much, moved on from my old life. I just didn’t know if I should revisit my old life.  She vowed to keep my secret for me to unveil, so in the end I told her I would go.  She had been my best friend and had always seen me as a brother.  I knew she would support me in whatever happened at the reunion.

Jeana used to be nice to me until she became attracted to boys…and weed and alcohol.  We use to occasionally spend time at the football field, watching the boys practice.  But when she made out with Burner one time after a game, she became such a b****.  I just hated her for how stuck up she was.  

Later on I learned why she was bitch. I was sitting with Cherry and she ran over, drunk, and shouted “You are so gay, why don’t you find yourself a nice little gay friend and disappear!”  I broke into tears and ran for the bathrooms.  Cherry didn’t follow, but Jeana did.

Burner was so handsome!  All the girls loved him.  I didn’t play any sports, but I did manage to be the towel boy in the bathrooms for a term.  I was so glad when I was able to see him and the other boys strip and shower around me.  

Johnny was my ideal thought for a man.  He has been forever on my mind.  He wasn’t really good looking but there was something about him that gave me butterflies in my stomach.  Cherry used to tell me all about him, when they were together.  I was so jealous but never let on.

I so wished that I could have told him how I felt.  Now, I have a chance as Cherry tells me that they really haven’t had much to do with each other since they left school.  She knows how I feel about him.  I think she really cares about him still.  Worst scenario, I’ll let Johnny choose.

Darnell was nothing but a dead beat. Drug pusher, dope smoker.  Man, I hate those drug dealers. He thought he had lots of friends, but I don’t think he did.  I hope he’s out of that now, but I highly doubt it.  This reunion really scares me in some ways, when I think that people like him will be there.

I'm looking forward to seeing Gabriel again, who gave me what I needed when I needed it. Being an actor and all, I’m sure he deals with people like me all the time.  If anyone, he should understand.  I sure hope so.

Jimmy was a lovely lad.  Occasionally we would sit together in the library.  He was intelligent and did not ever question why I was so different.  I completely respected him for that.  It will be nice to catch up with him.  Hope he understands what I’ve done.  I think he will.  The more people that won’t tease me when they find out the better

CHERUB “CHERRY" CHAMBERS, 28, still smokin’ hot

I’ve always talked too much. I quit smoking yesterday and am having withdrawal so excuse me if I'm a little edgy. I’m an only child, and maybe it shows. After High School, I went to Simply University and was in the top of the class in my accounting courses.  I became an up and coming prospect at a CPA firm quite quickly.

Well, I'm trying to cut loose from the burden of work's burden. Work-work-work. I spend most of my time working and truly hope that there is a better life somewhere out there.  All work and no play... not what I'm hoping for. The only pleasure I have in my life these days is online poker and chess and cherries. Not exactly what anyone expected from me, based on my younger years.

I'm so tired of the men I meet through work. Complete geeks… all of them!  Damn, I need some new men in my life!

When I received the invite from GABRIEL, I immediately called JIMMY. JIMMY seemed strange on the phone.  I don’t know what to expect.  Wait till they see Francesca. Maybe I should have warned them up front. How's that gonna go? Actually, it kind of scares me.

It will be a lavish time, this ten year reunion. It will be a complete joy to get out and mix it up with my old friends. I've been caught in stuffy offices for too long. You never know,  I might even rekindle an old romance or two from High School…

I remember that school play I tried out for.  God, I was terrible!  Seriously, just awful!  GABRIEL was always there for me when I forgot my lines. No big surprise he turned out to be Mr. Big Time Actor, I guess.  He was genuinely funny and so gifted in the arts.  In return I helped him with his math. Weird, both JEANA and I had a thing for the numbers, but I don't know if we talked about it too much. Kind of this unspoken bond I guess. So anyways, I'd help GABRIEL nd then he tried to get fresh by kissing me.  He just wasn’t the sort of guy I wanted kissing on me. Maybe I thought he wasn't good enough for me. Maybe I thought none of them were good enough for me. Maybe holding back, was the way I held control. The opposite of Jeana in that way. She was always out of control. Except! At the piano and with her numbers. There she had complete control. Maybe we need to sit down together and talk. We've chatted on Facebook, and she gave me support to quit smoking.

But it was always awkward after that time with GABRIEL. I feel bad about it. Wonder if he even remembers.

But JEANA, she was OK but made me angry because she said I was a Bleeding Heart and that FRANCES was just a pet project for sympathy. "Can't you see he hates your sympathy? What he needs is to take ownership for his life! That can't happen unless he gets the shit straight up! Fuck CHERRY! Can't you see that?!"

She laid in to me and I hated her!!! I hated her at that moment. But I couldn't hate her for long. And when we made up, she kissed me on the lips. I almost kissed her back. But I stopped halfway. Is there such a thing as a halfway kiss? Jeana always said there isn't halfway anything.

So we were friends and we hung out a lot.  She was just a bit too crazy, and the fact that she was getting high, drunk and having sex with the boys, kind turned me off. Things kind fell apart when I brought it up to her, and told her she was getting a bad reputation.  She called me a loser in front of a bunch of girls in the locker room one day.  Bitches all gave me s***.  I think they were all jealous. But I don't know now. It all seems so far away and unreal. How will this ever go?

JOHNNY was like the brother I never had.  God, we spent a lot of time watching TV together.   He always spoke to the TV characters like they could hear him.  He was funny.   I actually kissed him once after a tender scene in some beautiful romance comedy.  I think I scared him off a bit.  He didn’t have much self esteem.  Actually really shocked me that he never came on to me, as I probably would have served it up to him on a silver platter.

But were close friends, and he’s one that I can’t wait to see.   He was so clever.  I’m not at all surprised that he’s still working in his parent’s DVD store.  Not much of a life, but isn’t that how Quentin Tarantino got his start?  You never know I guess.  I wonder if he’s in better shape now.

Who could forget Mr. Party Man, DARNELL?  I remember going to a Halloween Party at his parents’ house.  Boy, that didn't go too well. He just kept insisting that I needed to smoke from his gigantic bong. Just like when we first met him and smoked those few joints he had. Smiling he was, "Huh? - Huh?" And sometimes choking it, "Huhcha-cha-cha!?"  That bong had to be four feet tall!  I nearly coughed up a lung that night, and my parents thought I had strep throat for days afterwards.  If they only knew.  Actually, I wouldn’t mind getting a little stoned at the reunion.  Could be fun.  All things in moderation, right?

It was funny how everyone thought RODDY and I were dating.  He was a walking time bomb for making up trouble.  A little wild for me, but there was that time at DARNELL'S. I'm embarrassed to think of it. He was so stoned, and I was completely drunk.  He looked so good that night though… not sure what came over me. Too much bong and I went bong-bong on his lap, giving him the lap dance of Wonderland. Go ask Alice because I don't remember much else.

We kissed for what seemed like hours.  I was totally lost in the moment.  I still can’t believe he told everyone about it.  They came up with that horrible nickname, “Chair Rub” Chambers.  I actually slapped him hard in the face for repeating that story over and over.  When I think back about it, I guess he was just kidding around, like he always was.  Too bad, I could have gone for that guy.  He’s gonna be a blast.  Maybe he’s changed now…we’ll see.  I hope he’s got the same balls he used to. I like that. I like it a lot. Opposites attract.

JIMMY and I were pretty tight at times.  In fact, we had this one incredible night. I can’t believe how many times I reached orgasm. Jimmy was a wild man.  We never said a word to anyone. I didn’t want to be known as a slut and that I was no longer a virgin. I was conflicted.  Did I want sex or Jimmy? I didn’t want to decide. Jimmy was cool about it. At times, I’d see Jimmy looking at me, and he’d give me a little smile.

I am confused about the kind of man I want. Someone like Jimmy? With all that love for children, he'd make a great father.

FRANCES and I used to hang out a lot. We had our own little version of Truth or Dare. We use to see how many slang words we could come up with for the male and female reproductive organs.  For months after that he would call me a “prick” so I called him a “pussy”. It was fun until the teacher heard us. It was the first and last detention we ever got.

Junior and Senior years were different.  I don’t know, did I change, or did he?  Maybe we both did.  No one seemed to like him much and he just didn’t seem to develop like the rest of us did.  Well, I know what the deal was… and is now.  I don’t know how people will handle it.

I really need a cigarette!

GABRIEL, 28, popular and wealthy movie star, primary residence in Hollywood and a secondary residence in his hometown.

Why am I having this reunion soiree? Because I can damn well afford it. (Laughs then pauses) Actually, I, uh, reached a crossroads in my life. My career. I need to recharge my batteries. Get my sails filled with the air of friends who care. Sorry, I think that’s a line from one of my movies. Johnny could tell you which one. See, I get this movie world mixed in with my real self. That’s why I need to have my high school friends – yes even Darnell – around me. Friends who knew before I was famous, friends who didn’t judge me then and won’t judge me now.

God, this sounds like a desperate cry for help. This is all about me. I know, I’ve heard it before. Each of these guys touched me in a special way. And I want to reconnect.

I realize old times can’t be relived, but I hope we can all have fun, kick back.

Here’s some of what I remember about my high school days and my friends (the non-Hollywood version anyway).

Sex is an extremely intimate thing and I’d rather stay a virgin until I’ve found the right person.  I know how crazy that must sound, but it’s true. To this day, I still haven’t had sex, but that's a bit subjective on what you call "sex".

I did make one exception. But it was oral and oral is the way of teaching and of the masters. It was only sex to the degree that it was an acknowledged act. My intent was for the purpose of teaching; I taught Francis one night. I’d like to see how he’s doing now.

Back in High School, I thought I’d found that right person in Jeana. We came close a number of times. What held us apart was the difference. The argument? Her: Live Life to The Fullest argument. And my, Reservations on the count.

One time, I found her having sex with Burner outside The Market on the docks. They were somewhat concealed in between the large outdoor cement flower pots.  They were both so high, they didn't even notice me. I didn't say anything.

Eventually my “feelings” for her turned to what I thought was a deep love.  Actually more like filial love.  I guess it sorta comes about when there’s no sex going on.  She really tested it when she started to have her “problems”. I guess they were our problems.

We’d make up goofy little songs together, and sit around and sing.  I still remember some of them to this day.  Shocking that we were both totally sober mostly, the way we went on.  Those were good times.  Simpler times.

I’ve only seen her once since we graduated, and I’ve never understood why that is.  Maybe she thinks I'm too cool now. That I've left the path. Too popular. Too entrenched in the material world. She'll find out soon, that it hasn't just been that.

It’s strange, since I’ve been in the movies, I have all these women throwing themselves at me, yet I measure each of them against Jeana.  Maybe she’s the right one after all. But only we can determine that together.  I can’t wait to see her again.

I never really got to know Johnny “personally”. Not that we didn't like each other or hang out, we just never clicked for some reason.  But I guess I probably owe my fame and success to him in a strange way. Well, I half owe him-- for the connection, but the other half was me.

God, I remember how terrified I was at first. But I took God's gift to me. The rest was my talent, but I guess that was luck too...

So hook and be nabbed, I enrolled at USC Film School, and two years after that, starring in a major motion picture.  We’re talking seven films ago now. So in hindsight, it was Johnny that got me my big break...

I feel like an A** for not thanking him more. This weekend… this weekend for sure.  I’ll make it up to him somehow, and give him the thanks he deserves.

Jimmy’s another one I never really was that close with.  Sure, we hung out, maybe even a lot sometimes, but he just came off as kind of strange to me.  He really liked children, and it seemed a bit odd. He was a good guy, though for sure.  Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he’s working with kids now for a living.

Darnell was the stoner of our class.  Well, I guess he and Burner were neck and neck in that department. I was there when we all met him for the first time. I think we saw a movie that day… yeah, yeah, we did: It was Casino, and I remember acting like De Niro afterwards.  Everyone laughed so hard.

Jeana showed up with Darnell and he had some joints. At first it was only Burner and Jeana and Darnell doing the smoking, but then it was "Huh?" from Burner--

with a raised inflection: and he said it again smiling, and holding it out for someone to grab it.

"Huh? Huh?" Burner had a decent vocabulary, but sometimes he much preferred, "Huh" to anything else. I just didn’t like it… or the idea of it. But that "Huh?" had me and I wound up being fourth on the puff. I pretty much steered clear of him from then on though.  

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Darnell is exactly the same. Still getting high, F**king around, broke other than his little dope dealing.  I actually wish he wasn’t even going to be showing up.

Roddy and I were pretty close when we were younger. He was always a good guy. Popular with everyone… jocks, nerds, stoners, chicks… everyone.  

He was just one crazy son of a b****, to put it bluntly.  I remember one party where we were playing Truth or Dare.  He’d take the dares, and no matter what it was, he’d do it.  Funniest time was when he went to old man Boorman’s front door, totally naked, asking if he’d like to buy some cookies.  Funny stuff.  He’s cool, and I definitely look forward to seeing what he’s up to these days.

Then there was Cherry.  Talk about a hot little number.  Damn, I think everyone had a crush on her. For some reason though, she never really did it for me.   Maybe cause of Jeana, maybe cause I thought she was too hot for me… I don’t know.  I did go for it though once with her. Well, I tried at least.  She didn't seem to be into it... or me.

There was always some rumor floating around about her and whoever, even Burner.  I never really believed any of it though.  Always thought she was above all that messing around stuff.  Wonder what she'd do if I tried to get with her. We’ll see.