This is my entry for the Neverland writing competition, but you're welcome to just read it for fun

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 Alice pulled her earbud out, taking in the silence in the courtyard. In all her years at Beckford Secondary School, she'd never seen this courtyard so dead.

She felt a bit uneasy as her heels clicked across the concrete. Had her classmates forgotten her? Worse yet, did they remember? Secondary school was a long time ago, she assured herself. These people have better things to think about.

Ada had told her the reunion would be held in the gym. Alice remembered perfectly well where Beckford's gymnasium was. She also remembered that the front door lead almost directly to the place, but she preferred the back entrance. Besides, that would offer her time to look around a bit and see what had changed.

"ALICE!" came a shriek from behind her. Alice spun around to see a dark figure darting toward her. "Oh my god it's been so long!"

Alice held her arms out like a shield. "Hello, there. Do I know you?"

The figure stopped right in front of her. As Alice's eyes adjusted, she began to see the person's face. With high cheekbones and heavily lined eyes, this woman looked like no one Alice remembered having known in secondary school.

"Alice! It's me, Kimberly?"

She made a doubtful face, hoping Kimberly couldn't see it. "Uh, yes, of course! Kimberly! You're...you're looking different! Good different, of course--" Alice cut herself off. Babbling, she scolded herself, you must stop doing that.

"Oh, so do you!" Kimberly exclaimed. "Look at you, that haircut is adorable!"

Alice tried to match her enthusiastic giggle, but it didn't come out right. "Well, it's great to run into you," she lied. "All the memories are just rushing back."

"Let's go inside!"

Rather than having time to explore the school. she listened to Kimberly chatter about her husband and all their "old friends" who were pregnant and famous and such. Within three minutes, they were outside the gym, where the floor was vibrating from the music.

"Oh, I can't wait to see everyone!" Kimberly shouted.

Well. Alice thought, at least she doesn't seem to think I'm insane. Maybe no one else will.

"Kimmy!"

Alice jumped back, whipping around again. Behind her stood a tall woman with honey blond hair and familiar eyes. Ada, she thought. Does she remember?

"Ada!" Kimberly responded. The two embraced each other while Alice stood by, doing her best to hold a bored expression on her face. After a moment, they let go and Ada turned to Alice.

"Hey, you look familiar..." she squinted, taking her in. Alice didn't bother to supply a name. Hopefully, she'd figure it out. "Marcy! Oh, I knew I recognized you!"

Before Alice could correct her, Ada had her in a tight hug, rocking back and forth like they were awkwardly slow dancing. Kimberly opened her mouth, presumably to tell Ada that her name was not Marcy, but Ada cut her off.

"Here's your stickers, just write your name and go mingle!" With that, she disappeared.

Alice looked at the rectangle stuck to her finger with contempt. "We used to be best friends," she mumbled. "Well, right after Parker..."

 Kimberly didn't hear her, but handed her the sharpie Ada had stuffed in her hand.

"Here you go. Catch up later? Okay, bye!"

Alice watched her disappear into the gymnasium, considering just leaving the sharpie on the table and slipping out the door before anyone else realized she was there.

"Alice!"

This time, she hardly flinched. Turning around at her leisure, she set a politely curious look on her face that fell immediately when she saw who she was talking to.

Looking as disheveled and tired as ever stood the Mad Hatter. He wore a top hat and queer smile on his thin face. Alice's eyes widened as she looked back and forth for people.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "You have to leave!"

"Why?" he asked, taking in the hallway with a quick three sixty spin around his cane. "This seems like a perfectly lovely party to me."

Alice growled at him, speaking softly in hopes that no one would hear. "Look, they can't see you. They already think I'm insane, there's no use in feeding the image!"

"Oh, then I suppose I will just accompany you in silence," the Hatter decided, nodding in agreement to his own plan. "Yes, that way we can both enjoy the party without interrupting each other's fun.

She frowned, but said nothing more because she knew this was the next best thing she was going to get to being alone.

Neither said a word as Alice pushed open the door leading to the gymnasium. They were immediately bombarded by loud music and the pounding of feet.

It seemed to Alice that the entire school was there, packed into the little Beckford gym -- but she knew that was not the case as this reunion was only for her class, and even then, half of those people were living elsewhere or famous or dead or just too important to be bothered with school reunions.

"Well, this is quite a lot of people!" the Hatter shouted over the pulsing beat. Alice shushed him and quickly passed it off as a hair flick. No one looked at her. They were all too busy recognizing each other.

What am I doing here? Alice sighed to herself. I don't even remember half of these people.

She was about to slip back out the door when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Al? Is that you?"

She didn't even have to turn around to know who the voice belonged to.

"Parker," she said, sounding terribly apathetic when inside her heart was pounding twice its normal rate. "My, it's been awhile."

And it had. Parker had grown taller than even the Hatter who stood behind him, absently playing with his hat. His blonde hair was spiked up, a style that matched his black leather jacket. One thing that had not changed was his smirk. He was still smirking at her the same way he had ten years ago. It made Alice feel very old and nostalgic.

"It has," he agreed. She noticed the stitches beneath his lip as he spoke. "I was just about to get out of here, actually." He shrugged, the leather jacket moving stiffly around his shoulders. "But it was good to run into you."

"Me too." She nodded, waving in the general direction of the door. "My boyfriend's waiting outside."

"Boyfriend?" He raised his eyebrows.

She nodded, trying to match his smirk. "His name is," she grabbed for a random name in her head, "Matt. You want to meet him?"

"Nah, I think I had better head out."

"Alright then. It was good seeing you, Parker."

"You too, Al."

He waved one last time, and was off.

Alice watched him go. He was really the only reason she'd come to this stupid thing. The Hatter saw the tears welling in her eyes.

"He's a nice fellow, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"You like him?"

"Yes."

"Then go after him," he urged her. "I'll leave, I promise. Just go. As long as Matt doesn't mind."

Alice gave a half giggle, contemplating the idea. "A-all right. I'm going to go," she decided. "Thank you! I'll see you later."

"Hey, Alice," she heard her name, looking around for the source. Suddenly, Kimberly was in front of her again. "Um, who were you talking to?"

"No one, Kimberly. It was lovely seeing you, but I must be going. Say hello to everyone else for me!"

And without another word to anyone, Alice ran out of Beckford Secondary school after her childhood best friend.

XXX

Word count : 1276