The Legoland Convention

Setting:
a dark bar, with only a few people milling. Bouncer at the door is tatooed and pierced, yet good looking and casual. a dance/techno version of AC/DC thunderstruck is playing in the background. Its too early for people to be drunk yet, so people are alert and coherent. No one is dancing.

I come towards the front door and hot bouncer. There's a group of people outside smoking. I look over and see Sarah, Samantha's little sister in the group.
"Sarah!". She looks over, pauses-confused. "Oh, my God, I totally didn't even recognize you! Holly-Anne!". She leans over for a hug (she's about 6 feet tall). "This is my roomate Carmen". A tall blonde who's drunk too early looks over pleasantly. "Nice to meet you" we shake hands and I see trouble in her already too low tube top. "Samantha's inside at the back on the right side". I say thanks then wonder as I head towards the door 'do I need money, is there a cover charge? Am I cute enough to just sneak by?'. A girl is leaning towards the bouncer, flirting. I make eye contact, smile and breeze in. Later I find out, its pretty hard to get in. Being early helps.
I move towards the back of the bar and see Samantha standing and waving. Damn I love this place. Her and Zoe have been waiting for a while. I haven't seen Zoe in about four years and she's as cool looking as ever. She's tall and thin, yet somehow always manages to look curvy in a stream-lined sort of way. Her face is more angular and she's an adult now. Shit, me too. Its amazing to see her really. I've kind of been in awe of the things that I've heard her doing. She's travelled a ton, met an English guy and lived with him for a couple of years. Now she's in town for a bit to visit before she moved back to London. We stand and hug and everyone talks about then.
Mike hasn't come yet. He was one of my first really close guy friends. The type who you could hug all of the time and feel safe without feeling like he was trying to drain you of emotions, or cling to you. Now sometimes I feel like that's what hugs do. His hugs were always for you, not him. He grew up in a logging family where the men were comfortable enough being men, that they could be affectionate and still seem so strong. He was a good kid, then starting making some real bad decisions about life. I've always wished that we could have dated, but his life decisions and lack of asking me out kind of hindered the process. Also, he cheated on my best friend so there's that. I wonder what he's like now.
Samantha calls Mike to see if he's coming. It turns out that by now a line up is too long outside to get in. Sarah goes and sneaks him in. She's good that way, she's fun and runs the show at the same time. Mike comes in, looking the same but older. We hug and nothing has changed, except apparently for his life decisions. Time passes and we all talk. then Mike leans over to me.
"I have something that I've never told you."
I get a little excited over the prospect that there had been a secret I never knew.
"On Valentine's day in Grade 11 I drove out to your house when you lived at Ness Lake with Flowers. I walked up to your door. Then I chickened out, I didn't even knock or anything. I just turned around, got back in my truck and drove home. My mom told me that she thought I'd chicken out."
In my head I mildly freak out thinking of what could have been, or maybe how badly things would have ended. his bad life started in Grade 12. I know I couldn't have saved him, but still that regret lingers
"Mike, you should have"
"I've thought about it and No, I don't think that would have been good. You shouldn't have dated me. I was such a Dickhead". I'd rather you get to know me now.
I wonder how its possible that six years can change us so much, but we can talk like nothing is awkward.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asks.
No Plans, why?"
I'd like to take you to lunch"
I really like the idea of cathching up, free food and hanging out with a new/old guy so I of course say yes
.........