6 CHAPTER SIX: THE REUNION

AT THE DANCE BALL, MR. AND MRS. LEIGH INTRODUCE THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR DAUGHTER, VERONICA,TO THEIR GUESTS. THEY ARE SO HAPPY AAND GLAD TO SEE HER AGAIN EXCEPT FOR RANDON. VERONICA SEES HIM AND COMES TO RANDON'S TABLE.

VERONICA: IT IS SO NICE TO SEE YOU ONCE AGAIN, RANDON.

RANDON: SO ARE YOU, VERONICA.

GOV. DEAN: HOW LONG WILL YOU STAY HERE, V.?

VERONICA: IT DEPENDS

GOV. DEAN: THE DANCE FLOOR INVITES ME TO INDULGE A DANCE WITH MY WIFE. LISA, MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE?

DR. DEAN: OF COURSE, DARLING.

GOV. DEAN: SON, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.

RANDON OBSERVES THAT THE OTHER GUESTS ARE STARING AT THEM WHILE VERONICA IS WAITING FOR HIS DANCE INVITATION.

RANDON: I GUESS PEOPLE WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE US DANCING TOGETHER, VERONICA.

VERONICA: ARE YOU INVITING ME FOR A DANCE?

RANDON: MAY I?

VERONICA: ABSOLUTELY.

THEY DANCE AT THE MIDDLE OF THE CROWD. VERONICA OBSERVES THAT RANDON IS SILENCE.

VERONICA: YOU CAN TALK, YOU KNOW.

RANDON: I DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

VERONICA: ANYTHING.

RANDON: (SILENCE)

VERONICA: OKAY, THIS WONT WORK. HOW ARE YOU?

RANDON: FINE

VERONICA: NEW FRIENDS?

RANDON: AS USUAL

RANDON IS FINALLY SEEING ELISE WITH GREGOR SITTING TO THEIR TABLE, LAUGHING AND TALKING. VERONICA NOTICES RANDON'S UNEASY REACTION BY THE WAY HE TOUCHES HER HAND AND WAIST TIGHTLY.

VERONICA: RAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? SOMETHING GOES WRONG?

RANDON: NOTHING. V., CAN I EXCUSE MYSELF?

VERONICA: YES YOU CAN. BUT MEET ME AFTER THE PARTY AT THE FOUNTAIN GARDEN. I WILL BE EXPECTING YOU THERE. JUST COME.

RANDON: (NODS)

RANDON IS NOT EXPECTING THAT ELISE IS COMING WITH GREGOR TONIGHT. HE SEES BILLY AT THE BAR COUNTER DRINKING. HE ASKS BILLY AND OFFERS HIM A DRINK AS A TRADE FOR ANSWERING RANDON'S QUESTIONS.

RANDON: NICE SEEING YOU, BILLY. ARE YOU HAVING FUN?

BILLY: YEAH, THIS IS A PARTY. WHAT ABOUT YOU, YOUNG MAN?

RANDON: NOT REALLY.

BILLY: NOT REALLY? VERONICA IS HERE AND SHE IS DELIGHTFUL TO SEE YOU. JUST ENJOY THIS NIGHT,YOUNG MAN.

RANDON: MAY I ASK YOU ABOUT SOMETHING? I MEAN ABOUT SOMEONE?BILLY: AS LONG AS NOT FORBIDDEN, WHAT IS IT?

RANDON: ABOUT GREGOR AND ELISE.

BILLY: WHAT ABOUT THEM? THEY SEEM ENJOYING THEMSELVES. I HOPE YOU ARE TOO.

VERONICA AND ASHLEY ARE TALKIING ABOUT ELISE. VERONICA FINDS ELISE VERY SUSPICIOUS.

VERONICA: WHAT ELSE ASHLEY?

ASHLEY: THAT'S ALL I KNEW. I NEVER OFTEN TALK TO HER. JUST MOMENTS WHEN LARRY AND I FOUND RANDON AND HER WERE TALKING. DOES RANDON TELLS YOU ABOUT HER?

VERONICA: NO, HE SEEMS UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT OUR REUNION. I AM TRYING TO DIG OUT HIS CURIOSITY AND HIS LIFE AFTER WE BROKE UP. HE JUST TOLD ME SOME FEW ODD WORDS, UNTIL..

ASHLEY: UNTIL WHAT?VERONICA: UNTIL THAT GIRL CAME ALONG, RANDON'S REACTION TO HER IS PREDICTABLE TO ME. I USED TO HAVE HIS REACTION BEFORE.

ASHLEY: WE KNEW RANDON. HE IS NOT FALLING SO FAST FOR A STRANGER.

MRS. LEIGH: VERONICA, DARLING. CAN I HAVE YOUR TIME FOR A MOMENT? SOME OF YOUR FATHER'S FRIENDS ARE EXCITED TO MEET YOU.

VERONICA: OF COURSE, MOTHER.

ASHLEY SEES PATT AT THE CORNER BEING ALL ALONE. SHE IS TRYING HER BEST TO ACCOMPANY PATT IN HIS LONESOME WORLD.

ASHLEY: HEY, PATT. I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE. VERONICA IS VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU THIS EVENING.

PATT: I HOPE SO.ASHLEY: DO YOU HAVE A DATE TONIGHT? WITH SOMEONE?

PATT: I AM WITH MY FATHER TONIGHT. HOW ABOUT YOU?

ASHLEY: SO DO I, CAN I ACCOMPANY YOU?

PATT: FOR WHAT REASON?

ASHLEY: FOR A TALK OR SOMETHING.

PATT: YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED AFTER CHOOSING TO STAY WITH ME TONIGHT.

ASHLEY: NOW YOU ARE TALKING TO ME, THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT. CHEERS.

PENELOPE IS ROAMING AROUND UNTIL SHE SEES PATT WITH ASHLEY. PENELOPE FEELS JEALOUS AND A BIT MAD WITH NO VALID REASONS. SHE IS DECIDING TO WALK AWAY FROM THEM . WITHOUT HER ATTENTION, SHE IS ACCIDENTALLY FELL TO SOMEONE'S ARM, IT IS LARRY.

LARRY: EASY, PEN. ARE YOU OKAY?

PENELOPE: SORRY BUT THANK YOU. I AM NOT GOOD WITH THESE HEELS. WHERE IS RANDON?LARRY: WELL, HE IS WITH VERONICA I SUPPOSED. CAN I OFFER YOU A DRINK?

PENELOPE: I DONT DRINK ALCOHOL

LARRY: WELL, A DRINK OF YOUR CHOICE WILL DO. MAY I OFFER YOU A DRINK OF YOUR CHOICE,THEN?

PENELOPE: THIS MUST BE A SIGN TO FORGET WHAT'S IN MY HEAD.

LARRY: BEG YOUR PARDON?

PENELOPE: NOTHING, OF COURSE, LEAD ME THE WAY.

LARRY: SURE, AFTER YOU.

WHILE ELISE IS ENJOYING GREGOR'S RECENT PHOTOS FROM HIS RECENT ATTENDED EVENTS. GREGOR HAS AN IDEA.

GREGOR: HEY, ARE YOU SURE YOU DONT WANT TO DANCE?

ELISE: I TOLD YOU I DONT LIKE DANCING. I RATHER ENJOYING MY TIME WITH YOUR INCREDIBLE PHOTOS. THESE ARE AMAZING, GREG. YOU HAVE A TALENT.

GREGOR: DONT TEASE ME LIKE THAT, ELISE. I MAY THINK THAT THOSE ARE TRUE.

ELISE: THEN, BELIEVE ME.

GREGOR: YOU KNOW WHAT, I NEVER HAVE ANY OF YOU IN MY CAMERA. BE MY PORTRAIT TONIGHT. COME.

ELISE: WHERE ARE WE GOING AGAIN?

GREGOR: DONT WORRY, YOU WILL BE HAVING FUN.I PROMISE YOU, JUST COME WITH ME.

GREGOR BRINGS ELISE TO ANOTHER GARDEN BUT THIS TIME FILLED WITH SPARKLING LIGHTS.

ELISE: HOW MANY GARDENS THEY HAVE IN HERE?

GREGOR: MANY, SOME ARE AMUSING AND SOME ARE CREEPY.

ELISE: IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE ALL THE TIME.

GREGOR: WHEN I WAS STUPID AND YOUNG, I USED TO PLAY, TO RUN, AND TO HIDE IN HERE WITH MY FRIENDS BEFORE. VERONICA WAS ONE OF THEM.

ELISE: REALLY? LIKE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS?

GREGOR: YES, THAT'S THE TERM.

ELISE: IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE NOT PROUD TO BE A FRIEND WITH HER.

GREGOR: WE'RE JUST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS NOT MY CLOSEST FRIEND.

ELISE: WHO WAS YOUR CLOSEST CHILDHOOD FRIEND, THEN?

GREGOR: ENOUGH TELLING STORIES ALREADY, SHOW ME YOUR BEST PORTRAIT.

ELISE: PORTRAIT OF WHAT? BELIEVE ME, I AM NOT GOOD IN ANY OF THESE.

GREGOR: JUST SHOW ME YOUR TRUE SELF, ELISE. THAT'S ALL I NEED FROM YOU.

ELISE: OKAY, TELL ME HOW.

GREGOR: PICK A FLOWER AND WALK SLOWLY, I WILL TAKE MY SHOTS WITH THAT.

ELISE: OKAY SIR, AS YOU COMMAND.

GREGOR: (SMILES)

ELISE PICKS A FLOWER THEN WALKS SLOWLY AS WHAT GREGOR INSTRUCTED HER TO DO. SHE LOOKS TO GRGOR'S CAMERA AND GREGOR LOOKS AT HER WITH A SILENT AMUSEMENT. HE PAUSES FOR A MINUTE AND STARES AT ELISE.

ELISE: IS THIS ACCURATE, GREG? AM I DOING IT RIGHT?

GREGOR: YES, PERFECTLY AMUSING.

ELISE: NOW YOU ARE TEASING ME. MAY I TAKE A LOOK?

MR. LEAFMAN: THERE YOU ARE, MR.MENDEL. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU. WE HAVE VERY IMPORTANT GUESTS JUST ARRIVED.

GREGOR: YES, MR. LEAFMAN. I WILL FOLLOW YOU THERE.

MR.LEAFMAN: LET'S GO. GOOD EVENING TO YOU, MISS.

ELISE: GOOD EVENING, SIR.

MR. LEAFMAN LEFT THEM. ELISE AND GREGOR LAUGH.

GREGOR: THAT'S MY BOSS

ELISE: JUST GO, DO YOUR JOB. I WILL BE HERE FOR A MINUTE.

GREGOR: ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO BE HERE ALL BY YOURSELF?

ELISE: DONT WORRY, I CAN HANDLE MYSELF.

MR. LEAFMAN: MR. MENDEL, TIME IS GETTING OLD.

GREGOR: YES SIR, I AM COMING. SEE YOU AROUND, ELISE.

ELISE: SAME TO YOU, HAVE FUN.

GREGOR LEFT HER AT THE GARDEN UNTIL SOMEONE IS CALLING HER NAME. SHE TURNS AROUND WITH HER MYSTERIOUS GAZE, IT IS RANDON.

ELISE: RANDON?

RANDON: YOU SEEM HAVING FUN TONIGHT, HAVENT YOU?

ELISE: PRETTY INDEED I AM. I HOPE YOU ARE TOO.

RANDON: WHY ARE YOU DOING HERE ALL ALONE?

ELISE: ENJOYING THE VIEW, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

RANDON: I AM ALSO ENJOYING THE VIEW.

THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH THEIR GAZES THAT TELL SOMETHING LIKE THE SPARKLING LIGHTS THAT BRIGHTEN THEIR EVENING.