Around the Sun Inspires Reunion Un-Reality
#OtherWorlds2019 approaches! To gear up, staff members are sharing the feature films they’re most excited about and why. Next up, inspired by the feature film of AROUND THE SUN, Programmer and Social Media Director Robyn Paxman explores three alternate universe scenarios of her High School reunion. AROUND THE SUN makes its Texas premiere Sunday, December 8 at 11:15AM at #OtherWorlds2019.
The Gymnasium, wow. Either they really didn’t put any effort into this or they just wanted us to feel super nostalgic. I turn to the sign-in table and pick up my name tag attaching it to my shirt. Looking at the large semi-filled room, you’d think out of a class of 600 more people would have shown up. Maybe they all just had better judgment than me…
I feel someone’s gaze watching me. I turn to my left and see a somewhat familiar face, the former captain of the football team, or was he the quarterback? Let’s be honest he may have been popular and considered the hottest guy at school, but I don’t even remember his name. He is staring at me, gazing slightly downwards. He’s looking at my chest. Or my name tag? Let’s hope it’s my name tag. He slowly walks towards me, his face looking more and more confused as he gets closer.
“Paxman?”
“Umm, yeah?” I’m not really sure where this is about to go.
“Wow, you got hot.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” Oh shit, I said that out loud. Surprisingly, he chuckled.
"Ok, so I’m just gonna shoot my shot here – do you want to go make out under the stairs?”
My eyes widen in what I can only expect to be a comical fashion. Did he really just say that? Is this actually real life?
“Why not?”
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I turn to the sign-in table and pick up my name tag attaching it to my shirt. Looking at the large semi filled room, you’d think out of a class of 600 more people would have shown up. Maybe they all just had better judgment than me…
“Oh, My Gosh, Robyn?”
I hear, and unfortunately, recognize the voice as three slightly tipsy girls walk over to me. They were my old High School bullies.
“Wow, you haven’t changed a bit.” chirped one of them, but they were wrong, I’ve changed a lot.
“So, are you still into all that weird stuff like you were in high school?” slurred another.
“What do you mean weird stuff?”
“Oh, you know that alien, space stuff.”
“Actually, I’m on staff at a Science Fiction Film Festival; it’s really cool you see--”
“Oh my god, look who that is!” the third girl cuts me off pointing in some direction and they all walk off that way giggling. I guess they haven’t changed any.
I spend the rest of the night in similar conversations. I begin to debate why I even came to the reunion when I walk over to the punch bowl. Wow, whoever spiked this sure went hard. You can smell the alcohol from a few feet away. I fiddle with my ring as I start to reach for the ladle and think about pouring myself a glass. Ultimately, I decided against it.
Later that night I’m surrounded by dead bodies.
“…and Miss, we have reason to believe that someone poisoned the punch bowl. It seems suspicious that you’re one of the few people who didn’t have a drink from it?” the police officer questions me.
“It’s not so strange. I don’t actually drink alcohol, I haven’t for the last seven years.”
“Ok, you are free to go.”
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I turn to the sign-in table and pick up my name tag attaching it to my shirt. Looking at the large semi filled room, you’d think out of a class of 600 more people would have shown up. Maybe they all just had better judgment than me…
“You said you weren’t gonna come.”
I turn to see my best friend Thanh Thanh. We’ve known each other since middle school.
“Yeah,” I said drawing the word out more than it needed, “I got too curious.”
“You wanted to prove to everyone from High School that you’re different and better than you were back then, didn’t you?” she teases.
I wait to respond, “Isn’t everyone here doing that?”
“No, some people are here just to relive their glory days.” She points to someone, who I suspect used to be on the football team, telling some girl a story she doesn’t seem to be enjoying.
“Some people are here to hook up.” She points to another couple in a corner, who seem to be way too friendly.
“And some people are here for free food!” she says pointing to herself.
We spend most of the night talking to each other. Some people come over and have short conversations. Bringing up stories from the past. Some funny, some just outright cringy.
The night is fun, I guess. It didn’t change my life.
As Thanh Thanh and I leave, I turn to her and ask, “So are we gonna try and keep in contact with more people now?”
“Not any more than we did before,” she remarks. “We graduated with Facebook. If we wanted to keep in contact with them, we would have done it, to begin with.”
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