Go to work. You have a job, remember?

In high school, you were part of a creative writing club. You called yourselves "The Hemmingways". At the time, anyone who wanted to write wanted to write succint, laconic prose.

The prose of a journalist.

Of a writer.

The Hemmingways were a supportive lot, specifically the teacher who led the group: Ms. Klassen. She was middle-aged, with glasses and white hair, and had been divorced, so she told you then, twice. She taught you how to give useful feedback, to speak in the active voice, and to write what you knew.

When high school ended, Ms. Klassen took you aside and asked you what you were going to study in college. When you told her that you planned to study English, she smiled and gave you a friendly hug.

"Good," she had said. "You've got what it takes. You've got gumption."

And you had studied English. In your first year, at least.

But then the banks failed. Credit dried up. And it was becoming increasingly clear to you (and to your parents, who could no longer afford to pay for your tuition) that you should study something more 'practical' if you wanted to avoid unemployment.

By the time you graduated college with a degree in Economics, Barack Obama was president, police were still investigating the Boston Marathon bombing, and the economy was booming. You got a data analyst job at a small, FinTech startup, which you're with still.

You never told Ms. Klassen that you hadn't studied English. Sometimes, you wondered what she was up to. Was she still a teacher and leading the current generation of Hemmingways? Did she even remember you?

This is what you were wondering now, in fact, as you took your lunch break alone at a picnic table. Jane had packed you spaghetti and meatballs before she went off to work (she was a math teacher at the local high school), which you barely recognized as you shoved the noodles into your mouth.

When someone yelled "John", you almost choked on the spaghetti.

"Whoops. Sorry there, bud. Didn't mean to startle you." You turn to see a tall, round woman with her blonde hair in a pony tail, and thick glasses. She had pale skin, which made you think that she burned easily. Behind her was a guy with blue hair and a wide grin. He dressed in bright colors and wore earrings.

"What were you thinking about?" the woman, Cassandra, asks. "You seemed really deep in thought just now."

"Girlfriend troubles?" Zeke asks. Zeke thinks everyone has girlfriend troubles.

You think back to last night. To the sex. No, you are not having girlfriend troubles. "He's thinking about something pervy again," you hear Cassandra say.

"Your John-radar is as perceptive as ever," Zeke laughs when you blush.

"I was thinking about high school," you answer, **** to change the subject. "Did you know that I wanted to be a writer?"

Zeke and Cassandra exchange a surprised look. They hadn't. "I don't usually talk about it," you shrug. "I don't usually think about it, either."

"So, why are you thinking about it now?" Zeke asks. "You're a long way from writing."

Cassandra elbows Zeke in the side. "Hey!" Zeke yells.

"It's fine," you laugh. "I don't know why I'm thinking about it now, to be honest. I guess I'm just reminiscing about simpler times." Although, high school had not been simple for you. You had had no friends then. It was in college when you started to make a name for yourself, and that was only because you had gone to an out-of-state college. No one from your high school had followed you.

You can tell that Zeke thinks you are hiding something from him, but Cassandra cuts him off. "What do you think Kevin has to tell us?"

Kevin is your boss. He's a nice guy, albeit a little perverted. Well, very perverted. His favorite topic is the orgies he participates in every Friday night. You are not sure if those stories are true, but you never accuse him of lying.

"God, I just hope he isn't planning on firing us," you joke. Neither Cassandra nor Zeke laughs. Which is to be expected. The company is doing poorly right now. It would not be surprising in the least if Kevin announces that he is laying off some people.