Page 36 of The Ex Project
“It’s okay.” I look up at her, and her turquoise eyes are sparkling back at me. “That’s why we’re here. We’ll come up with something better.”
I’m reassured by her words, and when I nod in acknowledgement, the girls throw themselves into brainstorming wholeheartedly.
We sit there for the better part of an hour, throwing out ideas for the arts centre, and by the end of it, I’m optimistic about the direction this is going in. The only thing I’m unsure of is how Rick will react to it. It might win over the town, but will it win him over? I’m not so sure.
The three of them are chattering away and laughing about the suggestions from the public forum, I jotted down on the back of my design drawing. I catch myself laughing, uninhibited with them, and a lightness settles over me that I haven’t felt in a long time. Unadulterated joy. Sleepover laughter. I’m revelling over how full my chest feels when my phone lights up on the table next to me.
Poppy’s eyes also flick down to it from where she’s sitting across from me, then back up to mine. She lifts an eyebrow knowingly as the name scrolls across the screen. We both know who it is. Hudson’s texted me, and it doesn’t get past me that we’ve now officially upgraded from e-mailing each other. I guess I was the one that initiated contact over text instead. I didn’t even think about it.
Over the last ten years, that’s what I missed the most. Having him there. His unwavering presence. Without it … well, I realized how much I lacked without him. How lonely I was.
I pick up my phone and read the message, tuning out whatever the girls have started talking about.
EX (DO NOT TEXT)
I thought I’d see you at the reunion tonight.
My mind spins at the message. First, at trying to figure out what reunion he’s talking about, and second, that it almost seems like he was hoping to see me. The way Spencer and Ally talked about Hudson, it seems obvious to everyone that he’s still hung up on me. His lack of serious relationships over the years. The way he peered into my eyes yesterday, the emotion in his watery blue eyes. The way my heart rolled forward in my chest as if trying to get closer to him.
I don’t know how to reply so I don’t seem too eager or interested. All I send back is a short, one-word message.
Reunion?
The dots indicating he’s typing a response pop up almost immediately, like he was waiting for my text.
Yeah. The Heartwood High ten-year reunion. It’s tonight. I thought Poppy would have told you. Seems like something you’d be into.
Then you don’t remember high school like I do. I only had two friends, you and Poppy.
Idk. I thought you might like to come and brag about your achievements or something
Fuck off.
“Pops, do you know anything about this reunion?” I show her the string of texts between Hudson and I, and she looks up at me blandly.
“I did, yeah. I wasn’t going to go, though,” she says with a shrug.
“Wait, what reunion?” Ally cuts in.
“Our ten-year high school reunion,” I answer, and Ally and Spencer make similar disgusted faces.
“Oh, I hate that kind of thing,” Spencer says. “But I hate making small talk with people I haven’t spoken to in years. Keeping in touch with old acquaintances isn’t my thing.”
“I don’t know,” I say, “It could be fun.”
Poppy raises both eyebrows over the frames of her sunglasses.
“Really? I didn’t think you’d care, since we didn’t have many friends in high school. Those things are just for the popular kids to get together and relive their glory days.”
“We could crash it.” I don’t know why I’m so adamant about going, but I’ve suddenly developed an interest. I don’t want to consider that it might have something to do with knowing Hudson is there.
“Now, crashing it, I’d be into,” Spencer says. I take her interest as a yes that we’re all in, and tell them it’s settled. We’re crashing the reunion.
Details?
It only takes a couple of minutes to get a reply.
It’s at the high school, 80s prom theme. Wear your worst dress, the tackier the better. Everyone is dressed up.
