Page 2 of Untamed Reunion

“Yeah, okay you’re right.”

“I know I am,” she giggles, “Hey, I need to run to finish up some things before I head over there. Are we still good for two?”

“Yep! Two is great.”

“Okay love you.”

“Love you too,” I say before the line disconnects. I take a moment to get my shit together because she’s totally right. I’m not going to let tonight be ruined because of the possibility of seeing him there.

I busy myself with the last of the packing before plopping into my chair.

“Tonight is going to be great,” I say to myself.

Chapter 2

Callum

Seeing Hazel was a refreshing shock to my system. She dyed her hair from her normal brown color. I like it on her, it’s fitting. Her lips are still pink and plush, her brown doe eyes that say so much without her uttering a word.

I have only been back in town for a day, and honestly, I’m not sure what I expected. I didn’t know where she ended up after we broke up. After trying to reach out a few times once her parents had passed, and no response, I gave up. I knew she was hurting and I didn’t want to cause any more bad feelings.

I sit on my bed with my phone in my hand, scrolling through our last text messages. It was such a dark time for her, I didn’t know how to react. I was also younger and knew less about the world as it is. My reaction could’ve been better, but the past is the past.

I was planning on going to the harvest festival by myself tonight, just to mingle and get some food before retiring for thenight, but now that I know she’s still in town, I think my plans may change.

Before I can think too much about it, I call Johnathan. The phone rings a few times before he answers.

“Hello?”

“Hey man, it’s Callum.”

“Hey dude! What’s up? Long time no talk.”

“Yeah, I know. I uh- left pretty abruptly. I just couldn’t be around anymore after everything.”

“I get it, but anyway, enough about the past. What’s going on?”

“Well, I’m back in town and was wondering if you’re going to Harvest Fest tonight?”

“You best believe we are! There’s a group of us going and we’re meeting some others there.”

“Do you mind if I tag along?”

“Nah, I don’t care. We’re meeting at five. I’ll come pick you up at, say, four-thirty?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, man.”

“Yeah don’t mention it.”

I hang up the phone and laugh at myself. I have to pull together a costume, especially if we’re going to be meeting up with other people. I can’t say that I don’t hope I run into Hazel while I’m there. Even better if she’s still friends with them and we’re forced to hang out all night. I’ve missed her. I’ve missed her touch and having her smart-ass comments following me everywhere I go.

As I lay back, my golden retriever, Butter, jumps up on the bed with me. I scratch her head, thinking about everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours. I’ve signed on property, moved back into my parent’s house, ran into my ex-girlfriend that I still think about, and now I’m meeting up with my old friends from college. I've known them for seven years, technically. I graduated five years ago but moved away two, soI'm not sure that time counts. I'm twenty-nine now, so the math would add up.

I wonder if she still thinks about me.

Four thirty rolls around and Johnathan shows up right on time. It’s kind of emotional seeing him, it’s been so long. We give each other a hug, pulling back before I start crying on him. I’ve always been a cryer, my parents taught me that it’s a healthy way to express emotions and that, even as a man, I’m allowed to. None of that ‘men don’t cry’ bullshit rhetoric.

I get in the car and it’s non-stop conversation between the two of us. It’s like no time has passed at all. We talk about anything and everything as the scenery passes before us. It’s like this town hasn’t changed. The small library still has the weathered paint covering the front door. ObviouslyThe Roasted Beanis still up and running with their delicious as fuck coffee. Even the college still looks like a big brick building with not much to it.

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