Page 24 of Second Chance Ex
My phone vibrates again but this time, I choose to ignore it and go back to my laptop, making notes of the upcoming state testing changes, trying my darndest to pay attention. But my phone vibrates at least another two times, and I shake my head at myself.
Madison is incessant. It’s been like this for the last four days. She’s turned into my very own personal stalker. She’s not even been engaged two weeks and I’m already sensing some serious Bridezilla vibes. Harassing me with constant calls, text messages, screenshots of shoes she thinks will work well with the bridesmaids’ dresses. I get it, it’s her wedding, but it’s just been a lot.
Once the meeting is over, I file out of the room with everyone else, checking my phone, expecting a slew of notifications from Madison, but all I see is an unknown number.
Curiosity gets the better of me and as I open my textmessages, and I’m brought to a complete and sudden standstill by the words on the screen.
Unknown: Hey, Prue, it’s Joey. I was hoping you might have some time to get together, maybe discuss a few things?
Unknown: Let me know when you’re free.
I stare at the words on my phone, at the unknown number, although, now that I look at it, the last three digits do look somewhat familiar. I deleted Joey from everything when we broke up, including my contacts. At first, I changed his name, but I couldn’t risk dialingDO NOT CALLduring one of my drunken moments of weakness. I knew that if an emergency arose, I could always get his number from Madison if I needed it. But I couldn’t have it on hand. It was safer to delete. I assumed Joey had deleted me too. And maybe he did. But he’s texting me now.
Someone runs into me from behind, and I’m almost trampled to the floor. I turn to find Gavin, the computer lab teacher who is on the verge of retirement and therefore no longer a people person. He huffs, glowering down at me like how dare I even consider getting in his way. I mutter an apology and scurry off to the side, still staring at the words on my phone, racking my brain as I make my way along the winding corridor toward my classroom.
Get together to discuss a few things.
What could Joey possibly want to discuss? Is it me? Us? Is it about the moment we almost shared in the bathroom? I knew he felt it too.
My heart races and my palms are positively sweating by the time I make it back to my classroom. I take my seat behind my desk, eyes still glued to my phone. But then, right as I’m staring at it, it starts vibrating with a call and I almost die. But then I notice Madison’s name and I release a frustrated breath.
“Hey, Maddy.” I sigh.
“Hey, have you had a chance to look at the invite yet?”
“I literally just got back to my classroom.” I roll my eyes.
She laughs, but it’s one of those grating laughs, full of irritation and entirely void of humor. “Prue, this is mywedding. It’s kind of a big deal. We really need to get the invitations printed and sent out by COB tomorrow.”
COB? Who actually saysCOBin conversation? I get the distinct feeling she doesn’t even know what it stands for. Closing my eyes, I pinch the bridge of my nose and mentally count to three. “Okay, sure. I’ll get onto it right now.”
“Thanks, doll!”
“Hey, so, Joey texted me,” I say suddenly. I hadn’t planned on telling her. It just kind of slipped out, like subconsciously I need to talk about it.
“Huh?” Madison yells, and I suddenly hear a lot of commotion going on in the background. It sounds like she’s in a wind tunnel.
“Joey,” I say a little louder. “Hetextedme.”
“OMG, Prue, I’ve got to go. I just got home and the lawnmower guy is totally blocking my parking spot!” She sounds like she’s on the verge of tears over a goddamn parking spot. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
The line cuts out before I can respond and I balk. Shedidnotjust hang up on me. My best friend of fifteen years wouldnevercompletely disregard my feelings and hang up on me after I’ve just confided something to her as massive as my ex texting me.
I look down at my phone to find the screen black and my jaw drops. She just hung up on me.
Okay, so I’m probably angrier than I should be, and I know I should take a minute, but as I open my laptop, I barely manage to keep my emotions in check as I click on the email in my inbox with the subjectRe: Re: Re: Re: Re: Conrad/Morrow Wedding Invitation—Proof v22. I know it’s petty, but I don’t even open the attachment. Instead, I hitReply Alland typeLooks good! xsecretly hoping for at least a few blatant typos to make their way onto the guest copies.
Too busy to talk to me, herbest friend, about something as serious as Joey texting me? Screw you and your invitations, Madison Morrow.
Now, with that handled, I take a deep, cleansing breath and return to my phone.
Joey’s text messages are still there, taunting me, and I can’t help but read them a few more times, trying to decipher the words as if there’s some kind of hidden meaning behind them. Of course, I’m being absurd. But what could he possibly want to discuss with me?
Just as I’m about to tap out a response, footsteps sound on the tile floor and I look up to see Adam grinning wickedly as he walks into my class room. I quickly turn my phone over, screen down, playing it as cool as I possibly can.
“Wanna go grab a drink?” Adam asks, picking up the photo frame I keep on my desk, and looking at thepicture of Madison and me from our girls-only vacation last year to Mexico like he hasn’t looked at it at least twice daily since I put it there.
“I can’t tonight.” I think of the text messages on my phone. “I… have plans.”
