As I sat flipping through my old school photos, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over me. It had been 20 years since I graduated, but looking at the pictures made it feel like just yesterday.

There I was—young Joana Cooper, with that silly, hopeful smile plastered on my face, and beneath my yearbook photo, a cheesy quote I once thought was so profound:

“Love is a two-person job.”

I laughed at how naive I had been back then, but my laughter quickly faded as my eyes landed on his photo. Chad Barns. My high school crush. The boy who had captured my heart for years.

I had been head over heels for Chad back then—leaving secret love notes in his locker, trying to flirt in my awkward teenage way, and even stuffing valentines into his backpack when I thought no one was looking.

I was convinced we’d end up together, that he was the one.

I imagined our future so vividly, right down to our wedding day. But here I was, 38 years old, still single, and still wondering what had gone wrong.

Why had Chad suddenly shut me out all those years ago? He had ghosted me just before graduation, leaving me confused and heartbroken.

I hadn’t spoken to him since, but the memory of him still haunted me, even after all this time.

Just as I started to sink deeper into my thoughts, the doorbell rang, pulling me back to the present.

I set the photo album aside and went to open the door. My best friend Lora stood there, her usual bright smile lighting up her face.

“Ready for the school reunion, bestie?” she asked, her excitement contagious.

I hesitated, leaning against the doorframe.

“Honestly, Lora, I’m not sure I want to go.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

“Why not? What happened?”

I let out a deep sigh.

“I was just going through my old photos, and it brought back a lot of memories. You know, about Chad.”

Lora rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms.

“Chad Barns? You’re still hung up on that after 20 years?”

“I know it sounds ridiculous,” I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“But it still stings. We were so close, and then he just stopped talking to me, like I didn’t mean anything to him.”

Lora stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Look, maybe he won’t even show up tonight. And even if he does, don’t let it ruin your night. This reunion is about catching up with old friends and having fun, not reopening old wounds.”

I forced a smile, trying to push my insecurities aside.

“You’re right. But if he’s there… I’ll make sure he remembers exactly what he missed.”

Lora grinned.

“That’s the spirit.”

I was nervous the entire drive to the school reunion. My fingers tapped nervously against my lap, and I kept glancing out the window, lost in a whirlwind of emotions.

What if Chad showed up? What if he didn’t? A part of me wasn’t sure which would be worse.
My heart felt like it was lodged in my throat, and the closer we got, the harder it was to breathe.

As we arrived at the venue, I glanced at my reflection in the rearview mirror one last time, adjusting my hair and smoothing down the fabric of my dress.

I couldn’t shake the nerves that clung to me like a second skin.

“Joan, you look gorgeous. Seriously, stop worrying about Chad—this is your night,” Lora said, her voice soft but firm.

“We’re going to have fun, okay?”

I gave her a weak smile, but the knot in my stomach wouldn’t loosen. “Thanks,” I muttered, still fidgeting with my dress.

“But what if he doesn’t come? I feel like a fool getting all worked up over this. It’s been so long, Lora.”

“You’re not a fool,” Lora said, rolling her eyes as if I had said something ridiculous.

“Honestly, if he does show up, don’t waste your energy on him. Let him see what he missed, and let’s make this night about us, not him.”

Her confidence was contagious, and for a moment, I felt reassured. We stepped out of the car and headed toward the entrance, but with every step, my heart pounded harder.

The school loomed in front of me, bringing back a flood of memories—some good, some painful. I couldn’t believe I was walking back into this chapter of my life.

The reunion felt like stepping into a time machine. Familiar faces greeted us, people I hadn’t seen in years, some who had barely changed, others I barely recognized.

Laughter filled the air as old friends caught up, shared stories, and reminisced about the good old days. I was starting to relax, even enjoying myself, until I saw him.

Chad Barns.

My heart skipped a beat as I spotted him across the room. He looked different—older, yes, but still handsome in that rugged, confident way I remembered.

He had a neatly trimmed beard now, and as soon as our eyes met, he smiled. A warm, familiar smile that hit me harder than I expected. All the anger and confusion I had buried deep inside for years rushed to the surface.

Why did he shut me out all those years ago? Why had he left me hanging without a word?

Before I could do anything—before I could even process what I was feeling—Lora grabbed my arm, gently but firmly pulling me in the opposite direction.

“Remember what I said,” she whispered, her voice steady. “Don’t talk to him.”

“Okay,” I muttered, trying to follow her advice, but part of me was screaming to finally confront Chad, to demand the answers I had been waiting for all these years.

Later in the evening, after we had chatted with a few more classmates, Lora accidentally spilled her drink on her dress. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, looking down at the dark stain.