Homeless Vain

28

What was I thinking when I decided to go to the reunion? Was it simply because Kevin had assured me?

If that was the only reason, I'd be proudly announced that I'd made a very wrong decision.

Everything seemed okay at the very beginning. I mingled around Daisy and Evelyn while the boys had fled away to gather around their own circle.

Me and the girls also had interacted with few girls in our class back then, asking cliche questions like 'how are you doing?' , 'where are you working now?' and all.

Until one time, suddenly I was left alone.

Daisy and Andy left for some sightseeing while the other love bird Jacob-and-Evelyn were mingling around some people they're close to.

Sigh.

If only Faye was here, I probably won't be alone. Read again: probably.

It had been 10 minutes since I stayed outside the hall, leaning against the wall, eyes shut closed. I was hearing on my own furious heartbeats like it was some sort of music played only for me. In my head, there seemed to have a music sheet written down and I'd been singing to it.

You're gonna be fine. Just calm down.

"Take it easy, Ivy," I enchanted, rubbing my hands together in order to warm them up.

It was way too cold that I felt my hands and feet frosting up despite the bright sun shining from the sky.

My anxiety was kicking in.

"Ivy?"

I gasped, flinching as my head whipped towards the direction from where the voice came from. My hand was placed on my chest, the adrenaline was rushing all over my body.

He stood there, brows slightly scrunching as if he was studying me. Kevin most probably noticed my trembling hands and the way I breathed heavily, he scooted closer with concerns written on his face.

"Are you okay? Need something?" his head tilted, finding for my eyes.

"No...," it came out breathy, I nearly sounded panting. "Just need few minutes to calm down."

He nodded, mirroring my posture against the wall but he had his hands pocketed.

"How do you find me?" I asked, to distract myself from the daze I was in. Hopefully I won't be rambling. "Is it a coincidence or-"

"Chanhee told me he saw you walked out," he cut me off. "So, I was thinking to check on you. Where are your girls?"

I chuckled, "they lovebirds have been flying everywhere to God knows where."

Silence.

It wasn't really uncomfortable but it was disturbing. Seeing him here had somehow brought my mind back to the earlier in Chanhee's house, where the accident occurred.

I thought he would've felt uncomfortable too to be around me after that. Even our car ride was silent, only the music from the radio was filling in the gap.

But here he was, standing next to me, away from hundreds schoolmates he probably close to inside.

"Kevin, you can go. I'll be fine here." I blurted, not really thinking.

He rolled his head towards me, with a blank stare. His thin lips slightly apart as if he was thinking about something I wished I knew.

It scared me to think whether I'd chosen wrong words but suddenly his lips pursed together, spreading into a smile.