A Chance Encounter

As I silently perused through the bedding department trying to decide whether to get the floral pattern or the solid colored sheets to replace the ones my sons thought would make great capes, I’m startled at the sound of my name. I look up seeing someone I think I graduated high school with. Granted, he does look ten years old. Wow, was it really ten years ago that I graduated high school?

“Molly, hey. This is so weird. I didn’t know you lived around here.” He states coming over to give me a hug. I smile politely as I try to remember his name. Peter? No, he was the one with pale skin and dark gray eyes. I look at this person’s face seeing that he has blue eyes. Who had blue eyes?  Johnny? It can’t be Johnny; I heard recently that he lives overseas. How about Jake? Maybe, he’s Jake. He has to be Jake. Although, I don’t remember talking to him very much in high school. Our relationship back than was the no-touch kind. If I think about it that was our first hug ever.

“Jake, how are you? What are you doing here?” I ask only with a few seconds delay. I’m hoping it played off like shock and not confusion.

“I just moved here last month. My house is really delightful. Here, I’ll show you a picture of it.” He pulls out his phone going to his picture folder looking for the picture of his house. “How are you?” He questions still sliding through his photos.

“Okay, I guess. My kids thought it would be funny to destroy my bedding. So, I’m here to get new ones.” I reply still mostly thinking about which style of sheets I should get.

“You have kids?” He asks looking up at me in surprise.

“Yeah, I have two boys. Jordan and Wen. They are adorable most of the time.” I pull out my phone showing him the picture of them that is set as my background.

“They are cute kids.” He says as he turns holding up his phone for me to see his new home. The house is very beautiful. One of those Victorians with the bay windows. I reach out for the phone to take a closer look and Jake lets me take it. As I was attempting to zoom in the photo changed. This wouldn’t have been anything unusual if the photo wasn’t of me.

“Ugh, Jake, why do you have a photo of me from ten years ago on your phone?” Jake clumsily takes the phone away from me obviously embarrassed.

“I didn’t know that was there.” He says putting his phone back in his pocket. As I thought more about that picture, I knew where it was taken and who had taken it.

“Why did Howard give you that picture of me?” I ask a little freaked out that Jake, someone I was only slightly acquainted to, has a picture of me still after ten years.

“It’s a long story and not very funny.” Jake says trying to get out of explaining why he has a photo from me that someone else took.

“Tell me. I want to know.” I say crossing my arms as I do when I want to get the truth out of my children.

“Okay, I had this huge crush on you in high school and Howard sent me the picture with a taunting message about how you would never like me. I guess I kept the picture and deleted the text message but I forgot I even had it. I swear. I’ll even delete it right now.” He says taking out his phone and making a show of him deleting my photo from the phone.

“Thank you. So, what else is new?” I ask wanting to change the subject.

“Do you remember Peter?” I nod waiting for him to continue. “He died last year.” I turn away from Jake grabbing the first bed set I can and walk away. I can’t believe he just said that so nonchalantly.  No wonder I never talked to him back in high school.