Chapter Four: Reunion
Both girls went back to eating their respective lunches when Chloe caught sight of a dark head across the crowd. Her mouth fell open in shock and she dropped her lunch bag on the floor. Surprising Ashley, she jumped up off the bench and raced across the courtyard to where Craig Manning stood talking to Sean. Without a word she reached up and pinched his ribs.
Caught off guard, Craig jumped and spun around. There he found the last person in the world he would have expected to see. His heart leapt up into his throat and pounded like a hammer. A look of shock skidded across his face, which was quickly replaced by one of joy as he gathered her up into his arms.
"Chlo! What on earth are you doing here?" He asked, setting her down. She smiled up at him broadly.
"Same as you, I imagine, as school is mandatory for most of us. I can't believe it's you! I haven't seen you in over a year!" she cried, kissing his cheeks and quickly squeezing him again. "I missed you."
"Chloe was my best friend growing up. We were neighbors." Craig explained to the quietly dumbfounded Sean, who still stood nearby. "When you went away to school, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I missed you so much. Why'd you stop writing me?"
"I wrote you all the time. In fact, I wrote you last week to tell you I was coming back to Toronto." She replied, a look of suspicion spread across her face. "I just assumed you hadn't been writing because of your mother."
"I stopped getting letters right after my mother died. Where did you send them?" He asked, an equally suspicious look appearing on his face.
"To Joey Jeremiah's house. I assumed that's where you still lived." She replied. "You're not living with your father again, are you?"
"Joey said he'd forward anything." Craig spoke, avoiding the subject and fiddling with his shirtsleeve. He absently tugged it over his wrist bone, where Chloe was sure she saw bruising.
"Craig." She said, warning in her voice. Craig ignored it and smiled brightly.
"Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it?" I'm so glad you're home!" He cried, pulling her into another hug. Sean raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
"Craig, we've got to go to class now." Sean spoke, pulling on his shirt and gesturing toward the school. Craig nodded and kissed Chloe's forehead one last time.
"Meet me out front after school. We can catch up some more." He told her, walking back up the stairs. Chloe nodded and started back to Ashley, who had watched the whole scene from her spot on the bench. Once she had arrived back Chloe smiled apologetically.
"Sorry about that." She spoke, helping Ashley gather up the trash.
"Old friend?" Ashley asked with a grin, and Chloe smiled as the two headed back into the school.
Both girls went back to eating their respective lunches when Chloe caught sight of a dark head across the crowd. Her mouth fell open in shock and she dropped her lunch bag on the floor. Surprising Ashley, she jumped up off the bench and raced across the courtyard to where Craig Manning stood talking to Sean. Without a word she reached up and pinched his ribs.
Caught off guard, Craig jumped and spun around. There he found the last person in the world he would have expected to see. His heart leapt up into his throat and pounded like a hammer. A look of shock skidded across his face, which was quickly replaced by one of joy as he gathered her up into his arms.
"Chlo! What on earth are you doing here?" He asked, setting her down. She smiled up at him broadly.
"Same as you, I imagine, as school is mandatory for most of us. I can't believe it's you! I haven't seen you in over a year!" she cried, kissing his cheeks and quickly squeezing him again. "I missed you."
"Chloe was my best friend growing up. We were neighbors." Craig explained to the quietly dumbfounded Sean, who still stood nearby. "When you went away to school, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I missed you so much. Why'd you stop writing me?"
"I wrote you all the time. In fact, I wrote you last week to tell you I was coming back to Toronto." She replied, a look of suspicion spread across her face. "I just assumed you hadn't been writing because of your mother."
"I stopped getting letters right after my mother died. Where did you send them?" He asked, an equally suspicious look appearing on his face.
"To Joey Jeremiah's house. I assumed that's where you still lived." She replied. "You're not living with your father again, are you?"
"Joey said he'd forward anything." Craig spoke, avoiding the subject and fiddling with his shirtsleeve. He absently tugged it over his wrist bone, where Chloe was sure she saw bruising.
"Craig." She said, warning in her voice. Craig ignored it and smiled brightly.
"Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it?" I'm so glad you're home!" He cried, pulling her into another hug. Sean raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
"Craig, we've got to go to class now." Sean spoke, pulling on his shirt and gesturing toward the school. Craig nodded and kissed Chloe's forehead one last time.
"Meet me out front after school. We can catch up some more." He told her, walking back up the stairs. Chloe nodded and started back to Ashley, who had watched the whole scene from her spot on the bench. Once she had arrived back Chloe smiled apologetically.
"Sorry about that." She spoke, helping Ashley gather up the trash.
"Old friend?" Ashley asked with a grin, and Chloe smiled as the two headed back into the school.