From the moment she woke up, Eleanor felt a lightness in her chest, a sense of buoyant anticipation. The day stretched before her, an expanse of possibilities. She hummed a tuneless melody as she got ready, her movements quick and decisive. The prospect of the reunion filled her with a joyful energy.
She arrived at the restaurant, beaming, already visualizing the scene: the laughter, the catching-up, the shared memories. She scanned the room, her eyes darting from face to face, searching for her old friend, David. She found him at a corner table.
“David!” she cried out, her voice filled with delight as she approached. She’d spent weeks preparing. He looked up, his expression guarded.
“Eleanor? What are you doing here?” he asked, a crease appearing between his eyebrows. She'd pictured the warm embrace, the nostalgic conversation, the ease of their old connection.
“The reunion! Our high school reunion!” she replied, her smile wavering. “You remember, right? We talked about it for months!” But David shook his head. “Eleanor, that was last year. I thought we were meeting for dinner, just us. I remembered some details different, I thought." A hollow feeling settled in her gut.