“Hey!” said Jimmy, smiling way too hard. Sandrine smiled back, a little horrified, and a little shocked. She couldn’t believe that—on that night of all nights—she had run into the guy that she had managed to avoid for almost a year.

But Jimmy could believe it. Because he had just been feeling that things were going to go his way that night. And it looked like they were!

He took off his Pelletier’s Heating and Cooling hat—which he had designed—and tried to straighten his hair and make himself look as good as he could. And hoped to God that Mrs. Roy was right—that he still had some looks. His work kept him in pretty good shape. He hadn’t gotten as fat as all of his friends had. He just felt short. Because Sandrine was in boots that made her taller than him. And it never bothered him when Sandrine wore shoes or boots that made her taller than him when they were together. But now that they weren’t together anymore, it bothered him for some reason.

“Hey!” Jimmy said again, still smiling way too hard and approaching Sandrine.

“Hey!” Sandrine replied, smiling back.

“Hey!” Jimmy said again, because he couldn’t figure out what else to say.

“Hey!” Sandrine responded, because—well, what else could she say?

“Heyyyy!” said Jimmy again, and he moved in on her and bear-hugged her way too long and way too hard.

Sandrine didn’t really accept the hug. And definitely didn’t return it. And may have tried to squirm out of Jimmy’s grasp. But Jimmy was so happy to see her—and hug her—that he didn’t notice her attempt to escape, and when he finally released her, he asked, “So, how you doin’?”

“I’m doin’ pretty good! How are you doin’?”

“I’m good, I’m good!” And he thought this was the truth. But then realized that it wasn’t. Because he was lonely. Bone-crushingly lonely. And seeing Sandrine made him realize just how lonely he had been since she left.

But he didn’t want Sandrine to think he was lonely. And that he wasn’t doing well. So he smiled harder. Which made him look a little maniacal.

And Sandrine smiled harder, too. Which made her look a little maniacal, too.

And then Jimmy realized that he wasn’t talking.

And that Sandrine wasn’t talking.

And Sandrine realized that she wasn’t talking.

And that Jimmy wasn’t talking.

And it got terribly awkward. So Jimmy tried to save them from the awkwardness by restarting the conversation. And asked, “How are ya?!?” And immediately realized that he had just asked a slightly different version of that question.

Sandrine gamely answered the question again honestly. “I’m good, doin’ good, great!”

“Good!” Jimmy searched for something else to say but could only manage to ask, “How are ya?” again.

“Great, great!” Sandrine nodded and smiled a lot to try to ignore all the awkwardness. Which was good of her.

Jimmy felt like he was drowning. This reunion couldn’t have been more awkward. But he didn’t let on that he felt like he was drowning and said, “Well … good!” way too enthusiastically. “That’s great!” he cheered.