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1
Dawson
Dawson stood alone in his high-rise office, gazing out across the endless skyline of New York City. He let out a sigh as a cold wave of dread washed over him. Twenty years ago, he had been a scrawny and shy teenager, the target of merciless taunting and bullying back in his small hometown of Grapevine, Texas. Now here he was, a successful billionaire tech tycoon. Apprehension still coiled within him as he considered his upcoming reunion.
Twenty years ago, he was a scared and lonely kid trying to make it through, but Maci was his one true friend. She stood for him, no matter what anyone said. The memories of being ostracized by the popular kids still stung and he’d take refuge in the back corner of the cafeteria, where Maci would meet him with a smile. She’d sit next to him and they’d talk about anything other than the school while they ate lunch together. Dawson would trudge in and out of classes like an alien among his peers. Every day, his locker was filled with insults and laughter whenever the football players were around. Sometimes, he scurried to the library as fast as he could, hoping no one would notice him in his pair of hand-me-down jeans and sneakers that had seen better days. Kids could be so cruel.
Dawson watched his parents hustle day in and day out to make ends meet. His mother worked at a bakery and a grocery store and his father worked as an auto mechanic during the day and a cook at the local diner at night. His father was up before the sun, bustling between two jobs. No matter the conditions, his father pushed him to do better. When times were tough, his father refused to give in and, together with his mother, they made sure that Dawson had all he needed. He taught Dawson the meaning of hard work and sacrifice, which eventually led to his success in the business world.
He leaned against the window, watching as the sun melted into a soft bed of pink and orange. The city was spread out before him like a technicolor quilt, twinkling in the fading light of the day. He thought about the two decades of hard work that had brought him from being a tech startup to a two billion dollar empire. There was a sense of pride and accomplishment knowing that many of the kids who had bullied him would be at the reunion, every one of them having no idea how far he had come. He was not someone who should be underestimated.
A wave of anxiety coursed through his veins at the thought of reconnecting with Maci. He remembered all the feelings he had for her that he never acted on, and now she was probably living a different life, possibly married with children. His stomach lurched at the thought - it had been years since graduation and all those intense emotions between them were still there, unspoken. His stomach was in knots and sweat ran down under his collar at the mere thought of being in the same room as her.
Dawson reluctantly tore his gaze away from the window and back to the stacks of paper on his desk. Amanda, a small woman with an ever-present clipboard and auburn hair, stood level with the desk, her pen tapping against the itinerary for his morning flight. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his disheveled mane of thick black hair as he took the clipboard Amanda handed him. The thought of returning to Grapevine was exhausting, but it was something he had to do.
“Send me an email with all the information and the link to check in tomorrow morning. Thanks, Amanda.”
She left his office, shutting the door behind her, and he was left with his thoughts. The last week had gone by so fast and he hoped this weekend would do the same. Get in and out of Grapevine as fast as possible with the least bit of ridicule. He unlocked his computer and tried to get some work done.
His hands moved deftly, years of practice evident in each action as he worked on the project. He could still remember the days from his childhood when all he wanted was to escape and make something of himself. He smiled at the thought of how naive he had been, dreaming of one day making it big and sitting here in his New York City office. He had done it and was now a success. He had done it. He had made it.
Dawson was determined to make the most of this reunion and take advantage of all the opportunities it presented. This was his chance to show everyone back home just how much he accomplished, and he was ready to seize it.
“Mr. Carter,” she said. “Your car is reserved and your first-class seat is confirmed.”
Dawson turned to her. “Thank you, Amanda. I can’t believe I’m going back to that place.”
She gave him a warm smile, her eyes filled with admiration. “Mr. Carter, you have nothing to worry about.” Amanda overheard some conversations about how awful Dawson’s childhood was at that school. “Everyone in Grapevine should be proud of you.”
Dawson gave her a grateful nod. She was right. He worked hard for this opportunity to make something of himself. And he had done it. His business had grown into an empire. But he was still humble. He always remembered where he had come from.
He stood tall and passed by Amanda to go through the lobby. His bags weren’t packed yet, but he had always been the type of person to pack for a trip the night before.
“I have the office covered, sir. Just try to enjoy yourself for the weekend.”
Dawson hadn’t taken a weekend off since he graduated Yale, and this wasn’t how he saw his first vacation going, but oh well.
He gave her a polite nod and continued on. “Have a good weekend.”
Now, there was nothing standing in the way of him attending the reunion, and he quietly wished something would come up to keep him in New York City.
2
Maci
Maci let out a deep sigh, weary from the grind. She had been in her corner office since early morning and now it was almost time to go home, but she still had to finish the daunting pile of papers Ava had brought in earlier. The papers, all glossy and pristine, seemed to all be from the same monotonous stack; financial reports, market trends, and productivity scores stacked in neat piles atop her mahogany desk. Her eyes and temples ached from a result of the strain of pouring over these reports.
She leaned back in her chair, her navy-blue power suit creasing with the movement, and looked out the window. The view of Manhattan’s skyline filled her vision with its tall, glimmering towers that seemed to stretch on forever. She watched the people below walking and talking, going about their days in the chaos of the city. She wished she could join them in their normal lives.
Maci turned away from the window, her gaze now lingering on the shelves of books in her office. Professional titles and spines filled the shelves, covering almost every inch of the wall. They stood proudly, legacies of herself and of the team she had so carefully built. The sight of them filled her with pride and accomplishment.
She worked so hard for this position, and yet here she was, a misfit in the boardroom. No matter how hard she worked or how confidently she presented herself, she still felt like she didn’t belong there. Her colleagues had their own ambitions and their own stories, yet she remained the outsider, never quite fitting in among the ranks of the upper echelons of business.
Maci shook her head, pushing away the thoughts and turning her attention back to the papers on her desk. She had to focus on the here and now. She had to finish the paperwork, get out of there, and go home. It was the only way to make it through this cycle.
She was just about to pick up the papers when her office phone rang, startling her out of her reverie. She picked up the receiver and was greeted by Ava’s familiar voice on the other end of the line.
“I hate to bother you, but I thought you might want to know that a few of the board members have arrived and requested you and John in the conference room.”
