𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙋𝙊𝙑:
Weddings weren't really my thing. Too much emotion, too many speeches, too much standing around pretending you weren't slightly uncomfortable in a suit. But today wasn't just any wedding it was one of my closest mates getting married, and I was happy to be here.

I adjusted my tie as I stepped into the venue, glancing around at the familiar faces scattered throughout the rows of chairs. Some were from school, others from football, and a few I barely recognized. I slid into my seat near the aisle, exhaling slowly as the hum of conversation settled. The music started soft, elegant, the kind that signaled everything was about to begin.

I leaned back slightly, settling in as the wedding party started their procession. The groom, the best man, the bridesmaids. I barely paid attention. Weddings all followed the same pattern, and I figured I'd sit through this part, clap in the right places, and get to the reception where the real fun happened.

Then the first bridesmaid stepped into view.

And my entire world shifted.

Avery.

My breath caught. My fingers tightened on my knee before I even realized what I was doing.

She walked down the aisle with effortless grace, her dusty blue dress flowing with every step. Her hair was longer now, cascading in soft waves over her shoulders. She looked different, more mature, more put together. But at the same time, she was still her.

Still Avery Rae.

The girl who used to challenge me to races across the playground in primary school. The girl who always had a sarcastic comment ready whenever I said something stupid in secondary school. The girl who had been one of my best mates growing up until one day, she wasn't.

I never got a warning. One day, she was there, and the next, she was gone. No goodbye. No chance to exchange numbers. Just... gone.

And now, after all these years, she was walking past me like it hadn't been over a decade since we last spoke.

Did she see me? Did she recognize me?

I couldn't tell. Her gaze stayed straight ahead, unreadable. If she did notice me, she wasn't showing it.

I barely breathed as she passed. The scent of her perfume lingered different from what I remembered, but fitting. Then, just like that, she was gone again, taking her place at the front of the room.

I forced myself to focus on the ceremony, but my thoughts kept drifting.

Avery Rae. After all this time.

The reception was in full swing by the time I found myself hovering near the bar, my fingers wrapped around a glass of whiskey I'd barely touched.

Laughter echoed through the room, music played, and people swayed on the dance floor. It was the kind of wedding reception that had the perfect mix of chaos and celebration.

But I wasn't paying attention to any of it.

My gaze kept finding her.

Avery stood across the room with a group of bridesmaids, drink in hand, laughing at something one of them said. She looked... happy. Comfortable. Like she belonged here.

And yet, every so often, she glanced my way.

The first time, it was quick—barely a second before she turned back to her conversation. The second time, it lasted a little longer, her eyes scanning the room before landing on me. The third time, I knew for sure. She knew exactly who I was.

My stomach flipped, but I kept my expression neutral.

Go talk to her.

The thought had been running through my mind since the second I saw her. But what was I supposed to say?

"Hey, remember me? The kid you used to be with all the time growing up?"

Instead, I stayed where I was, swirling the whiskey in my glass, pretending not to notice the way my heart picked up every time our eyes met.

Avery didn't come over either.

For all the glances, for all the unspoken words hanging between us, neither of us moved.

Maybe it was hesitation. Maybe it was the weight of the past.

Or maybe just maybe neither of us was ready to find out what would happen if we finally spoke.

Not yet.