𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙋𝙊𝙑:
I'd been staring at Avery all night.

Not in a weird, creepy way. At least, I hoped not. But ever since she walked down that aisle hours ago, ever since I realized she was here, my mind hadn't been able to focus on anything else.

I kept catching glimpses of her laughing with the other bridesmaids, taking sips from her drink, swaying slightly to the music as the DJ played another wedding classic. Every so often, her eyes would flick to mine, just for a second, before looking away again.

It was driving me insane.

I couldn't just sit here anymore.

So, before I had the chance to talk myself out of it, I downed the last of my whiskey, set my glass on the bar, and pushed through the crowd toward her.

Avery was mid-laugh when I reached her, and when she turned to see who had stepped up beside her, I saw it the flicker of recognition, the widening of her eyes, the way she hesitated for just a beat before speaking.

"Chris," she said, testing my name like she wasn't sure if it still fit.

"Avery," I replied, smirking slightly. "Thought that was you."

She let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "And here I was, thinking I could blend in."

"Not a chance," I said, giving her an obvious once over. "You walked past me at the ceremony, and I almost forgot I was at a wedding."

Her lips parted slightly, surprise flashing across her face before she rolled her eyes. "That's a terrible line."

I grinned. "Didn't say it was a line. Just the truth."

She tilted her head, studying me, and for the first time all night, I felt like we weren't just exchanging glances from across the room. We were here. Talking. Face to face.

And it didn't feel weird. It didn't feel awkward or forced.

It just felt... right.

"So," she said, sipping her drink. "It's been, what? Fourteen years?"

"Something like that." I rubbed the back of my neck. "You kind of disappeared on me, Rae."

Her expression softened. "I know. I didn't mean to. It all happened so fast, and we were young, and—" She exhaled. "I thought about you, though."

My chest tightened. "Yeah?"

She nodded, her lips curving slightly. "Yeah."

I smiled. "Good. Because I thought about you too."

That was all it took. The ice had been broken, and before I knew it, we were just us again talking, laughing, catching up on everything we'd missed.

We learned we both lived in London now.

We learned we both had an embarrassingly strong opinion on what counted as a proper Full English.

We learned we were drunk.

Very, very drunk.

By the time the wedding started winding down, neither of us was ready to go home. The night still felt alive, like it was too soon to call it quits.

So we didn't.

"Clubbing?" Avery suggested, eyes shining mischievously.

I hesitated for all of half a second before nodding. "Clubbing."

The club was chaos.

Neon lights. Loud music. People packed so tightly it was almost impossible to move.

And somehow, it was exactly what we needed.

Avery grabbed my hand, pulling me through the crowd, her laugh cutting through the music. "This was such a bad idea."

I grinned, tightening my grip on her fingers. "The worst."

But neither of us made a move to leave.

Instead, we drank more. We danced. I spun her around, and she crashed into me, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. She threw her arms around my neck at some point, swaying with me even though the song wasn't meant for slow dancing.

And when the club finally started to close, we stumbled out onto the pavement, breathless and still not ready for the night to end.

"Train?" she asked, her voice slightly slurred.

"Train," I agreed.

We got on the same train home.

It was mostly empty, the late hour thinning out the usual chaos of London transport. Avery sat beside me, her head tipped back against the window, her eyes half-lidded from exhaustion and alcohol.

"Tonight was fun," she murmured, her voice softer now.

I turned my head to look at her. "Yeah. It was."

She glanced at me then, and for the first time all night, I felt it that shift, that change in the air. The thing neither of us had acknowledged, but had been there since the second our eyes met at the ceremony.

Something unfinished. Something undeniable.

The train slowed as we reached the station where we'd have to go our separate ways.

Avery sighed. "This is me."

I exhaled, dragging a hand through my hair. "Yeah. And I need the other line."

We both stood, stepping off onto the platform together, the station quiet around us. Our separate trains would be here soon, the night finally coming to an end.

But just as Avery turned to say goodbye, I didn't think. I just moved.

I reached for her waist, pulling her in, and before I could second-guess myself, my lips crashed against hers.

She didn't hesitate.

She melted into me instantly, her fingers gripping the lapels of my jacket, kissing me back like this had been building for years.

Like this was exactly how the night was supposed to end.

We didn't pull away for a long time not until the distant rumble of a train reminded us we couldn't stay here forever.

Her lips were swollen, her eyes hazy as she looked up at me. "Chris."

I smirked. "Avery."

She let out a breathless laugh, stepping back slightly. "So... I'll see you soon?"

I grinned, knowing there was no chance in hell I was letting her disappear again.

"Oh, definitely." I spoke