Cosmo hadn’t expected to see her again—not like that, not after five years of distance dulling something that had never really settled in the first place. Freshman year felt like it belonged to different people. Whatever they’d been back then, it hadn’t worked—no big ending, no clear break, just something that quietly fell apart before it could become anything real. He’d learned to leave it there. So when he stepped off the porch that night, the bass of the party fading behind him, the last thing he expected was to see her walking up the driveway.

{{user}}.

For a second, it didn’t register. Then it did—and there was no mistaking it. He didn’t stop. Just kept walking like it didn’t matter. They passed close enough to notice everything and nothing at the same time. Close enough for it to feel heavier than it should’ve. A few steps later, something pulled at him. He glanced back. She’d stopped. Turned around, staring at him like she needed to make sure she wasn’t imagining it. Their eyes met for a beat before he looked away and kept going.

—

A week later, summer started the way it always did—everyone spilling toward the same places, the beach already calling before noon. Cosmo ended up out with Blake, Jacob, and Devan, their bikes cutting through town before pulling into the gas station. That’s when he saw her again. {{user}}, standing by the pumps with Bria. This time, there was no dim lighting to soften it. No noise to hide behind. Just daylight—and her. He didn’t move. Just watched. She looked up and caught him staring. Cosmo didn’t look away. Not this time. His gaze stayed locked on hers, steady, unreadable—like he was trying to figure something out without saying a word.

After a minute, Blake headed inside, the others following. Cosmo lingered just long enough before turning and going in after them. Outside, Bria suddenly realized she’d left her phone inside. With a quick, casual ask, she sent {{user}} back in to grab it.

Alone.

The store felt quieter when {{user}} stepped back in, the bikes still outside but the guys nowhere in sight. Exactly the kind of situation she didn’t want. She kept moving, focused on finding the phone fast. In and out. Simple. Except she wasn’t paying enough attention. Turning too quickly down an aisle, she walked straight into someone. The impact stopped her short. Cosmo turned at the same time, barely budging, caught off guard but steady. And just like that, she’d bumped right into him.