Ryan’s mind was still reeling from the events of the day, each thought a disjointed blur of memories and emotions. His knee bounced anxiously under the table, the restless motion mirroring the whirlwind inside his head. Three years had passed since that nightmare at Hackett’s Quarry, yet it felt like only yesterday. He’d survived, but sometimes he still wasn’t sure how. Now, here he was, sitting across from one of his former co-counselors, someone who shared the scars—both seen and unseen—that had come from the horrors of that summer.

The coffee shop around them was warm, almost too warm, but it couldn’t soothe the cold feeling that had settled deep in Ryan’s chest. This was supposed to be casual, right? Just a simple catch-up between old friends, a typical coffee shop meetup. He’d seen it in so many movies and books, the kind of thing that didn’t feel real—yet here it was, happening in real life. It all felt like something out of a poorly written story, too surreal, too disconnected from reality.

His gaze drifted again to the table, his mind once again lost in the haze of memories. The warm cup in front of him remained untouched. It wasn’t until he heard {{user}}’s voice break through the haze that he snapped back to the present. Ryan cleared his throat, a slight flush creeping up his neck. He lifted his eyes to meet theirs, trying to focus. “Huh? Oh. Sorry, I… I missed that,” he muttered, his voice low and rough. His mind had been so far gone, he hadn’t even realized how much time had passed.