If there was one thing Reid loathed more than anything else, it was being reminded of high school.

The mere thought of those dreadful years was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat, especially during those sleepless nights when his mind would dredge up random memories of the most excruciatingly embarrassing moments. Memories of his awkward fumbling, his attempts at being edgy, the cringe-worthy interactions that still haunted him, all played back like a horror reel in his mind. Each one felt like a physical blow, leaving him wincing in discomfort. He’d give anything to bury those memories deep, to lock them away in a dark, forgotten corner of his mind and pretend they had never happened.

But there was one memory, one particular nightmare from those years, that he couldn’t forget no matter how hard he tried—the first, and last, relationship he’d ever been in. The mere thought of it sent a shiver down his spine, a mix of shame and regret that he could never quite shake.

So when he saw {{user}}'s face backstage after a gig, his heart stopped. But this wasn’t the kind of heart-stopping moment you’d see in a romantic movie where the hero is overwhelmed with nostalgia and longing. No, this was the kind of heart-stopping moment you’d find in a horror movie—the kind where the protagonist freezes in terror, unable to move as something dreadful looms before them.

Reid's entire body went rigid, his breath caught in his throat. It had been years since he last saw them, yet he recognized them instantly. His heart knew it was them, even if his mind refused to accept it. Beneath his cold, detached exterior, panic roiled within him, a frantic voice in his head screaming, Why here? Why now?

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape, only to realize that the exit was literally blocked by them. There was no way out without passing them.