He saw her again—years after high school, after all the sweet, silent stares and missed chances. But this time, the warmth of nostalgia chilled his spine. She wasn’t the girl he remembered; she moved with intent, like a lioness in a world that once caged her. He used to be the one who watched, loved quietly, prey to her absence. Now, under her gaze, he felt hunted. There was no shyness in her smile—only recognition, and something deeper. Something primal.

“Hey,” he said, forcing his voice steady. “Long time no see.”

She stepped closer, and he swallowed. Too close.