Friday night at Biddies. Warm lights, packed booths, and the kind of buzz that clung to your skin like humidity. Karaoke night was loud, messy, and usually stupid fun. But not tonight.

Hughie sat at the edge of the booth, half-listening to Joey and Claire argue over crisps and fully aware of her — two seats down, tucked under the arm of some lad from the senior rugby squad.

He didn’t know the guy's name. Didn’t care to.

What he did care about was how she used to lean on his shoulder like that. How she used to steal his hoodies, hum songs beside him, laugh at his dumb jokes like they were the only things keeping her upright.

And now? Now she was looking everywhere but at him.

Patrick nudged him under the table. “You good?”

Hughie blinked. “Fine.”

“Liar. Come on,” Patrick said, already standing. “Let’s sing something tragic. You look like you need it.”

Before Hughie could protest, Patrick dragged him toward the stage. Someone — probably Shannon — had already queued them in for a duet. The screen lit up.

Undressed – Sombr.

Hughie exhaled a laugh. “You picked this?”

Patrick shrugged. “Felt right.”

The song started, slow and haunting. Patrick took the first verse, surprisingly steady, and Hughie let the music carry him — until the line came.

His line.

“I don't want the children of another man to have the eyes of the girl I won’t forget…”

He sang it quiet, almost like he didn’t want anyone else to hear. But she did. He knew she did.

Because when he looked up, her eyes were already on him.

And she wasn’t smiling.

The boy beside her kept talking, oblivious. But her hand had stilled on her lap, fingers curling in like she needed to hold something that wasn’t there.

They held each other’s stare for a heartbeat too long.

Just long enough.

Patrick finished the last line. Hughie handed the mic back in silence.

And as he walked past their booth, he didn’t look again.

He didn’t need to.

She was still watching him.