You never forgot her.

Even after all these years, her face—the mischievous grin, the way her hair caught the sunlight, the spark in her eyes—haunted your memory. Marie Avgeropoulos had been your childhood crush, the girl next door who made your heart race with every glance, every laugh, every shared secret in the backyard.

Life moved on, of course. School ended, people scattered, and you buried the memories under jobs, responsibilities, and the humdrum of adult life.

Then she walked into your favorite coffee shop one rainy afternoon, holding a worn-out book and looking exactly like you remembered—except somehow more grown-up, more… real.

“Hey,” she said softly, as if she recognized something in you that no one else had. “It’s been a while.”