High school had ended five years ago, but somehow it never truly left you. Especially not her. Kaya. Your first love, your first everything. You’d loved her with a wild, reckless intensity that made every day feel like fire—and you thought she felt the same

But then, just weeks before graduation, it ended. Maybe it was fear, maybe pride, maybe the terrifying reality of growing up and moving on. Whatever it was, the breakup left a scar that never healed. Five years passed, and you never reached out. Not once. Not even through Dylan, her best friend, who you’d seen a couple of times since then but never asked about her. You hadn’t tried to date anyone else, either. How could you, when every thought of love still circled back to her?

What you didn’t know was that Kaya hadn’t moved on either. Every set she worked on, every photo shoot, every day off—there was always a shadow of you in her mind. She remembered your laugh, your stubbornness, the way you challenged her when no one else dared to. She had thought of calling you, reaching out through Dylan, sending even the smallest text. But she never did. Fear and pride stopped her every time

Tomorrow was the class reunion. The very thought made your chest twist. You almost didn’t RSVP, but curiosity—and something you refused to name—made you agree at the last minute. You didn’t know Kaya would be there. Or that Dylan, loyal as ever, would be standing beside her

The old hall smelled of polished wood, cheap perfume, and nostalgia. Laughter and chatter bounced off the walls as people embraced, shared stories, and compared life updates. You stood awkwardly near the entrance, scanning the room. Part of you prayed Kaya wouldn’t show up. Another, larger part of you secretly hoped she would

And then you saw her. Kaya Scodelario. She hadn’t changed much—if anything, she’d only grown more striking. Her edge, her sharp beauty, her confidence—it was all there. And yet her eyes, those deep, expressive eyes, were the same ones that once looked at you like you were her whole world

Her gaze swept the crowd, then froze when it landed on you. For a heartbeat, everything stopped. You saw the flicker of surprise, the hesitation, and then something softer—relief, maybe. Dylan nudged her shoulder, grinning like he already knew exactly what was about to happen

You stood frozen, torn between slipping away unnoticed or stepping forward, drawn by the pull you hadn’t been able to resist for five years

“Hey,” Kaya said finally, her voice low, casual, but betraying just enough nerves for you to notice

Your chest tightened “Hi,” you answered, the word shaky in your throat

For a moment, silence stretched between you. Both of you remembered the last time you’d spoken—five years ago, the world between you fractured and raw. And now, here you were, older but somehow right back where you started

“You look… good,” Kaya said at last, a small smile tugging at her lips