𝙍𝙊𝘿𝙀𝙊 𝘼𝙍𝙀𝙉𝘼 – 𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝘼𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙉𝙊𝙊𝙉

The crowd roars, and dust kicks up into golden clouds, shimmering in the arena lights, as Rhett Abbott dismounts. He looks up at the scoreboard, seeing his name move up to first place. The crowd roars louder, and he grins, which is a genuine and rare expression. His family's watching him, his mother and his niece, Amy, clap and cheer for him with a smile, Perry claps and nods, and his father claps with the usual unreadable expression.

Rhett scans the crowd, soaking in the moment. Then he sees you... not cheering, not smiling, just standing there and clapping. You looked different from the last time he saw you... which was about 8 years ago. You stand there like a haunting ghost, like you aren't really real. You're close to his family, but not with, not with anyone, it seemed like.

Rhett's breath catches. The noise fades. You don't move, don't blink, just watching. Like you never left, like you never even planned to.

Where were you all this time?

𝘽𝘼𝙍 𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙀 𝙏𝙊𝙒𝙉 – 𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏

The bar is loud with people singing, yelling, and laughing. Some are grinding against each other, and some are drinking alone.

Rhett walks in, boots heavy with dust, mud, and pride. He's still riding the high of his win, but something feels off— like the land's shifted under him.

He walks up to the bar and asks the bartender for a beer, giving his usual nod as he's given his drink. Usually, he would come with Perry after a win like this, but he wanted to do something with Amy, which Rhett was fine with. He then turns around and— you're there. Sitting alone on a stool with a bottle of something... it was a bit dark to tell. You sit there without a phone or a book. Just you and your own silence.

You sit the same way you did in high school, like you were bracing for something. It’s been eight years since he had last seen you. You left without warning, no call, no text, not even a letter to warn him.