Chapter 2

I stood frozen, my eyes locked on them like if I blinked, the image would disappear, it didn’t…

“This can’t be real, it can’t be happening” that kept ringing in my head.

She was still smiling, still holding on to his arm.

And he…. He was looking right at me.

My heart slammed violently against my chest.

No.

No, no, no.

He remembers.

The thought hit me so hard I could feel my feet trembling.

I staggered back slightly, my fingers tightening around my bag as panic crawled up my throat.

He remembers!

There was no way he didn’t.

That look in his eyes… it wasn’t confusion.

It wasn’t unfamiliar.

It was recognition.

Like he knew exactly who I was.

Like he had known from the first moment he saw me.

My stomach twisted.

I turned quickly, breaking eye contact, my breathing uneven as I tried to steady myself.

Think!

Just think.

Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe I was overthinking.

Maybe he didn’t remember anything from last night.

Maybe….

“Where did you disappear to?”

Her soft calm yet concerned voice cut through my thoughts.

I flinched.

Turning slowly, I forced a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.

“I I I just… needed some air,” I stammered.

She studied me carefully, her gaze lingering on my face longer than usual.

“You don’t look okay.”

“I’m fine.” The lie came out too fast.

Too easy.

She stepped closer, her hand brushing lightly against my arm.

“You sure?” she asked softly. “You left without telling me.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” I replied quickly, avoiding her eyes.

That was safe.

That was normal.

That was believable.

Right?

She didn’t respond immediately.

For a moment, it felt like she was trying to read something beneath my words.

Then she smiled.

And just like that, everything felt worse.

“Come,” she said gently, taking my hand. “There’s someone I want you to properly meet.”

My heart dropped.

No.

Anything but that.

I tried to pull back, but her grip tightened just enough to stop me.

“You’ve been avoiding him all night,” she teased lightly.

Avoiding him?

If only she knew.

My feet felt heavy as she led me forward, each step bringing me closer to the one person I never wanted to stand in front of again.

My pulse roared in my ears.

Maybe he’ll pretend.

Maybe he’ll act like nothing happened.

Please… just act like nothing happened.

We stopped.

I didn’t look up.

I couldn’t.

“this is my sister,” she said warmly. “I told you about her.”

Silence, for a second too long.

“I know.”

The voice was calm, deep but firm.

Familiar in a way that made my chest tighten painfully.

My breath caught.

Slowly… I lifted my head.

And there he was.

No shadows this time.

No blurred edges.

No confusion.

Just him.

Watching me.

His expression unreadable.

But his eyes…

His eyes said everything.

Recognition.

Awareness.

And something darker I couldn’t name.

“You disappeared this morning,” he added quietly.

My entire body went cold.

Morning?

He remembered.

Every Single Thing.

“I… I don’t know what you mean,” I managed to say, even though my voice barely held.

His gaze didn’t leave mine.

Not even for a second.

“Don’t you?”

The way he said it—

Low, certain.

Almost like a challenge.

I felt exposed.

Like he could see every thought running through my head.

Like he knew I was lying.

Like he was waiting to see how far I would go to deny it.

My sister laughed softly, completely unaware of the tension suffocating the space between us.

“You two are already getting along,” she said, clearly pleased. “That’s good.”

Getting along?

If only she knew.

I forced a small smile, my hands clenched at my sides to stop them from shaking.

“I think I should go, I need to freshen up” I said suddenly.

Too fast.

Too desperate.

Both of them noticed.

My sister frowned. “Already?”

“I’m just… tired.”

That part, at least, was true.

Tired of pretending.

Tired of standing here like nothing had happened.

Tired of feeling like I was about to fall apart at any second.

“Stay a little longer,” she insisted gently.

Before I could respond…..

“You can leave if you want.”

His voice again.

Calm, controlled.

But there was something else beneath it.

Something that made my skin prickle.

My sister glanced at him, surprised.

He didn’t look at her once.

His eyes were fixed still on me.

Locked. Unmoving.

“Just don’t think leaving changes anything.”

Everything around me paused.

My heart dropped straight to my stomach.

Because in that moment…

I understood something I wasn’t ready to face.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

And somehow…

He wasn’t going to let me forget it, not anytime soon.