As Claire made her way out of the party, she pulled out her phone and dialed Cassy. The call went unanswered at first, but Claire tried again, and this time, Cassy picked up.
"Claire?" Cassy's voice was muffled by the loud music in the background.
"I'm heading home," Claire said, her tone steady but distant.
"Already? Why?" Cassy sounded surprised.
"I just... I'm not in the mood to stay. You should enjoy yourself, though," Claire replied.
"Are you sure? I can come with you," Cassy offered, but Claire shook her head, even though Cassy couldn't see her.
"No, Cassy. Stay. Have fun. I'll text you when I'm home," Claire insisted.
After a brief pause, Cassy finally relented. "Alright. Take care, Claire. And let me know when you're back safely."
"I will," Claire said before ending the call.
Stuffing her phone into her bag, Claire walked toward the parking lot, the cool night air brushing against her skin. Her thoughts were clouded, replaying the sight of Noah and Olivia together. It wasn't jealousy exactly—at least, that's what she told herself. But there was something about the way they looked together that made her feel... off.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice the figure leaning casually against a black car near hers. He straightened as she approached, and as the dim streetlights illuminated his face, she froze in her tracks.
"Adam?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Adam Lawson, the boy she had dated in her last year of school, now stood before her. He was older, sharper, and more refined, but his warm smile and confident posture were exactly as she remembered.
"Claire Harper," Adam greeted, his deep voice laced with amusement. "I thought I saw you earlier. It's been a while."
"It has," Claire said, regaining her composure. "I didn't know you'd be here."
Adam shrugged, his smile widening. "I wasn't planning to, honestly. Business keeps me busy, but I thought this would be a good chance to reconnect with old friends."
"Reconnecting, huh?" Claire asked, folding her arms. "Is that your way of saying you've been avoiding everyone?"
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You've always been sharp, Claire. No, not avoiding—just... occupied."
His gaze lingered on her, and for a moment, Claire felt the weight of their shared history. She had dated Adam during her final year of school, but it hadn't been out of love. He had been her distraction, a way to forget the feelings she didn't want to confront for someone else.
"You look great," Adam said, breaking the silence.
"Thanks," Claire replied, her voice neutral. "You do too. How's life treating you?"
Adam gave her a small smile. "Better than I deserve, probably. The family business is thriving, and I've been traveling a lot for work. But enough about me—what about you? Hollywood superstar, right?"
Claire's lips curved into a faint smile. "Taking a break from it all for now."
"Good for you," Adam said earnestly. "You always did know when to step back and focus on yourself."
Claire tilted her head, studying him. Adam had always been easy to talk to, someone who made her feel safe. She had never loved him, but she had been comfortable with him in a way that had kept her grounded back then.
Before she could say anything more, a voice from the party called out to Adam, pulling his attention away.
"I should probably go back," Adam said reluctantly, glancing over his shoulder. "But it's really good to see you, Claire. Maybe we'll catch up properly soon?"
"Yeah," Claire said softly, watching as he walked away.
As she got into her car, Claire let out a long sigh. First Noah, now Adam. It felt like her past was unraveling all at once, forcing her to confront emotions she had buried long ago.
Tonight, the ghosts of her old life had found her again, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face them.