Sophie spent most of Sunday trying to distract herself, but her mind was a relentless loop of thoughts about Claire. She cleaned her room, rearranged her books, and even baked cookies with her mom—something she hadn't done since middle school. But no matter how busy she kept her hands, her heart felt heavy.
Later that evening, Rachel came over, plopping onto Sophie's bed with her usual flair.
"Alright, spill. You've been weirdly quiet today," Rachel said, crossing her arms.
Sophie hesitated. She wasn't sure how to put it into words, but Rachel's expectant look pushed her forward.
"Claire came by yesterday," Sophie finally admitted.
Rachel's eyebrows shot up. "Claire as in the Claire?"
"Yeah," Sophie said, sinking into the chair by her desk. "She said she wants to fix things."
Rachel let out a low whistle. "And what do you think about that?"
"I don't know," Sophie said, rubbing her temples. "It's like… part of me misses her, but the other part is scared. What if she disappears again?"
Rachel was quiet for a moment, then sat up straighter. "Look, I don't know what went down between you two, but I do know this: people change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. You just have to decide if the risk of letting her back in is worth it."
Sophie nodded, though the knot in her chest remained.
The next day at school, Sophie was still distracted. Jason noticed almost immediately.
"Earth to Sophie," he said during lunch, waving a hand in front of her face.
"Sorry," Sophie muttered, poking at her salad.
"What's going on?" he asked, leaning closer.
Sophie sighed. "Claire showed up at my house."
Jason blinked. "Whoa. That's… unexpected."
"Tell me about it," Sophie said, rolling her eyes.
Jason tilted his head, studying her. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know," Sophie admitted. "Part of me wants to forgive her, but another part just… doesn't trust her."
Jason nodded slowly. "You don't have to decide right away, you know. Take your time. Figure out what feels right."
His calm, steady presence was like a balm to her frayed nerves. Sophie smiled faintly. "Thanks, Jason."
"Anytime," he said, his voice soft.
That night, Sophie sat by her window, looking out at the stars. Her thoughts felt tangled, like a string of lights with one bulb missing.
She picked up her phone, scrolling to Claire's contact. Her thumb hovered over the call button, her heart racing. Then, with a shaky breath, she set the phone down.
"Not yet," she whispered to herself.
For now, she needed space to untangle her feelings. Claire's return had opened a door Sophie wasn't sure she was ready to walk through.