By Wednesday, the initial awkwardness of Sophie and Claire's renewed interactions had begun to soften, but it was still fragile ground. Sophie focused on her classes, trying to compartmentalize her emotions. However, as fate would have it, life wasn't ready to give her a break.
In her history class, Mrs. Daniels stood at the front of the room with her usual air of enthusiasm. "All right, class! We're starting a new group project today."
Groans echoed across the room.
"Before you protest, let me remind you that this will count for 25% of your final grade. So, I suggest you take it seriously," Mrs. Daniels added with a pointed look.
Sophie sighed. Group projects always felt like a gamble—sometimes you got lucky with great teammates, but other times…
"Pairing will be random," Mrs. Daniels continued, a mischievous glint in her eye.
The groans grew louder. Sophie exchanged a wary glance with Jason, who sat a row behind her.
Mrs. Daniels began calling out names, pairing students up with an efficiency that suggested she'd been planning this for weeks.
"And lastly," she said, "Sophie Carter and Claire Monroe."
Sophie froze. Of course.
Later, as the class filed out, Claire approached Sophie with a small smile. "Looks like we're stuck together."
Sophie exhaled sharply. "It's fine. Let's just focus on getting a good grade."
Claire nodded. "We can meet at my place after school, if that works?"
"Sure," Sophie said, trying to sound neutral.
By the time Sophie arrived at Claire's house, she was already regretting agreeing to meet. The house was the same as she remembered—tidy, warm, and filled with small personal touches that reflected Claire's family.
"Come on in," Claire said, leading Sophie to her room.
The room hadn't changed much either. The walls were still lined with photos, a mix of family vacations and snapshots of their childhood. Sophie hesitated by the doorway, her gaze lingering on a framed photo of the two of them from middle school.
"I've been meaning to take that down," Claire said quietly, noticing Sophie's stare.
Sophie shook her head. "Leave it. It's... a good memory."
They got to work quickly, diving into the details of their project—a presentation on key historical figures from the 20th century. Claire was surprisingly focused, jotting down notes and brainstorming ideas.
"Do you remember how we used to argue over who got to present?" Claire asked suddenly, a wistful smile on her lips.
Sophie snorted. "You always won. You loved the spotlight."
Claire laughed. "Guilty as charged. I guess some things never change."
For the first time in weeks, Sophie felt the tension between them ease slightly. It wasn't much, but it was enough to remind her of why they had been friends in the first place.
As Sophie left Claire's house that evening, she felt a mix of emotions—nostalgia, hope, and the persistent ache of old wounds. But she also felt something else: a faint glimmer of possibility.