Lara's eyes widened in shock as the figure stepped into the light. It was Rachel, her ex-best friend from high school.
"Rachel?" Lara's voice was barely a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
Rachel's smile was hesitant. "I heard about _Sweet Dreams_. I wanted to see it for myself."
Lara's mind spun. She and Rachel had been inseparable in high school, until they'd had a falling out the summer after graduation. They hadn't spoken since.
"What do you want, Rachel?" Lara asked, her tone guarded.
Rachel glanced around the bakery, taking in the cozy decor, the display cases filled with treats. "I wanted to apologize, Lara. For everything that happened between us."
Lara's surprise turned to caution. "It's been years. Why now?"
Rachel's eyes dropped. "I've thought about you often. About what could've been. I realized I never got closure, and I wanted to make amends."
Lara shook her head, a mix of emotions swirling. "It's too late for that."
Rachel nodded, her expression understanding. "I know. But I wanted you to know I'm sorry. And I'd love to catch up, if you're willing."
Lara hesitated. Part of her wanted to reconnect with the friend she'd lost. Part of her was wary. What did Rachel really want?
"I'll think about it," Lara said finally.
Rachel nodded, a small smile on her face. "That's all I can ask."
As Rachel turned to leave, Lara stopped her. "How did you know about _Sweet Dreams_?"
Rachel glanced back. "Alex told me."
Lara's eyes narrowed. "Alex?"
Rachel nodded. "We kept in touch over the years. He told me about you opening a bakery here."
Lara's thoughts swirled. Alex and Rachel were in touch? What did that mean? Was Alex trying to stir up old connections?
"Thanks for stopping by," Lara said, her tone neutral.
Rachel nodded and left.
Lara stood there, lost in thought. Alex was weaving threads she didn't understand.
The bakery was quiet again, the night wrapping around her like a shroud.
Suddenly, the lights flickered and died.
Lara's heart skipped. She was plunged into darkness.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice shaking.
No response.
The silence was oppressive.
And then, footsteps. Soft, deliberate, coming from the back of the bakery.
Lara's breath caught.
Someone was in the bakery. With her.
Her mind racing, Lara felt for the phone in her pocket. She'd call for help.
But as she pulled it out, the screen flickered – a message from an unknown number: "Don't be afraid."
Lara's heart pounded. Who was this? Alex? Rachel? Someone else?
The footsteps stopped.
The silence was deafening.
And then, a whisper in her ear. "Lara..."
She spun, but there was no one there.
The lights flickered back on. The bakery was empty.
Lara breathed hard, her heart still racing. What was going on?
The message on her phone lingered: "Don't
Lara's eyes widened in shock as the figure stepped into the light. It was Rachel, her ex-best friend from high school.
"Rachel?" Lara's voice was barely a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
Rachel's smile was hesitant. "I heard about _Sweet Dreams_. I wanted to see it for myself."
Lara's mind spun. She and Rachel had been inseparable in high school, until they'd had a falling out the summer after graduation. They hadn't spoken since.
"What do you want, Rachel?" Lara asked, her tone guarded.
Rachel glanced around the bakery, taking in the cozy decor, the display cases filled with treats. "I wanted to apologize, Lara. For everything that happened between us."
Lara's surprise turned to caution. "It's been years. Why now?"
Rachel's eyes dropped. "I've thought about you often. About what could've been. I realized I never got closure, and I wanted to make amends."
Lara shook her head, a mix of emotions swirling. "It's too late for that."
Rachel nodded, her expression understanding. "I know. But I wanted you to know I'm sorry. And I'd love to catch up, if you're willing."
Lara hesitated. Part of her wanted to reconnect with the friend she'd lost. Part of her was wary. What did Rachel really want?
"I'll think about it," Lara said finally.
Rachel nodded, a small smile on her face. "That's all I can ask."
As Rachel turned to leave, Lara stopped her. "How did you know about _Sweet Dreams_?"
Rachel glanced back. "Alex told me."
Lara's eyes narrowed. "Alex?"
Rachel nodded. "We kept in touch over the years. He told me about you opening a bakery here."
Lara's thoughts swirled. Alex and Rachel were in touch? What did that mean? Was Alex trying to stir up old connections?
"Thanks for stopping by," Lara said, her tone neutral.
Rachel nodded and left.
Lara stood there, lost in thought. Alex was weaving threads she didn't understand.
The bakery was quiet again, the night wrapping around her like a shroud.
Suddenly, the lights flickered and died.
Lara's heart skipped. She was plunged into darkness.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice shaking.
No response.
The silence was oppressive.
And then, footsteps. Soft, deliberate, coming from the back of the bakery.
Lara's breath caught.
Someone was in the bakery. With her.
Her mind racing, Lara felt for the phone in her pocket. She'd call for help.
But as she pulled it out, the screen flickered – a message from an unknown number: "Don't be afraid."
Lara's heart pounded. Who was this? Alex? Rachel? Someone else?
The footsteps stopped.
The silence was deafening.
And then, a whisper in her ear. "Lara..."
She spun, but there was no one there.
The lights flickered back on. The bakery was empty.
Lara breathed hard, her heart still racing. What was going on?
The message on her phone lingered: "Don't be afraid."
But afraid of what?