I shouldn't have come.
That was the first thought that hit me the moment I stepped out of the car.
The building stood tall, glowing under soft golden lights—elegant, expensive… familiar.
Too familiar.
My chest tightened.
"I can still take you back."
His voice came from beside me, calm as ever.
Like he hadn't just dragged me into a memory I spent years trying to bury.
I let out a quiet breath. "You don't mean that."
A pause.
"You're right," he said.
Of course.
I almost laughed.
Inside, everything was the same.
The chandeliers.
The music.
The polished floors reflecting people who looked like they had never known embarrassment a day in their lives.
But I remembered.
I remembered everything.
My steps slowed.
"Walk," he said quietly beside me.
I shot him a look. "Don't start."
"Then don't freeze."
My jaw tightened—but I kept moving.
Because I refused to let this place win again.
"Relax."
I stiffened immediately as his hand brushed lightly against my lower back.
Not firm.
Not possessive.
Just… there.
Guiding.
My breath caught.
"Don't touch me," I said under my breath.
"Then stop looking like you're about to run."
"I'm not—"
"You are."
I snapped my mouth shut.
Because the annoying thing?
He wasn't wrong.
"Look who decided to show up."
The voice came from the left.
Sharp. Familiar.
Unwelcome.
I froze.
Slowly… I turned.
And there she was.
Same perfect smile.
Same judging eyes.
Same person who stood in that room the night everything fell apart.
"Still brave enough to come to places like this?" she continued, her gaze sweeping over me. "I'm surprised."
My fingers curled at my sides.
Not again.
Not this time.
Before I could respond—
"He brought me."
Silence.
Immediate.
I blinked.
Because that?
That wasn't me.
That was him.
All eyes shifted to him.
He didn't even look at her.
Didn't acknowledge the tension.
Just stood there—calm, controlled… solid.
"And if there's a problem with that," he added, finally meeting her gaze, "you can take it up with me."
The air changed.
Completely.
And for the first time—
I wasn't the one standing alone.
She forced a laugh. "No problem at all."
But her eyes said otherwise.
She stepped back.
Retreated.
And just like that—
The moment passed.
But the feeling?
It didn't.
I turned to him, confused. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
"That wasn't nothing."
He glanced at me briefly. "You were about to be disrespected."
"I can handle myself."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"Because I chose to."
That shut me up.
Not because I agreed.
But because I didn't understand.
We moved further into the room, but my mind wasn't there anymore.
It was slipping.
Backwards.
To that night.
The whispers.
The stares.
The way everything went quiet when I walked in—
Just like today.
But worse.
Because back then…
I didn't know what was coming.
"You remember."
His voice pulled me back.
I looked at him.
Really looked this time.
"You brought me here," I said quietly. "Of course I remember."
A pause.
Then—
"Then say it."
My chest tightened.
"No."
"Say it."
His tone wasn't loud.
But it wasn't soft either.
It was… firm.
Unavoidable.
Like he needed to hear it.
Like this mattered more than he was letting on.
"You want me to relive it?" I snapped. "Fine."
The words came out sharper than I intended.
But I didn't stop.
Not now.
"Everyone was there," I said, my voice low but steady. "Smiling. Talking. Acting normal."
My throat tightened.
"But then it started."
The memory hit harder this time.
Clearer.
"Whispers," I continued. "People looking at me like I'd done something wrong."
My fingers trembled slightly.
I hated that.
"I didn't understand at first," I said. "Not until someone showed me."
Silence.
Heavy.
"And then everyone knew."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone except me."
I looked at him then.
Directly.
Painfully.
"You stood there," I said. "You saw it happening."
His jaw tightened.
"But you didn't stop it."
There it was.
The truth.
The accusation.
The thing that had lived in my chest for so long.
"You let them believe it."
My voice broke—just slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But it was there.
"You let them think I was—"
"Enough."
The word came out sharp.
Controlled.
But there was something under it this time.
Something… strained.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "You wanted me to say it, right? So listen."
My eyes burned.
"But you don't get to shut me up now."
For a second—
Just a second—
He looked… different.
Not cold.
Not distant.
But something else.
Something I couldn't quite name.
"I didn't—" he started.
Then stopped.
Like the words didn't come easily.
Like he wasn't used to explaining himself.
"I didn't know it would go that far," he said finally.
I blinked.
Once.
"That's your excuse?"
"It's not an excuse."
"Then what is it?"
His gaze held mine.
Intense.
Heavy.
"It's the truth."
I let out a hollow laugh. "Your truth doesn't change what happened."
"I know."
That… made me pause.
Because there was no denial.
No deflection.
Just that.
Simple.
"I know," he repeated quietly.
And somehow…
That made it worse.
The music played on.
People laughed.
The world kept moving.
But right there, in that moment—
It felt like everything had stopped.
"I hate you," I said softly.
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Honest.
Raw.
Real.
He didn't flinch.
Didn't look away.
Didn't argue.
He just nodded.
Like he accepted it.
Like he deserved it.
And maybe…
That was the first crack.
"Let's go," he said after a moment.
I frowned. "What?"
"You've had enough."
I stared at him.
Confused again.
"You brought me here."
"And now I'm taking you out."
"That doesn't make sense."
"It doesn't have to."
Before I could argue—
He took my hand.
This time, not lightly.
Firm.
Certain.
And pulled me through the crowd.
Away from the lights.
Away from the whispers.
Away from the past.
Outside, the cool air hit my face, and I finally breathed.
Really breathed.
For the first time that night.
I pulled my hand away quickly.
"You don't get to fix this," I said.
"I'm not trying to fix it."
"Then what are you doing?"
A pause.
Then—
"Making sure it doesn't happen again."
My chest tightened.
Because that?
That sounded dangerously close to care.
And I didn't know what to do with that.