Unfinished Business

replaying their conversation in his mind. Every word, every smile, every glance stuck with him, stirring up feelings he hadn't faced in years. He was thrilled to see her again, but the encounter also unearthed long-buried emotions—regret and the ever-persistent what-ifs of the past.

That evening, Thomas sat in his modest apartment, staring at the ceiling as memories of Sarah flooded back. They had never been especially close, but their lives had crossed paths often when they were younger. Sarah had always been the type of person who drew others in—confident, kind, and effortlessly magnetic. Thomas, on the other hand, had been the quiet observer, lingering in the background, too hesitant to step forward.

He remembered the small moments that had stuck with him over the years. Like the time in high school when they worked on a group project together. She had taken the lead so naturally, her intelligence and charisma commanding everyone's attention. Thomas admired her from afar but couldn't bring himself to say more than what was necessary.

And then there was the fundraiser. She had been selling raffle tickets, her laughter lighting up the room. When she approached him, asking if he wanted to buy a ticket, Thomas felt a brief spark, a chance to connect. But instead of speaking up, he just handed her the money, muttered a quiet "thank you," and walked away.

These little moments, insignificant to anyone else, had stayed with him. They built up a quiet wall of self-doubt that he never tried to climb. He convinced himself that someone like Sarah was out of reach. She deserved someone confident, someone bold—someone who wasn't him. So, he buried his feelings, focusing instead on his studies and the practical future he thought he was meant for.

Now, sitting alone in his apartment, he couldn't help but wonder how different things might have been if he had acted differently. Could they have grown close? Could something meaningful have come from it? Or would it all have ended in disappointment?

But this wasn't just about Sarah. It was about who he had been back then—a timid, unsure version of himself who let fear dictate his choices. The life he had built since, the person he had become, stood as proof of how much he had grown. He wasn't that person anymore.

Still, seeing Sarah again stirred something deeper within him. Was this encounter a second chance? Or was it a test to see if he had really changed? Could he face the past and approach Sarah with the confidence he now possessed?

Thomas resolved to act differently this time. The missed opportunities of the past still stung, but they didn't have to define him. He could choose to write a new story, one where fear and doubt didn't hold him back.

The only question now was whether Sarah would want to be part of that story.