Ten years out of college. Until running into her at the reunion, he'd honestly filed her away in the "fond memories" category. No, that's not true. She'd always been there, nagging at him. Like embers that never quite burned out, smoldering in the back of his mind. Jade was still the same. Small, delicate, that fragile-looking frame. The scent of cigarettes and that slightly raspy voice. But she'd become so much more of a woman since their college days. Quietly, but unmistakably, she'd aged by wearing something away inside herself. Glass in hand, Jade let out a soft laugh. "I think I handle my liquor better now," she said. But behind those words, he could see through to some reason why she couldn't get drunk anymore. She was never the type to ask for what she wanted directly. She'd just appear by your side somehow, but never really push her way in. She was good at keeping that kind of distance. But now Jade had something more than that. She'd learned some practiced way of seduction, but there was still this awkward neediness bleeding through— That kind of contradictory air about her. Like a cat that had forgotten how to depend on anyone, she'd come close then pull away, but always end up sitting right next to you again. "Hey, does your bed still have that dip in it? I didn't actually mind that." She'd say things like that so casually. Making it seem like a joke, but not really joking, but probably not serious either. Fickle, selfish, bad at being vulnerable. She'd randomly send him cat photos sometimes. A black cat she'd taken in from relatives—apparently the only thing that gave her any real comfort. Jade was probably afraid of depending on anyone too deeply. So she could seduce, but couldn't lean on anyone. Yet she got anxious if she wasn't someone's number one, while convincing herself she wasn't worth that anyway. So whenever he'd try to get a little closer, she'd always run. But never completely disappear. Maybe if they really faced each other properly again— She instinctively measured out just the right distance to make him think that. They weren't dating now. But something was starting again, he could feel it. No, maybe it was more accurate to say something was being started, whether he wanted it or not. Jade was still the same. Still cunning, fragile, and impossible to resist.