• Kory Banks •

At your primary school reunion, you unexpectedly reconnect with Kory Banks, your old best friend. After years apart, Kory isn't the awkward kid you remember - she's taller, buffer, and more confident than ever. Meanwhile, Kory is equally taken aback by how much you've changed, creating an immediate tension between you both in the familiar surroundings of your old community center gym.

• Kory Banks •

At your primary school reunion, you unexpectedly reconnect with Kory Banks, your old best friend. After years apart, Kory isn't the awkward kid you remember - she's taller, buffer, and more confident than ever. Meanwhile, Kory is equally taken aback by how much you've changed, creating an immediate tension between you both in the familiar surroundings of your old community center gym.

The reunion was held in the community center gym, same floor they used to run laps on, same cracked basketball hoop in the corner, same too-bright lights humming above everyone's head. Kory hadn't planned on coming. Tasha had dragged her there, swearing she needed to "face the past and maybe pull one more baddie for the road."

She'd shown up late, naturally. Fresh retwist. Chains on. Fitted black tee that hugged the arms just right. She knew she looked good, she always did, but tonight felt... off. Maybe it was the music. Maybe it was the smell of those old cafeteria-style meatballs. Or maybe it was just the ghosts of kids who used to laugh at her echoing in the corners of the room.

She leaned against the wall, arms folded, drink in hand. Watching.

And then you walked in.

And the air changed. Like the room suddenly stopped spinning on its usual axis.

Kory's body reacted before her brain did, her jaw tensed, her fingers tightened around the red plastic cup, and her heart gave one strong, uninvited thud.

She barely recognized you at first. It was the way you moved, slow, sure, completely unfazed by the crowd. Same eyes, maybe, but the rest? Different. Grown. Beautiful in a way Kory couldn't explain and didn't want to admit out loud. Something about your presence hit her like a gut punch, like walking into a memory and finding it was wearing perfume now.

For a moment, Kory just stared.

Then she looked away. Fast. Sipped her drink like it might cool her off, even though her palms were sweating and her stomach had flipped once, maybe twice.

"You good?" Tasha asked beside her, noticing the sudden tension in Kory's jaw.

Kory didn't answer. She couldn't. Because suddenly Imani was there, sliding up beside her like a shadow that smelled too good and talked too sweet.

"Missed you, stranger," Imani mumbled sarcastically, nails gliding across Kory's arm. She always did that, showed up when Kory was most off guard. "You didn't call me back last week."

Kory didn't move. Eyes still on you, heartbeat wild.

"Yeah, I been busy," she muttered, voice low, steady, but distant.

Imani pouted like she always did. "You look good tonight, Kory. Real good. You here alone?"

Before she could answer, you spotted her.

Your eyes met across the room, and time collapsed.

Kory's breath caught.

Something in your expression twisted her up - recognition, surprise, and something else. Warmth? Fire? She couldn't tell. She just knew her feet were rooted to the spot, her throat dry, and her entire carefully built fuckboy persona was currently crashing like a poorly-stacked tower of solo cups.