Chanced encounter

VIOLET

I blinked continuously, trying to shake off the disbelief. It was her—Emily, no doubt. I’d only seen her twice before—once on Luke’s phone and the second time when Ashley and I visited his place. impossible to forget.

A part of me wanted to turn around, find Ashley, and pretend I hadn’t seen her. But there was another part—stronger, insistent—that wanted to ask about Luke. It was irrational, maybe even unwise, but curiosity and concern outweighed my reservations.

Before I could stop myself, I found my feet moving toward her.

She was browsing calmly, her movements deliberate, but as if sensing my presence, her head lifted and her eyes locked on mine.

Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. There was something in her gaze—a mixture of recognition and tension—that made my stomach twist.

“Violet,” she said, her tone casual, though there was a faint edge to it.

“Hi, Emily,” I replied, forcing my voice to stay steady.

For a moment, neither of us said anything, the silence between us heavy and awkward. Finally, I managed, “How have you been?”

Emily tilted her head slightly, studying me like she was searching for something. Then she sighed, her shoulders slumping just enough to reveal a crack in her calm facade.

“I’ve been… okay,” she said

I nodded, unsure how to navigate the conversation. “That’s good.”

Emily glanced at me again, and her lips pressed together as though she were debating something. After a moment, she asked, “And you? How are you?”

“I’m okay,” I said simply. Then, after a brief hesitation, I added, “I haven’t seen Luke in a while.”

Her shoulders stiffened ever so slightly, and for a fleeting second, something vulnerable crossed her face.

“He’s… around,” she said vaguely, her gaze dropping back to the dress rack in front of her. “Just… keeping to himself.”

“Why?” I pressed gently, trying to sound casual but failing to mask my curiosity.

Emily hesitated, her fingers brushing over the fabric of a dress before letting out a small sigh. “He’s been… different,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “Since everything that happened. He’s not himself anymore.”

I frowned, her words stirring something inside me—confusion, frustration, maybe even pity.

“Different how?”

She looked up at me then, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and guilt. “He regrets what he did, Violet. All of it. It’s been eating him alive.”

I stared at her, trying to process the weight of her words.

“He hasn’t been coming to school much,” Emily continued. “He stays home most of the time, barely talks to anyone. He feels like he ruined everything. He regrets what he did Violet and he wishes he could take it all back, but he knows he can’t. It’s eating him alive. You were his friend, and he…” She trailed off, shaking her head.

“He gave me up,” I said bluntly, my tone sharper than I intended.

Emily flinched, but she didn’t try to deny it. “I know. And he knows that too. It’s why he’s been hiding. He doesn’t think you’ll ever forgive him, and honestly, he doesn’t think he deserves it.”

I looked away, the emotions swirling inside me too complicated to untangle. Anger was still there, yes, but so was an ache I hadn’t expected.

Emily glanced away, her fingers nervously twisting a strand of hair. “I think he wishes he could fix it, but he doesn’t know how. And… he’s scared you’ll never forgive him.”

I swallowed hard, unsure what to say. The silence stretched between us until Emily, perhaps uncomfortable, began speaking again.

“He even tried to…” she trailed off suddenly, her eyes widening slightly as if she’d said too much.

“Tried to what?” I asked, my brows furrowing.

She looked flustered, her cheeks flushing as she shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

But her reaction only made me more suspicious. “Emily,” I said firmly, stepping closer. “What did he do?”

She hesitated, biting her lip before reluctantly muttering, “He was the one who sent that anonymous message to Ryan.”

The words hit me like a thunderbolt. My heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat.

“What?” I managed to say.

Emily’s eyes darted to mine, and she looked panicked. “I didn’t mean to say that,” she stammered. “He didn’t want anyone to know. He just… he thought it was the only way to help.”

I stared at her, stunned.

I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, even as the revelation sank in. I didn’t want Emily to see my surprise, didn’t want her to know how much this information rattled me.

“I see,” I said quietly.

Emily hesitated before continuing, her voice soft. “He thought he was doing the right thing. He wanted to protect you, even if it was too late to fix what he’d already done.”

I nodded slowly, not trusting myself to say more. The truth of her words felt like a tangled web—one I wasn’t ready to unravel just yet.

“I’m sorry, Violet” Emily said suddenly. “For everything. For what Luke did. I know it doesn’t change anything, but…” She trailed off, her expression pained.

I managed a small, tight smile. “Thank you for telling me.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she gave me a faint smile in return. “You deserved to know.”

We stood there for a moment longer before she glanced at her watch and sighed. “I should go. Take care of yourself, Violet.”

“You too,” I replied, watching as she turned and walked away.

As I stood there, the blue dress still hugging my frame, I felt a strange mix of emotions. There was no denying the hurt Luke’s actions had caused, but for the first time, I also saw the depth of his regret.

And for reasons I couldn’t quite explain, it made the pain just a little easier to bear.

“Oh my god, Violet! You look so hot!”
A sudden voice cut through my thoughts like a jolt of lightning.

I turned around, startled, to see Ashley standing a few feet away, her eyes wide with dramatic amazement as she took in my appearance. Her grin stretched from ear to ear.

I managed a small smile. “You think so?”

“Think so? Girl, you look like you just stepped out of a dream,” Ashley gushed, rushing closer. “That dress is perfect on you. If this doesn’t scream ‘graduation star,’ I don’t know what does!”

“Thanks,” I murmured.

Ashley’s excited expression faltered as she studied me closer. “Wait a minute. What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I quickly shook my head, forcing my expression to even out. “Nothing. Where were you? I’ve been looking for you.”

Her lips puckered in an exaggerated pout. “I was hunting down accessories! Do you know how hard it is to find the right shoes and jewelry in a store this big?”

I nodded, trying to muster a more convincing smile.

Ashley, as if sensing my reluctance to share more, dropped the subject. She spun me around gently to examine the dress again. “Well, you look stunning, and that’s all that matters. You’ll have everyone at graduation speechless.”

“Thanks, Ash,” I said.

Ashley gestured for me to follow her. “Now, let’s grab some shoes to go with this masterpiece and maybe a killer bag. Oh, and we still have to find something for your hair. It’s a whole look, Violet, not just a dress!”

Her dramatic tone made me chuckle despite myself, and I felt some of the tension easing from my shoulders.

We continued shopping, with Ashley occasionally tossing outrageous items into my hands for me to “try just for fun,” all while commenting on every single thing we passed. For a while, her energy distracted me from the weight of Emily’s words.