Fate Reclaimed

A reunion of hearts (Jayson Tatum)

I'd been in New York for all of an hour before I found myself at the charity gala. The event was the usual—suit, tie, flashing cameras, and people shaking hands with smiles that never quite reached their eyes. I'd been invited to support a good cause, but if I'm being honest, I wasn't really in the mood. The NBA season was wearing me thin, and all I wanted was a quiet night to myself. But of course, that wasn't happening.

The minute I stepped into the venue, the overwhelming buzz of chatter and laughter hit me like a tidal wave. I scanned the room, nodding politely to a few familiar faces. My mind wandered, lost in the noise until something caught my eye—a flash of dark hair and a figure that looked... too familiar.

Ari.

She stood near the entrance, talking to a group of people, her back turned. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, I was frozen. The last time I saw her was years ago. We'd been inseparable back then, two kids with big dreams, running wild in the streets, never thinking about where life would take us. But life had a way of pulling people in different directions.

I couldn't believe it—Ari was here, standing right in front of me, looking like she belonged at the center of this world. She was a model now, that much was obvious. I watched her for a second before I couldn't take it any longer. I walked toward her, not caring about the event or the people around me.

When she turned and saw me, her face lit up. That smile—just like it used to be. I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.

"Jayson?" she said, almost in disbelief, stepping toward me.

"Yeah, it's me," I chuckled. "Long time, huh?"

She laughed too, and I could see the warmth in her eyes, the same spark I'd remembered from our childhood.

We hugged awkwardly at first, and then she stepped back, taking me in. I noticed the way she held herself—there was something different about her, something more guarded, but I couldn't pinpoint it.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Supporting the cause," I replied, trying to keep it light. "They asked me to show up, so I figured, why not? What about you? You look like you own the place."

She smirked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Guess you could say that. My agent dragged me out here tonight. It's good exposure, you know?"

I nodded, but something in her tone caught my attention. It didn't sound like she was exactly thrilled about being here.

"You look good," I said, genuinely. "I always knew you'd end up doing something big."

Ari waved her hand dismissively, but I could see a slight flush to her cheeks. "Thanks, but it's not all glamour and photoshoots, you know? It's hard work. Long hours. Crazy schedules. Some days, I miss the simpler times."

"Yeah, I get that," I said. "It's not always as shiny as it looks, huh?"

She gave me a small, rueful smile. "You're telling me. But hey, it's not all bad. I get to travel, meet interesting people. It's just... not exactly how I pictured it when I was a kid."

I raised an eyebrow, picking up on the undertones. "What do you mean by that?"

She hesitated for a second before shrugging. "Nothing, really. Just... life doesn't always turn out the way you think it will. But, I'm doing okay. I've learned to keep pushing forward."

There was something in her voice—something between the lines that I couldn't ignore. It didn't take long for me to realize she wasn't as okay as she was trying to make it seem. But, like always, Ari had perfected the art of hiding what she didn't want to share.