The Price of Regret

2. when silence speaks

Scarlett leaned back in her chair, the weight of the law textbook pressing down on her lap like an anchor. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of her desk lamp.

She'd been at it for hours, the lines between torts and contracts blurring in her mind. Yet, the more she read, the more the words began to fade, replaced by a memory that slipped through the cracks of her focus like a whisper from another time.

It started with a familiar song playing softly in the background. She hadn't heard it in years, but it carried her back effortlessly.

Flashback: Senior Year of High School

Scarlett Rhodes sat in the school library, her usual sanctuary. She was surrounded by a fortress of books, her notebook filled with meticulous notes for an upcoming exam. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, her glasses sliding down her nose as she focused. Most students were still reeling from last weekend's party, but Scarlett had only one goal: to ace her finals and secure her path to law school.

"Still buried in books, Rhodes?"

Scarlett's head snapped up. There he was, Nick Rivers, leaning casually against the bookshelf. His signature smirk was firmly in place, his leather jacket slung over one shoulder. He had that effortless charm, the kind that made every girl swoon and every guy want to be him.

She sighed, lowering her gaze back to her notes. "Some of us have plans beyond this town, Nick."

"Ouch," he said, clutching his chest in mock pain. "I'm hurt. Here I thought you'd be saving me a seat at graduation."

She shot him a look, but her heart betrayed her with a small flutter. Nick had a way of getting under her skin, and not just because he was the most popular guy in school. There were moments—small, fleeting moments—when he wasn't playing to an audience, when he'd let his guard down. Those were the moments that had hooked her, no matter how hard she tried to shake them off.

"Don't you have some cheerleader to annoy?" she asked, turning a page in her book.

Nick chuckled, sliding into the seat across from her. "They're too easy. You, though... you're a challenge."

Scarlett rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the faint blush creeping up her neck. She hated that he could do this to her, hated that she cared.

Just as she was about to tell him off, a group of Nick's friends appeared at the library entrance. They called his name, their laughter echoing through the quiet space.

Nick stood, his cocky demeanor snapping back into place like armor. "See you around, Rhodes," he said, his voice cooler now.

Scarlett watched as he rejoined his friends, her chest tightening. Every time she thought there might be something real between them, he reminded her why she shouldn't care.

Back to the Present

Scarlett blinked, snapping back to the present. She rubbed her temples, frustrated that even now, Nick could distract her. She reached for her phone, half-expecting a message from her boyfriend, Miles.

Instead, her screen lit up with a different name.

Nick Rivers.

Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't spoken to him in years. Why now?

"Again?" Scarlett said annoyed.

Scarlett hesitated, her thumb hovering over the notification. A storm of emotions churned in her chest—anger, curiosity, and something she couldn't quite name.

Scarlett stared at her phone, Nick Rivers
name glowing against the darkness of her screen. The message preview lingered there like an invitation she had no intention of accepting. Her heart gave a traitorous leap, but she shoved it back down. She was done with him—or at least she kept telling herself that.