The restaurant glowed with warm amber lights, a soft haze of nostalgia hanging in the air. College banners decorated the private hall, old class pictures flickered on a rotating screen, and someone had even curated a playlist of the songs that once blared through their dorm corridors.
Mary paused at the entrance, taking it all in. For a moment she felt Eighteen again.
"MARY!"
Elizabeth and Daisy barreled toward her, arms thrown wide.
She hugged them tightly, breathing in the familiarity.
Elizabeth still smelled like vanilla.
Daisy still talked too fast when excited.
"You look unreal," Daisy gushed. "The livestream didn't do justice!"
"We're so proud of you," Elizabeth said, eyes warm.
Mary felt herself soften. "I missed you both."
They dragged her to the group table where old classmates erupted with greetings. Ten years had changed everyone; more weight here, more maturity there, wedding rings, job badges, pregnancies, divorces, promotions, failures, successes. Life had clearly done what it always does.
Conversations overlapped; stories of kids, careers, travels, and memories from their reckless college days. Someone reenacted a drunk dance from a fest, and the group howled with laughter.
Mary felt… alive again.
Everyone was laughing over an embarrassing memory of a college talent show when Seraphina Dale; white dress, perfect curls, and the same practiced smile she had in her twenties; leaned forward with a glint in her eyes.
"Mary," she said sweetly, swirling her wine glass, "you've become so important now. Press, conferences, government projects… such a busy life."
Mary gave a polite nod. "It keeps me occupied."
"I can imagine," Seraphina replied, the smile tightening. "With work taking so much of your time, do you even have space for a personal life? I mean… are you seeing someone?"
The table quieted just enough for the question to sting.
Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows. Daisy shot Seraphina a warning look.
Mary opened her mouth to answer, but Seraphina lifted her hand dramatically.
"Oh wait, let me guess; you're still single?" she said with a breathy laugh. "That makes sense, you're practically married to your job."
A few uncomfortable shuffles around the table.
Seraphina kept going, enjoying the attention.
"Honestly, I don't know how you do it. If I had to work as much as you do, I'd probably go insane. Luckily, my fiancé insists I don't need to work at all. He takes care of everything." She tapped her designer earrings lightly. "He says I deserve a life where I can just relax, travel, and enjoy things without stress."
"Oh lord, he is the best Sera" one of her loyal follower replied.
Daisy rolled her eyes.
Elizabeth stared at her drink.
Seraphina sighed dramatically. "I mean… I don't want to brag, but when you're with someone who's financially stable, you don't really need a career to feel secure. Isn't that right, Mary?"
A thin smile touched Mary's lips.
She placed her drink down slowly, deliberately, and looked directly at Seraphina; calm, steady, lethal.
"Seraphina, it's wonderful your fiancé gives you such… freedom."
Seraphina beamed, pleased.
Mary's tone softened even more.
"I suppose when a man earns enough, it's easier for his partner to stay home… especially when she doesn't have any professional skills he might accidentally interrupt."
The table went silent.
A few people who always hated Seraphina's white lotus behaviour tried suppressing their laughs. Someone coughed into their hand.
Seraphina blinked, thrown off. "What—"
But Mary wasn't done. Her voice remained smooth as silk.
"I work because I care about what I build.
You don't need to work because someone else builds things for you."
Her smile didn't falter.
"Both are respectable paths… though yours requires much less effort."
A couple of classmates snorted before quickly covering their mouths.
Seraphina's face stiffened, her shoulders tightening, pride visibly cracking.
Before she could retaliate, the class president clapped his hands lightly.
"Alright, alright; let's not turn this into a debate show." He then turned his head towards Mary "Mary we absolutely love whenever you appear on television." and then continued "We're here to enjoy ourselves today let's do that."
Laughter surfaced again, nervous and relieved.
Seraphina sank back into her seat, cheeks flushed, eyes lowered; quiet for the first time the entire night.
And Mary?
She simply took a sip of her drink, composed and unbothered.
The chatter resumed, lighter now, drifting into deeper nostalgia.
Then Kristen; soft, romantic, always dreamy sighed dramatically.
"You guys won't believe who I saw a few months ago. Vance."
Mary's hand tightened around her glass.
Kristen continued, glowing. "At the Port City naval docks. He was in uniform and oh my God, he looked insane. Taller, sharper… and he had badges on him. My boyfriend said he's probably a high-ranking officer now."
Several girls leaned forward, interested.
"He was with a girl though," Kristen added with a pout. "Like… stunning. And I swear my heart broke."
A collective groan rippled.
Elizabeth glanced at Mary, but Mary kept her face carefully blank.
The class president cleared his throat.
"Speaking of Vance… he was supposed to join us tonight."
"…but he had an unexpected military meeting. He canceled last minute."
Instant disappointment were seen on the faces of girls who always had a huge crush on him.
"No! I wanted to see him!"
"He never shows up!"
But the only person truly shattered was Mary.
Her stomach twisted painfully.
Her heart felt heavier than she wanted to admit.
She swallowed her drink in one go, feeling the burn travel all the way down.
She didn't know what hurt more;
That Vance didn't show up tonight…
or that he apparently showed up in someone else's life.
Either way, she wasn't okay.
Not even close.