AI The green neon sign cast its glow across The Raven's Nest, illuminating walls covered with old maps and black-and-white photographs. Aurora Carter sipped her gin and tonic, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. She'd finished her delivery shift an hour ago but had stayed, enjoying the quiet atmosphere. The bar was nearly empty except for a few scattered patrons nursing their drinks.
Aurora traced the crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist with her thumb, a familiar gesture when she was lost in thought. Her straight black hair fell across her shoulders as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the polished wooden bar. The scent of aging wood and faint traces of cigar smoke hung in the air .
The bar door opened, letting in a gust of cold London air that made Aurora shiver slightly . She glanced up as a figure entered, scanning the room before their eyes locked on hers.
"Aurora?" The voice came out as a question, disbelieving.
Aurora turned, her bright blue eyes widening in recognition. "Liam? Liam Davies?"
Liam approached, a mixture of emotions playing across his face. He looked older, the carefree university student replaced by someone bearing the weight of years. His hair was now peppered with grey at the temples, and lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. His shoulders seemed broader, the frame of a man who had endured physical labor rather than intellectual pursuits.
"It's been what, seven years?" Liam asked, sliding onto the stool beside her.
"Eight," Aurora corrected, her voice quiet . "Since graduation."
Liam ordered a whiskey from Silas, who nodded without speaking before moving down the bar to polish glasses. The silence between them stretched, filled only by the soft jazz music playing in the background. A couple in the corner laughed loudly, their voices echoing slightly in the small space.
"You look different," Liam said finally, his gaze appraising her . "More... settled."
Aurora laughed without humor. "Settled is one word for it. I work delivery now, for Yu-Fei Cheung's restaurant." She gestured vaguely with her glass. "The hours are flexible, which is good for when I'm studying."
Liam frowned. "Studying what? I thought you were going to law school. Your dad was so proud when you got into Cardiff."
"I left," Aurora said, taking a sip of her drink. "Couldn't handle the pressure."
The conversation fell silent. They stared into their glasses, the memories of their shared past hanging unspoken between them. The jazz music seemed to grow louder, filling the space where words should have been.
"What about you?" Aurora asked, breaking the silence . "Last I heard, you were traveling the world. The great adventure, you called it."
Liam smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I did. For a few years. Backpacking through Southeast Asia, volunteering in South America. Saw some incredible things. Temples in Cambodia, beaches in Thailand, the Amazon rainforest." He leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with remembered excitement. "There was this one time in Vietnam, I was trekking through these remote villages and got caught in a monsoon. Thought I was going to die, but the locals took me in, fed me, dried my clothes. Best experience of my life."
"And now?" Aurora prompted when he fell silent.
"Now I'm back. Taking over the family business." He gestured vaguely toward the door. "Davies Engineering. My father retired last year. It's not as glamorous as backpacking through jungles, but it pays the bills ."
Aurora nodded. "That's... good. Congratulations."
They fell silent again, the years pressing down on them. The bar had filled slightly more, the low murmur of conversation providing a backdrop to their discomfort. Silas moved between patrons, refilling glasses with practiced efficiency.
"You know," Liam began, "I thought about you often after you left Cardiff. Tried calling a few times, but your number was disconnected. Then I heard through mutual friends that you'd moved to London. Every time I came up here for business, I half-expected to run into you."
"I moved around a lot," Aurora said, her gaze fixed on her glass. "Needed a clean break from everything. From Cardiff, from my family, from... him."
Liam's expression darkened slightly . "Evan. I never liked him. Even when you two were together, there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way."
Aurora's fingers tightened around her glass. "Don't."
"I'm sorry, Aurora. I should have known. Should have seen it." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "When I heard what happened... what he did to you... I wanted to track him down."
Aurora shook her head. "It's in the past now. I'm here. I'm safe."
Silas approached, placing fresh drinks in front of them. "Another round?" he asked, his eyes flicking between them.
"Just another gin and tonic, please," Aurora said.
Liam nodded. "Make it two."
Silas moved away, leaving them alone once more.
"I made some mistakes too, after you left," Liam said quietly, swirling the ice in his glass. "Lost some friends. Nearly lost myself. There was this period... maybe a year after you left... I drank too much. Partied too hard. Woke up more than once with no memory of the night before."
Aurora studied his face, seeing the lines that hadn't been there before, the weariness in his eyes. "We all do," she said softly . "The important thing is what we do after."
Liam met her gaze, his expression earnest. "It took me a while to figure that out. To grow up. To realize that life's too short for regrets and too precious for wasted time."
The tension between them crackled, the years of separation and change collapsing into this single moment. The jazz music swelled slightly , then faded again.
"You know what I regret most?" Liam asked, breaking the silence . "Not telling you how I felt before you left."
Aurora blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"
"I was in love with you, Aurora. For years. But I was too afraid to say anything. Then you left, and it was too late. I never even got to say goodbye properly."
The admission hung in the air between them, unexpected and raw. Aurora didn't know how to respond, the years of separation and change suddenly collapsing into this single moment. She stared at Liam, the boy she had known so well now a man she barely recognized.
"I'm sorry," Liam whispered. "I shouldn't have said that."
"No," Aurora said, finding her voice. "It's... okay. We've both changed."
Liam nodded, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Time changes everything, doesn't it? People, places, dreams. The only thing that stays the same is the regret."
The door to the bar opened again, letting in another gust of cold air. Aurora glanced up as a group of people entered, their laughter filling the space.
"I should probably go," Liam said, finishing his whiskey. "It was good to see you, Aurora."
"You too, Liam," she replied, watching as he stood up.
He reached into his wallet and pulled out a card, placing it on the bar. "My number. In case you ever want to... catch up properly."
Aurora nodded, pocketing the card when she thought he wasn't looking .
Liam paused at the edge of the bar, his hand resting on the polished wood. "Good to see you're okay, Rory."
The use of her nickname caught her off guard. It had been years since anyone had called her that. The name carried so many memories—late nights studying, shared lunches in the quad, whispered secrets in the university library.
"You too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper .
With one last look, Liam turned and walked out of the bar, leaving Aurora alone with her thoughts and the growing noise of the evening crowd. The neon sign cast its green glow across the room, illuminating the walls covered with old maps and photographs that seemed to watch her from their frames .
Aurora picked up her glass, the ice cubes clinking softly as she took a sip. The taste of gin and tonic filled her mouth, bitter yet familiar . Outside, the London lights blurred into streaks of gold and red as she stared through the bar window, seeing reflections of herself and the ghost of a friendship that had once been everything.
She ran her fingers over the crescent-shaped scar on her wrist, the familiar a comfort in the overwhelming flood of memories. Eight years. Eight years since she had last seen Liam, since her life had taken such a different turn than anyone had expected.
The bar door opened again, and Silas approached, wiping down the bar in front of her. "Another one?" he asked, his eyes sympathetic .
Aurora shook her head. "I should probably get back. Early delivery tomorrow."
"Need a lift?" Silas offered. "It's starting to rain."
Aurora smiled faintly. "Thanks, but I'll walk. Clears the head."
She left a few notes on the bar and stepped out into the London night, the cold air hitting her like a physical blow. The city lights blurred as she walked, her thoughts consumed by the unexpected encounter with Liam and the passage of time that had passed between them.