CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE: HOMECOMING

As Alex pulled up a chair, the conversation shifted to reminiscing about high school days. Stories of wild parties, embarrassing moments, and shared adventures filled the air. "Remember when we snuck out to that concert senior year?" Emily laughed. "Claire, you were so scared we'd get caught." Claire groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Don't remind me. I was grounded for a month when my parents found out." Alex chimed in, his eyes twinkling. "But it was worth it, wasn't it? The look on your face when the band came on stage was priceless." Mason listened, trying to push down the irrational feeling of being an outsider. He knew this was Claire's past, but hearing about all these shared experiences made him acutely aware of how much of her life he hadn't been a part of. As brunch wound down, Emily pulled Claire aside. "Hey, can we talk for a sec? Girl talk." Claire nodded, following Emily to a quiet corner of the café. "What's up, Em?" Emily's usually bubbly demeanor faltered s