The room buzzed with laughter and light, a kaleidoscope of colors swirling in the evening haze. Emma stood at the far end, clutching her drink like a lifeline, her heart racing as she took in the scene. And then she saw him—Jake—across the crowded space, his laughter ringing out like a melody she once knew by heart.

He was there, holding her hand, a stunning woman with hair like spun gold and a smile that dazzled brighter than the stars. It was a sight that stole her breath, a moment frozen in time. Just last week, she had convinced herself that moving on would be easy, that opening her heart again was merely a matter of time. But there he was, effortlessly radiant, and all her bravado crumbled like paper in the fire.

Despite the way her heart twisted painfully in her chest, she forced herself to look away, to breathe through the stinging in her throat. She thought back to all the moments they shared—the late-night talks, the laughter that echoed through their favorite spots in the city, the warmth of his embrace on cold winter nights. Memories bubbled up like a tide, each one sharper than the last, and she realized how many of those words she had never said to him—how he had made her feel so alive.

"Maybe one day," she whispered to herself, scanning the room for a way to escape. Perhaps another chance awaited them in the future, but it felt improbable now. His eyes danced with delight, and she knew that the likelihood of rekindling what they had was growing dimmer by the second. With each smile he offered his new partner, the pieces of her heart that remained intact felt dangerously close to shattering.

And still, she stood there, contemplating her next move. Should she stay and pretend that the ache didn’t exist, or should she slip away into the cool embrace of the night? With a sigh, she decided to gather her courage. She straightened her shoulders and began to walk toward the door, passing his table where laughter echoed like a siren song.

In a moment of impulse, she had a sudden urge to say something—anything. A last wave of hope coursed through her. As she moved closer, she imagined him looking her way, recognizing the longing that had never truly left them. But just as quickly, she pushed that thought aside; the reality was harsher than her wishes.

As she reached the exit, a chill breeze rolled through, teasing her hair and calling her back to warmer moments. She took one last fleeting glance back at Jake, his eyes alight with joy, the woman beside him radiant. The door creaked as she pushed it open, letting the night embrace her like a comforting shawl.

“I should have told you all the ways you made me feel alive,” she murmured, the words slipping from her lips like a prayer. “But it seems it’s too late.”

With her coat snug against her shoulders, she paused to catch her breath one last time before stepping into the unknown. “If you ever wonder,” she whispered to the fading echo of their shared memories, "I still have the same old number. Just in case."

And with that, she stepped into the night, carrying with her both the weight of longing and the flicker of hope that someday, across a room filled with laughter, she might catch his eye again. By the way, she would always remember.