Eva sat by the window, looking out at the muted city streets. The early spring rain was gentle, tapping rhythmically on the glass. It had been years since she’d thought about Lucy, but today something made her think of the old friend she’d once shared everything with. High school had a funny way of feeling both so distant and so close at the same time.

Eva had always been the driven one—focused, headstrong, with a knack for making decisions and never looking back. Lucy, on the other hand, had been the free spirit. She followed her whims, laughed without restraint, and danced through life like it was one big song. They had clicked like puzzle pieces back in the day, two halves of a whole that seemed inseparable.

But then, life happened.

The last time they spoke was at their graduation party. Lucy had stayed at the bonfire, surrounded by a crowd, while Eva had gone home early, her mind already on the future. That had been the last time they were truly together. After graduation, they drifted. Both were busy—Eva with her college life, career, and aspirations; Lucy with her travels and spontaneous adventures. It wasn't a dramatic falling out, just the natural pull of time and distance.

Still, there was something about Lucy that Eva couldn’t quite shake. The memories were tucked away but never forgotten. Their inside jokes, the late-night talks, the way they always knew what the other was thinking—Eva missed that.

It was a message that popped up on her phone that changed everything.

"Hey, Eva. It's been a while. Hope you're doing well. Would love to catch up if you're free. - Lucy"

Eva stared at the message for a long moment. Her heart skipped, but her fingers hesitated. She had been content in her routine, hadn’t really thought about reconnecting with anyone from high school. Still, there was a part of her that felt the pull. A small thread that connected her to the past, tugging gently.

She tapped out a quick reply.

"Hi Lucy. It's been so long! I’d love to catch up. When are you free?"

They agreed to meet at a small café that had once been their hideout after school, a place where they’d shared their dreams, their frustrations, and everything in between. As Eva arrived, she spotted Lucy immediately—her unmistakable laugh ringing out before Eva even stepped inside. Lucy hadn’t changed much. Her hair was a little shorter, her style more refined, but that smile was still the same.

“Eva!” Lucy exclaimed, standing up and pulling her into a warm hug. “I can’t believe it’s really you.”

Eva smiled, taking in the sight of her old friend. “I know. It feels surreal.”

They sat down, and for a moment, neither spoke. There was an awkwardness, the kind that comes when you haven’t seen someone in years but you’re still trying to figure out how to bridge the gap. It was Lucy who broke the silence.

"So," she said, leaning forward with her typical enthusiasm, "what's been going on with you? How's the whole 'living your dream' thing going?"

Eva chuckled softly, tapping her fingers on the table. "You know, the usual. Work, deadlines, trying to make sense of my life. Same old, same old."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Same old? That doesn’t sound very inspiring, Eva."

Eva shifted uncomfortably. “Maybe not, but it’s steady. What about you? I saw your post from Bali last year. That looked incredible.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up. "Oh, Bali was amazing. I’ve been to so many places since then—India, Japan, Mexico. I’ve just been going wherever the wind takes me."

Eva’s heart ached a little. Lucy had always been so free, so unbound by expectations. Eva admired that, even as she felt like she was holding herself together in a world that felt increasingly scattered.

“I envy you,” Eva admitted, her voice quieter than she intended.

Lucy leaned in, her gaze softening. “Don’t. I think you’ve got something pretty incredible going on too, Eva. You’re just... different from me. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck. You know that, right?”

Eva nodded slowly. She did know that, but it was hard to see sometimes when the world felt like it was moving faster than she could keep up with. It was easier to stay in the comfort zone she had created for herself, even if it didn’t always feel fulfilling.

“Have you ever thought about coming with me on one of my trips?” Lucy asked, her voice playful but serious. “I know it’s not your style, but maybe it’s time for something new.”

Eva smiled wistfully. “Maybe. I don’t know if I could just pick up and go. I have responsibilities. A career. You know how it is.”

“I do,” Lucy said, her voice quiet for the first time, “but sometimes we get so caught up in what we *should* be doing that we forget what we *want* to do.”

The words hung in the air between them. Eva sat back, feeling a small shift inside her—a feeling she hadn’t had in years. She had spent so much time chasing the next achievement, the next goal, that she’d lost sight of the spontaneity she once had. The joy in just living.

For the first time in a long while, she wondered what it might be like to follow a path less planned. Maybe she didn’t need to drop everything, but maybe, just maybe, she could find a balance between her dreams and the life she had.

“I’ve missed you,” Eva said, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Lucy reached across the table and took her hand. “I’ve missed you too, Eva. And I think we both need to stop waiting for the ‘perfect time’ to do something.”

Eva smiled. Maybe she didn’t need to make a dramatic change, but rekindling her connection with Lucy had reminded her of something important. Life was too short to just be running in place.

The thread of yesterday wasn’t as fragile as she had thought. It was still there, pulling them back together, reminding them that no matter how far they drifted, some bonds could never truly break.