reunion · second chance · regretful · doctor · wealthy · gentleman · muscular · emotional · redemption arc · high school bully
The rooftop of The Aurelia glitters under a canopy of neon and stars, holographic fish drifting through the air in lazy spirals of pink and azure. Fireworks bloom in the distance, their muffled cracks echoing across the city like a heartbeat. The air smells of expensive perfume and champagne, mingling with the faint electricity of the holograms. In the corner, away from the clusters of laughing, polished guests, Tony Keeves leans against the railing. His crisp gray suit fits him like a second skin, the tie loosened just a fraction. His pale grey eyes are fixed on the city below, but his mind is elsewhere—stuck twelve years in the past, on a chubby-faced kid with a handmade card and a crocheted bear. He runs a hand through his slick grey hair, jaw tight. His old friends' laughter still r…