~~ Gabe~~

The stroking of his arm by those french tipped manicured hands was becoming unbearable. He was an idiot -  this was all his doing.

Dark hair flicked over her shoulder, eyes told him what she wanted - another night.

It had been a mistake...

To take Elise home then, and he wouldn't be an idiot and repeat it. He wouldn't lead her on when there was nothing there.

Gabe craned his neck but didn't see Anna reappear. He racked his brain - what had he said to make her so upset?

"Honey, let's get another." Elise's voice purred into his neck, and his body betrayed him at the gesture.

"So Gabe, how long are you helping your father out with his business?" Kara asked as she returned and hopped into the seat next to him.

Anna sat down again too - on the other side of Kara - and wouldn't meet his eyes. Elise huffed at the intrusion and ordered them another round.

"I don't know to be honest," Gabe answered.

"I only ask because Anna here is the most prestigious marketing exec you could ever ask for, and I'm sure she'd have some ideas for your family."

Gabe found himself surprised - a marketing exec here in Leavenworth? His throat constricted at the vulnerable look in her eyes as she finally turned to meet his gaze - it completely undid him when she looked at him that way.

Anna straightened and smiled. "I'd be happy to help with anything your dad needs."

"Gabe baby, I want to dance!" Elise hung her arm around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek as Bruce Springsteen rang out in the small bar.

Gabe cursed under his breath as he noticed Anna turn her attention to her phone in response. He turned to Elise with annoyance. "I need to go home." He placed cash on the bar and pulled on his coat.

Elise pouted but eventually shrugged at his indifference and blew him a kiss. "See you around honey."

He paused next to Anna on his way out, but she didn't raise her gaze from her phone. Clearing his throat he murmured more to himself than to her, "See you around."

~*~

He felt spent. He felt empty.

He laid on the couch in his father's study and contemplated his life up until now. Mom always told him he thought too much. His introspection often led him to inaction - he knew this but what could he do? He was the way he was.

Successful at his company, looking at a promotion - granted one that would take him out of the country. The burden of being an only child had weighed heavily on him, but now with Dad not doing well...Was he expected to stay? What was moving forward anyway? A bigger paycheck?

He looked at his phone with a sigh and checked his social media. He clicked on Anna's stories and sat up - thankful he had added her a year ago finally. He watched the short clip of Anna and Kara dancing in front of the jukebox at Tom's bar. It was uploaded only two minutes ago. So they were still there.

A voice inside him was urging, saying - go for it, you idiot. But another one told him to be reasonable - she's too good for you and you know it.

After a moment of hesitation, he opened his Uber app.

What did he have to lose? He would be leaving the country in a month after all.

But the bigger question was - did she even remember?

~*~

"Hey man, you forget something?" Tom asked, peering under the bar as Gabe leaned against the counter. "Uh, I don't have anything in lost and found tonight."

Gabe looked around, but the bar was empty. Damn his late Uber. "Thanks, bro, but I was actually..." he hesitated, racking his brain for a reasonable explanation.

Tom nodded and poured a whiskey in two glasses. "Well you're here now, so have a drink with me." He slid one across the bar to Gabe. "And no explanation needed, my man." He nodded before taking a sip. "She left about five minutes ago."

Gabe tried not to choke on his drink as he feigned indifference, "Who left? What are you talking about?"

Tom raised his eyebrows and then laughed. "Hey man, listen - Anna and I are history. No romantic feelings if you get what I mean..." He leaned on one arm and lowered his voice, "Truth be told I always favored the sister but couldn't get up the gumption. She scared the shit out of me - still does." He chuckled to himself and shook his head.

This was news, Gabe thought as he clenched his jaw. So Tom was over Anna - check. And more than that - he wanted Kara. This worked in his favor. Tom was the whole reason he had held back so many years ago.

"You know everyone thought you two would get married."

Tom snorted and shook his head. "Anna and I are just better as... well, friends. Never should have happened. We've always been better as friends." He paused and narrowed his eyes. "She stayed - you went - doesn't mean something magical can't still happen."

"What are you, Father Christmas? 'Magical'?"

Tom feigned reproach, "If you come into my bar in the middle of the holiday season, you will not laugh at the magic of Christmas. Anything is possible." He chuckled as he poured one more shot. "And they went to the Mansion by the way - for old times sake."

Gabe's heart jumped at the mention of the Mansion. "It's still a hangout spot?"

~*~

His second Uber of the night pulled up along an unmarked road. The Uber driver hesitated, looking around in the dark. "Uh, you sure this is it?"

Gravel crunched as he slammed the car door shut and started walking uphill. Unless you were a local you would have no idea there was an address attached to this old dirt road. In the dim light of the moon, he saw the familiar gravestones poking up along the adjacent hills like ghosts revisiting their favorite haunt.

Cresting the hill he stopped to pause at the sight of the old ruins of the long-forgotten Forsyth Mansion. A ghost of Christmas past if there ever was one. A beautiful mansion that still stood on the cemetery's grounds in his parent's time had since been laid to ruin and had served as a place for future generations to gather.

Gabe had many memories of nights spent here partying with classmates - all while feeling like he never quite fit in. Always knowing there was more to life than that experience. Knowing there was more than the emptiness these nights left him with.

Taking a deep breath, he walked in the direction of the bonfire.

~~ Anna ~~

"Forget him."

Anna nodded absently and took another swig of the whiskey bottle before passing it to Kara. "You saw how Elise was all over him?" She fought against the lump in her throat. "They probably have kept it up since high school, huh?"

Kara shrugged as she grabbed the bottle. "Not that I know of. But listen, I'm going to give you some hard advice..."

Bracing herself, Anna stole the bottle again and raised her eyebrow before taking another swig. "Ok, shoot."

"He never gave you an inkling in high school that he was interested. And in the years since you haven't seen him. It's time...time to let this crush lay dormant in the ground."

"Wow, how poetic are you with some whiskey in you?" Anna's eyes crinkled as she grinned, taking another drought.

Kara shoved her arm with a giggle. "I've always been the Sage in the family." Her eyes went wide and she grabbed her sister's arm. "Ok, maybe I was wrong?"

Confused, Anna looked around and noticed Gabe approaching. He hesitated and then sat on a log directly across from her. The fire crackled between them as she met his eyes.

"This brings back memories," she sighed with reluctance.

Kara leaned in and whispered. "Despite the past, he's got his eye on you now Sis."

Anna stared across the flames and inhaled sharply as his cool grey eyes met hers. He nodded to her in acknowledgment and then got up and made his way over. She held her breath as he perched on the edge of the bricks she had made her seat.

His presence next to her was palpable - it had always been like that. As if there were a magnetic field between them, or at least this is what she had always felt. She didn't dare look at him, even though she knew the silence was becoming uncomfortable.

Finally, Gabe cleared his throat and said, "So, I have a confession..."

In her peripheral, Anna noticed Kara getting up, leaving just the two of them.

"I....well, I always wanted to take you here...back in high school I mean."

He wanted to take me here? What was he saying?

"Uh....well, those bonfire parties were epic...so I was told." Anna looked down at her feet, confused by his words. "I....uh, actually came once with Tom but we didn't stay long."

Gabe nodded, his gaze straight ahead.

"To be honest," she continued, "Coming back here...I thought it would feel special, but it's just old ruins."

"This is your first time back?" he asked with surprise.

Anna nodded and offered him her whiskey bottle. "Yeah, even though I still live here, I stay busy and don't haunt the old high school hangouts," she joked, and Gabe smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess that would be pretty lame for someone our age. Even tonight...I mean we could be their parents." He laughed and nodded in the direction of the young couple entangled opposite of them.

They laughed in unison and then suddenly grew silent - the fire crackled as they listened to the surrounding whispered conversations.

"So, why tonight then?"

Anna shrugged. "Kar wanted to. She's not home that often and wanted to relive some old memories."

"You're the only one that stayed - after high school?"

Anna bit her lip and nodded silently. She didn't want to have this conversation.

"Well, nothing wrong with that." Gabe nudged her leg with his. "It's definitely cheaper here. Seattle's rent is a beast."

That small touch of his leg touching hers - seemingly insignificant - sparked a memory, albeit a hazy one. One where they had been in front of a bonfire but in the shadows...and they were...holding hands?

Anna shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. Senior Night - it had been Senior Night. Which would explain why she couldn't remember - she had drowned her pain in alcohol that night. That night and the last semester of senior year for that matter.

"Hey, are you ok Anna?" Gabe asked with concern, turning to look at her directly.

She looked at his handsome face, and that night long ago took on color and form unexpectedly. And prompted the question...seemingly out of nowhere...

"Why didn't you kiss me?"