Aurelia Lombardi had always been captivating. In high school, everyone had been drawn to her, boys and girls alike. It wasn't just her beauty that caught the eye. But rather the way she seemed to light up a room without trying. Tonight was no different. Even in the bar's dim atmosphere, she was glowing, her presence magnetic, pulling gazes toward her.

"It's so good to see you, Tom! I can't believe it's been three years!" Her smile was bright and inviting. A familiar flutter of excitement I hadn't felt in years stirred in my chest.

I forced a shrug. "Yeah, it's been a minute." As if I didn't know the exact time and place we'd last seen each other.

Her lips pressed into a playful pout, the kind that once had me bending over backwards for her. "I bet you regret not telling me you were in town."

It was hard not to feel guilty, but I had my reasons for staying away. We'd been inseparable throughout middle school and dated for much of high school. When she broke my heart, I fled across the country for college, hoping distance would dull the ache.

"Well, I'm only here for a few days. I'm catching a plane tomorrow." I was trying to make it sound final.

I'd kept my visit quiet, only reaching out to a few friends. But she heard I was back through the grapevine. My heart had stopped when her name appeared on my phone's caller ID. She had insisted we needed to catch up, it was like I was back in high school, unable to say no to her.

"What? No way!" The widening of her blue eyes made her look genuine.

"I got approved for a scholarship to a school in the U.S." It felt great to see her hang on my every word. "I just dropped by to grab a few documents I needed, but I'm ready to go."

She giggled. "So that explains the huge bag. But you can't leave again! We barely get to see you as it is."

"You sound like my mom." That would have come out wrong with some other girl, but Aurelia and I shared too much history. My words chased her pout away and replaced it with a big smile. "We got into a huge fight over it. She kicked me out."

"Oh, that sucks. I'm sorry." Her tone switched from concerned to teasing. "Don't worry, I promise I won't fight with you..." She flashed a smile that made my heart pound in a way it hadn't for a long time.

I had to rein myself in. Her lips were naturally sultry, and she always flirted a little when talking to guys without really trying to. It was just who she was.

"Appreciate it. But enough talking about me. What have you been up to?"

"You know, same old," she sighed. "Modeling, singing, and snagging any theater gig I can get."

"Still chasing your dreams, huh?" I tried to sound supportive. "Good to see some things don't change."

She gave a slight shrug, her smile softening. "Yeah, I guess. You'd know that if you came back more often." I could catch a trace of actual hurt in her voice.

I hesitated, glancing down at the drink in my hand. "Erm, train tickets aren't exactly cheap. I've only been back twice in three years, and even then, it was just for a couple of days."

Aurelia clearly had not thought of that. Her parents were loaded. "Of course, I'm only teasing you." She put her hand over my forearm on the table, gently squeezing it. "I'm just happy I get to spend some time with you."

Our conversation continued for the rest of the afternoon, effortlessly picking up where we'd left off years ago.

And I found out that I still had my superpower. Every once in a while, I'd crack a joke, and Aurelia would burst into that short, throaty, genuine laughter that seemed entirely out of character, a thousand miles away from her usual grace and composure.

I had only ever heard her doing that with me, and I was pretty sure that was the only reason we had dated in the first place.

We were in the middle of some random topic when I saw something click in her mind.

"Wait, you said your mom kicked you out?" Her tone sharpened, curiosity overtaking the previous lightness. "Where are you spending the night?"

I scratched the back of my neck, trying to downplay it. "I was thinking of getting a hotel near the airport… Or I'll just crash on a bench in the terminal."

I had been so excited and terrified by the prospect of seeing Aurelia again that I had not put much thought about where I'd sleep tonight. It was a stupid oversight, but she always had a way of making me stupid.

"Nonsense. I have a place near the river. You can stay with me." Aurelia leaned forward just slightly, her eyes catching mine as if daring me to refuse. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

Her smile promised much more than a night crashing on her couch, and I nodded sheepishly, absorbed by her lingering smile.

As the afternoon faded, we left the bar to make our way to her place. We rode the subway, which was not too crowded yet. I gripped the bar, and Aurelia held my arm. She was not wearing heels, so I was slightly taller than her, and as a result, she had to tilt her head up every time we talked.

She groped my bicep and grinned. "You've grown into yourself nicely. Not so scrawny anymore."

"I hope that doesn't ruin my math geek aesthetic."

Again, she burst into that familiar unrestrained laughter, the one I knew was just for me. I felt like I was on top of the world in that instant.

"You have no idea. High school me would be all over you."

I wasn't sure how to compliment her back without coming on too strong. So I went for a joke.

"Ah yes, my target demographic: school girls."

We both cracked up this time, and she pressed her forehead to my shoulder, still catching her breath. "I've missed you."

She stared up into my eyes, biting her lower lip. A few years ago, I would have seized the opportunity and kissed her without hesitation. But I had grown more experienced. Building up the anticipation would make it so much sweeter later. We were already spending the night at hers. I had all the time in the world.

Besides, we were a little too old to be making out in the subway.

The train pulled into a busy station, and the wave of new passengers cut the moment short. The carriage grew crowded, and I found myself with my back against the wall, Aurelia tucked up against me. She still held onto my arm, but her other hand came to rest on my waist, steadying her uneasy position.

It felt strange to talk too loudly in a packed subway, so we started whispering, leaning into each other to be heard over the train's noise and the buzz of other passengers. She smelled heavenly, just like I remembered. Fresh, with a subtle hint of something sweet.

Every once in a while, the carriage rattled just hard enough, and she would end up flush against me. In those fleeting moments, I was eighteen again, relishing the thought that all the other guys were jealous of the pretty redhead pressed against me.

We'd been in that exact same position thousands of times before, on our way to school or back to one of our places. Before our parents got home, we'd steal moments together wherever we could. And we had no trouble slipping back into each other's practiced comfort.

Too soon, we had to get off the train. Her apartment was in an old building right in the middle of a trendy neighborhood. It was spacious and richly decorated.

I knew her parents had to foot the bill. Her artistic endeavors would never cover the rent. But I was not about to point it out and ruin the mood.

I dropped my heavy bag by the door, and we went to the kitchen.

"Let's make dinner!" Aurelia's eyes sparkled with excitement as she tied her long red hair into a ponytail.

She pulled out a recipe jotted down on an old piece of paper and gathered ingredients and utensils before plopping a cutting board in front of me.

"Onion cutting duty," she teased, handing me a knife. "Try not to cry too much."

"Onions? You hate onions."

"I don't hate onions," she replied, but the look I gave her made her laugh. "Okay, granted. I'm not a big fan. But this is Lance's mom's risotto recipe. It's his favorite."

My knife froze on the board. "Who's Lance?" I was trying to keep the panic out of my voice as I turned to look at her.

"Oh, did I not mention him? Must've slipped my mind." She was not facing me anymore, too focused on cleaning mushrooms in the sink. "My boyfriend. He's working, but he'll be home in time for dinner."

The word boyfriend hit me like a punch to the gut. I tried to stay cool as if the room wasn't tilting on its axis. She'd spent the entire afternoon making me feel like the most important man in the world, and yet it had been naive to imagine that a woman like Aurelia would ever be single.

Her casual tone made it clear. To her, it was evident that I shouldn't feel weird about it. There was nothing romantic left between us.

"Right," my voice was just a little too high to sound casual. "Guess I missed that part."

She smiled at me over her shoulder, looking like nothing had changed.

"It's no big deal. You'll like him."

I gave her a nod, but I could feel a hand squeezing my heart. She had not brought me home for one last passionate reunion before I left the country. We were cooking dinner for her boyfriend. I was glad the onions could give me an excuse for the sting in my eyes.

Aurelia remained as cheerful as ever as we continued working on the risotto. Her hands still brushed against mine as she passed me the ingredients, the touches lingering just a second too long. It felt like a tease, like some part of her was still playing the role we used to share. But now it was just confusing.

We had been best friends long before we dated, so I put on a brave face, pretending we were just two old friends catching up, nothing more. Earlier in the afternoon, I had felt like a carefree teenager with his cute, artsy girlfriend. I was now back to being the insecure mess she had left behind after the breakup.

Eventually, we finished cooking and moved to the living room. Like the rest of the apartment, it was sleek and modern, the furniture betraying the expansive tastes of whoever had picked it. As we sat on the couch, a collection of black-and-white photos on the wall caught my eye.

They were full-body shots of naked women, their faces carefully cropped out, leaving only their exposed forms in abstract poses. They weren't genuinely explicit. The photographer played with the lights and shadows to create strange shapes rather than focus on the nudity.

My eyes were drawn to the last one in the series. The model had a mole on the top of her right thigh, and my breath caught in my throat. I turned towards Aurelia, who was watching me intently.

"You like these?" Her voice was curious as if she genuinely wanted my opinion. "Lance took them. He's a professional photographer."

I nodded. "Yeah, they look cool." I paused, building up my courage. "That's you on the last one, right?"

Her smile grew wider, playful. "How'd you guess?"

I glanced down at her clothed thigh, where I knew the mole would be. "I don't know," I said, trying to keep my voice light. "What about the other pictures, Lance's exes?" It was my lame attempt to break the tension.

At least it got a chuckle out of her.

"No, it's a pretty recent series, just random models." She shifted, leaning slightly closer, her voice taking on a teasing edge. She was not put off in the slightest by the idea of having her naked body hanging in the living room.

"I'm flattered you remember me so well."

I looked back at the picture for a moment. The intent was clearly artistic, an exploration of shapes and light. Despite that, Aurelia's hourglass figure and generous breasts could not help but give the image an erotic charge. This sensuality felt strange to witness now, as if through someone else's eyes.

Once, I'd been the only man who'd ever seen her like that.

"This is Lance's place, right?" I'm not sure why I asked this question. Maybe I needed to know that this space in which I felt so out of place was not of Aurelia's design. That I would have been at home if she had furnished her own place.

"Yeah," she replied, untying her hair and letting it fall loosely around her shoulders. "My parents cut me off when I refused to go work for my dad's company." There was no sadness in her voice, only pride in her defiance. "So I can either stay in a minuscule studio on my own dime or here with my boyfriend."

"I would have never imagined your parents doing that." Aurelia had been my favorite person for years, but even I had to recognize that she was a bit spoiled growing up.

She smirked, tilting her head as she looked at me.

"Of course, you'd say that. They love you." Her eyes flickered with something deeper, something almost nostalgic.  "You remind me of my dad a little, actually. He also thought I should get into a 'serious' career. Like you and your fancy college. But I still want to pursue art. Follow my passions, you know?"

I nodded slowly, her words settling uncomfortably in my head. Being compared to her father wasn't exactly flattering. It was another reminder of the fundamental differences in how we saw the world.

Coming from a poor family, I'd done everything I could to secure a stable future. Aurelia's carefree attitude and her ability to chase her dreams without fear of consequence had always left me feeling like I was watching her from the sidelines.

She must have caught the melancholy on my face because she quickly continued.

"I don't mean that in a bad way. My dad's a super successful man." She reached for my hand. "I'm so proud of you, Tom. A scholarship at a top school across the ocean? Promise me you'll still think about me sometimes when you're a big-time businessman."

To my surprise, tears were beginning to form in Aurelia's eyes. We'd spent years together, and I was leaving the country. For a moment, the weight of it all, the finality, hit me harder than I expected. I squeezed her hand and pulled her in a hug. She buried her nose in my neck, and I could feel her wet eyes against my skin.

When I heard the keys in the door, she sprung to her feet and quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

The man who walked through the door was tall, with broad shoulders and arms that filled out his sharply tailored shirt. His short hair accentuated his chiseled features. To my surprise, he must have been in his mid-thirties, at least.

After breaking up with me, Aurelia had spent the remaining months of high school dating one stud after the other. It seemed that hadn't changed as well. She still had a type. I just wasn't it.

"Hey, honey! How was your day?" Aurelia moved quickly toward him, her tone softer, almost deferential.

He grunted and leaned down for a quick kiss, which felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

"This is Tom. From high school," she said, turning back toward me with a small smile. "I told you about him. He doesn't have anywhere to sleep tonight. So I offered to crash here before his flight tomorrow."

"Sure," he held his hand out for me, and I got up to shake it. He was towering over me. "Always happy to meet one of Aurelia's friends. You're welcome to stay." He turned back to Aurelia, not waiting for my answer. "Dinner's ready?"

"Yes, I made your favorite." I was surprised by how subdued she seemed with him, a far cry from the fiercely independent person I had known.

"Good. I'll take a shower. You can set the table." Lance barely glanced in my direction as he walked past, already unbuttoning his shirt.

Aurelia waved me over to help her. As we laid out the plates, I could not help but ask in a hushed tone.

"How old is this guy?"

She blushed. "Forty-five…" Damn, he looked great for his age.

"And how long have you been together?"

"A little under a year."

I blinked, trying to process it all. I was twenty-one, and Aurelia barely a few months younger. Lance was more than twice as old as the girl he was dating. Combined with the fact that her parents had cut her off and the strange dynamic I'd just witnessed, something didn't sit right with me. Was Aurelia with him just to have a nice place to live?

As if reading my mind, she sighed. "I know what you're thinking. But he is actually a really nice person…" She paused for a second before continuing. "And uhm… by the way, he doesn't know about us. So, please don't mention anything that would, you know. Get me in trouble."

The bravado she had shown when it was just the two of us had disappeared. She could barely look at me anymore. For tonight, I would not be Tom, the boy she'd shared all her firsts with. I was just Tom, from high school.

"Sure," I muttered.

An awkward silence settled between us, but it did not last long. As soon as Lance reappeared, Aurelia slipped back into her perky, bubbly self as if nothing had changed.

I should have hated Lance. The age gap was unsettling, and part of me wanted to dismiss him as just another of Aurelia's temporary distractions.

But she had been right. Despite the initial stiffness, I found myself warming up to him. He wasn't overbearing or dismissive. In fact, he was friendly, even charming. Clearly, he didn't see me as any kind of threat to his relationship with Aurelia. I was too different, too far removed from her life now, to be a rival for her affection.

Still, as we talked, I noticed something. Whenever I spoke about school, my ambitions, or my life while I was away, Aurelia's gaze was fixed on me, her eyes bright with interest. She hung on to my words in a way that comforted me, as if there was still a connection between us. Lance asked questions, too, taking an interest in my plans, and I realized he was genuinely curious. That softened my jealousy a little.

In his low voice, Lance shared stories about his day, which he'd spent organizing an exhibit at one of his friend's gallery. Aurelia would chuckle politely when he said something that was supposed to be funny.

I was still recovering from the desperation I'd felt when first learning she had a boyfriend. Sure, nothing would happen between us tonight. But now I knew something for sure: he couldn't make her laugh like I did.

The genuine, throaty, unrestrained laugh was mine and mine alone.

After dinner, we moved back to the living room. They sat on the couch, Aurelia curled up against Lance's side. Her arms draped around his torso, and her hand absently traced lines on his chest. I sat alone in the armchair, trying not to focus on how effortlessly their bodies fit together.

During dinner, I'd managed to constantly attract her gaze. But the physical contact with her boyfriend seemed to make him the center of her world and left me forgotten. This meant Lance and I had to keep the conversation alive. Though, after a few minutes of idle chit-chat, he got up.

"Alright, time to go to bed. I'm beat," he said, moving towards the bedroom before realizing she was not following him. "Aurelia?" His tone carried a clear expectation.

"I'll be there in a bit, babe. I want to catch up with Tom some more. We've not seen each other in years."

Lance sighed. "Don't be long. I need to get up early." With that, he disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Aurelia patted the seat next to her on the couch, and I joined her. We settled back into our interrupted hug from earlier. It felt a little risky, what with her giant boyfriend right in the next room. But having her soft body around me was worth it.

"I wished we had more time together," she whispered, her voice fragile, barely above a murmur.

"Yeah, me too. I'm sorry I did not tell you I was back in town." This felt so wrong. We were supposed to have a heartfelt moment. But I could only focus on the couch cushion, which was still warm from Lance's body.

"I should have come to visit you in college," she said, holding me tighter, her grip almost desperate.

"It's better that you didn't." I wasn't sure how honest I could be. I didn't want Lance to overhear me talking about our breakup. "I had a hard time moving on. Distance helped. A lot."

Aurelia pulled back slightly, her eyes searching mine in surprise. "Oh, I never knew you felt that way." She reached up, her fingers lightly tracing my jawline, sending shivers down my spine. "Are you better now?"

I had dated a few girls, but as much as I hated thinking of myself as shallow, none of them had even come close to Aurelia. And it wasn't just the physical attraction too. It was hard to find someone who could be both your best friend and your girlfriend.

I had no answer to give her, so we stayed in silence. But after a while, she pulled back from the hug.

"I guess I should join Lance," she said, unsure. Like she was hoping I'd convince her otherwise. Her gaze kept flickering between me and the closed bedroom door.

I nodded, knowing I could do nothing but feel the lingering warmth of her body where she had been pressed against mine. She's with him now, I reminded myself.

Aurelia stood up and fetched me a pillow and blanket for the couch. "Here," she said softly, handing them to me. "I'll show you the bathroom." As she led me down the hall, I imagined what could have been had things turned out differently.

I went to brush my teeth and take a quick shower. It'd been a long day. I got out, wrapped in a towel. Aurelia had turned off the lights. A thousand scenarios played out in my mind as I walked through the dark living room.

What if she'd come to visit me? Would we have reconnected? I could have transferred back to a school here. Or tried long distance.

A muffled moan pulled me from my thoughts.

I froze in place, my stomach tightening. I could see a sliver of golden light spilling out from the bedroom door. It was slightly ajar!

Another moan.

I knew I should stop listening, bury my head under the pillow to avoid hearing anything, try to forget about today, and move on. But I couldn't.

Without any real intent on my part, my feet guided me toward the opening, trying hard not to make a sound despite the hardwood floor. The moaning got a little louder with each step until I finally reached the door.

Nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle revealed as I peered through the ray of light.

The room was dark save for a dimmed bedside table lamp. Aurelia was naked on all fours. Her milky white skin caught the warm light, making her body seem almost unreal against the blackened backdrop. She was facing the wall perpendicular to the door, so with each thrust of Lance standing on the floor behind her, I could see her large breasts swaying freely in the air.

He had her long red hair wrapped tightly in his fist, causing her back to arch, pushing her chest even further out. Rather than move with him, it looked like she was bracing herself for each of his penetrations, letting out a soft moan with every back and forth.

This wasn't the clumsy, tender lovemaking we had once shared. It was something raw, a primal side of Aurelia I was only now uncovering.

In the past, we'd never had our own place. Our moments together had been brief, quiet, and filled with hushed kisses to stifle any sound. What I was witnessing now was something else entirely. Her cries were no longer restrained. They filled the room with an intensity I had never known from her.

My heart was pounding in my chest. The shock was so strong that I could almost see myself hunched behind the door, peeking at the lovers as if I were not myself anymore. I could not look away. It was like watching a car crash and a porno at the same time, horrific and mesmerizing all at once.

And to my horror, I grew hard in the towel, each slap of their skin together causing me to throb a little more.

I knew I should have left, but I was stuck in place. When I felt my hand on my cock, it was like a stranger was stroking it for me. In the bedroom, Lance let go of Aurelia's hair and instead pushed her head into the mattress. Her hips rose up, somehow offering herself even more to this thrusting.

Aurelia's face was turned toward me, but I doubted she'd notice. I was hidden in the dark. And even if she could see me, her expression was too far gone. I recognized it. Her eyes rolled back, mouth open, body trembling in the throes of an orgasm. I'd seen that look before, after a particularly successful session of lovemaking or when I'd done my best to make her cum with my mouth and fingers.

But with me, that expression had only stayed on her face for a fleeting instant, a brief reward for my hard work. Here, Lance had her in a constant state of bliss as his large body labored behind her. Sure, I could make her laugh like nobody else, but I was pretty sure I had never made her feel like this before.

Finally, Aurelia's boyfriend reached his climax. He pulled out, revealing a cock that made my own feel tiny, almost ridiculous in comparison. He spilled his release over her back with a low, satisfied groan, then collapsed onto her. Aurelia turned around, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him close as she kissed him.

I slinked back to the couch, my body heavy with shame. I should have felt disgusted with myself. I should have stopped this long ago. But the evidence of my arousal wouldn't go away, an undeniable reminder of what I had just seen.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, willing the memory to fade, but it clung to me. Tomorrow, I'd be gone. Tomorrow, I'd be on the other side of the world, trying to forget that I had ever loved Aurelia. Trying to move on. But for now, all I could feel was the ache between my legs and the jealousy stinging my lungs.

Almost against my will, my hand moved again, stroking myself, the shame intensifying everything. I needed to relieve myself and purge this feeling from my body. When I finally came into the towel, it felt hollow, just like everything else about that night.

***

The first sun rays peeked through the windows, pulling me from a restless sleep. I was confused and not sure where I was. But the fog cleared from my head. This was Lance's living room, and he was in the bedroom enjoying the company of the girl I had lost my virginity to.

I began to sit up on the couch when I heard low masculine moans. I stopped in my tracks and focused on my hearing. There were wet noises, too. Were they already back at it? Soon, Lance let out a groan, not too different from last night, and an instant later, the bedroom door was wide open.

Lance stood in the doorway, fully dressed, zipping up his pants with a grin that radiated satisfaction. His eyes landed on me, still curled up under the blanket.

"Oh hey, Tom." He had a friendly smile on. "Got to go. Safe travels."

With that, he exited the apartment, leaving me naked on the couch, and Aurelia in a state I would not even dare to imagine in their bedroom.

I needed to get out of here. I couldn't face her, not after last night. I scrambled to put my clothes on, stuffing the towel full of my sperm deep in my bag and folding the blanket neatly for Aurelia–as if it would erase the guilt of my intrusion.

But just as I reached for the door, I heard a soft gasp behind me. I turned back to find her Aurelia standing there. She was disheveled and wearing only a large T-shirt from a university I did not know. Lance's, I assumed.

"You're leaving?" Her voice was pleading, raw.

I was like a fish caught out of water. I had no idea what to say. My eyes flickered down to the swell of her breasts beneath the shirt, her bare legs exposed as she moved toward me, and I felt my throat tighten.

Aurelia wrapped herself around me, sobbing into my shoulder. She was trembling. I should have been a better friend and comforted her.

Instead, all I could think about was how Lance's cologne clung to her skin and hair, a stark contrast to the feminine scent I had caught the day before.

"I don't know if I can go another three years without talking to you," she whispered, her warm breath brushing against my neck.  "I miss you so much. All the time."

Tears were beginning to pool in my eyes, but I was still reeling from the overwhelming sensations and the rush of conflicting emotions. Unable to formulate a coherent thought.

She pulled her head back, her barely covered body still pressed against mine, and looked up at me. Her soft features were streaked by the drops rolling down her cheeks.

"Say something," she begged, her voice shaking.

Her breath brushed against my face, and I caught a faint, unfamiliar scent that made my stomach twist. But before I could react, she pressed her lips against mine. Without thinking, I leaned into the kiss, and she opened herself to me. My heart raced as my tongue slipped into her mouth.

And then I tasted Lance.

My chest tightened as realization hit me. Aurelia had given him a blowjob and had let him spill on her tongue. She'd not brushed her teeth before coming to me. The taste lingered in my mouth, bitter and sour.

Aurelia was moaning against me, oblivious to my growing unease. She was offering her body to my roaming hands, the familiar softness of her breast naturally finding its way back into my palms. But I realized that I was hard again, and the shame and jealousy came back, stronger than ever.

I pulled back, the taste still clinging to my tongue. She must have realized her mistake, her hand flying to her mouth, a horrified expression appearing on her face. It was too much, too confusing. I could not look at her.

Grabbing my bag, I fled down the stairs.

The shame and heat stayed with me the whole way to the airport, my erection not dying down. And the images I'd seen would haunt me for a long time. No woman ever came close to the raw, erotic display Aurelia had put on with Lance that night.

Not until we ran into each other again a few years later.