It was a dreary Friday in Paris, with gray clouds hanging low over the city. Gaesha was curled up on her old couch in her dark apartment, wrapped in a blanket.
She hadn't opened her little bakery in three days—not since that awful gala, not since she wrote that final note to Kent.
Her phone was off, lying forgotten on the coffee table. Her hair was a tangled mess, sticking out in all directions, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
Claire's cruel words from the gala kept spinning in her head like a broken record, sticking to her thoughts like gum on a shoe.
She couldn't shake them, no matter how hard she tried.
A loud knock on the door jolted her out of her gloom.
"Gaesha!" Mia's voice called, sharp and determined. "Open this door right now!"
"No," Gaesha mumbled, her voice muffled by the blanket. She hugged her knees tighter. "Just go away, Mia."
"No way I'm leaving," Mia shot back. "We're coming in, like it or not."
"We?" Gaesha said, her brows furrowing.
She heard more voices outside—Lila and Ben, her bakery regulars who always showed up for her buttery croissants.
The lock clicked loudly—Mia had a spare key, of course—and the door swung open with a creak.
"Surprise!" Lila said, bursting into the room.
She was short, with bright pink hair that seemed to glow even in the dim light, and she held a huge paper bag stuffed with snacks.
Ben followed right behind her, tall and lanky, with a goofy grin. He waved at Gaesha like an excited kid.
"What's all this about?" Gaesha asked, sitting up a little, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. "Why are you guys here?"
"We're here to save you," Mia said firmly.
She marched over and flipped on the overhead light. Gaesha squinted, rubbing her eyes against the sudden brightness.
"You're a total mess, girl," Mia added.
"I know I am," Gaesha said, her voice small. She looked down at her rumpled pajamas, feeling embarrassed. "That's why I'm hiding here all by myself."
"No chance of that," Ben said, plopping onto the couch next to her. "You're not alone, Gaesha. We're your crew, your people."
"Get up," Lila said, bouncing on her toes. "We're going out tonight."
"No way," Gaesha said, shaking her head so fast her messy hair flew around. "I'm staying right here on this couch."
"Nope," Mia said, crossing her arms. "We're going to a karaoke bar. Tonight. You need some fun in your life."
"I don't need fun," Gaesha said, her voice stubborn. "I just need quiet. And maybe some sleep."
"Too bad," Ben said, his grin growing wider. "We're dragging you out. Like, literally dragging you if we have to."
"Try it," Gaesha said, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "I'm not moving."
"Okay, you asked for it," Mia said with a mischievous glint in her eye. She grabbed Gaesha's left arm. "Lila, grab her other side!"
Lila giggled and took Gaesha's right arm. They tugged gently, and Gaesha wiggled, trying to pull free.
"Stop it!" she said, half-laughing despite herself. "You're gonna make me fall off the couch!"
"Then get up and walk," Ben said, laughing so loud it echoed in the small room. "Come on, Gaesha. Just one night out with us."
"No," Gaesha said, but her voice was weaker now. "I'm way too sad for this."
"We know you're sad," Mia said, her tone softening. She let go of Gaesha's arm and sat beside her. "That's exactly why we're here. You can't hide in this apartment forever."
"I can try," Gaesha said, pulling the blanket back over her shoulders. "Just watch me."
"No way we're letting that happen," Lila said, sitting on the arm of the couch. "You're singing tonight, Gaesha. It'll make you feel better, I promise."
"Singing?" Gaesha said, her eyes widening. "I'll just end up crying in front of everyone."
"That's fine," Ben said, leaning forward. "Cry it all out. Then you'll laugh with us."
Gaesha let out a big, dramatic sigh. "You guys are so mean," she said, pouting.
"We're the nicest people you know," Mia said, nudging her shoulder. "Now get dressed. Right now, no excuses."
"Fine," Gaesha said, rolling her eyes. She stood up slowly, her legs feeling like they weighed a ton. "But I'm not gonna like it, just so you know."
"You will," Lila said, clapping her hands. "Wear something bright, okay? No sad colors tonight."
Gaesha shuffled to her bedroom, her socks dragging on the floor. She rummaged through her closet and pulled out a yellow sweater and a pair of faded jeans.
When she came back to the living room, she spread her arms. "Is this okay?" she asked, looking at her friends.
"Perfect," Mia said, her face lighting up. "You look great. Now let's go."
They pulled her out the door, down the narrow street to a small karaoke bar in Montmartre.
The bar was loud and chaotic inside—colored lights flashed everywhere, and people were singing off-key, their voices bouncing off the walls.
Gaesha shrank back, clutching her sweater. "It's way too noisy in here," she said, her voice barely audible over the music.
"It's the perfect kind of noisy," Ben said, guiding her forward. "Come on, let's find a spot."
They pushed her into a cozy booth, squeezing in around her like a protective wall.
Mia waved at the waiter and ordered drinks—orange juice for Gaesha, beers for the rest of them.
"Cheers," Lila said, raising her glass high. "To Gaesha, our favorite person!"
"No," Gaesha said, frowning at her juice. "To nothing. I'm not cheering."
"To you," Ben said, clinking his glass against hers. "Drink up, come on."
Gaesha took a tiny sip, her face scrunching up. "I hate this," she said, setting the glass down.
"You don't hate it," Mia said, leaning closer. "You love karaoke, Gaesha. You used to sing all the time, remember?"
"Not now," Gaesha said, her voice barely a whisper. "I feel all broken inside."
"You're not broken," Lila said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Claire's just a mean jerk. And Kent likes you, you know that."
"He did like me," Gaesha said, staring at the table. "Not anymore, not after everything."
"He still does," Ben said, his voice firm. "You ran away from him. Give the guy a chance."
"No way," Gaesha said, shaking her head. "I'm a mess, Ben. He doesn't want a mess."
"You're our mess," Mia said, smiling softly. "Now sing it out, okay?"
"I'll just cry," Gaesha said, her voice wobbly.
"Then cry," Lila said, pulling a pack of tissues from her bag. "We've got plenty of these."
A guy on stage finished a terrible pop song, and the crowd clapped politely.
"Your turn," Ben said, nudging Gaesha's shoulder.
"No way," Gaesha said, shaking her head so fast her hair bounced. "I'm not singing in front of all these people."
"Yes, you are," Mia said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Pick a song, Gaesha."
"No," Gaesha said, crossing her arms again. "You can't make me."
"Oh, we can," Lila said, grinning. "We'll carry you up there if we have to."
"Try it," Gaesha said, narrowing her eyes. "I'll kick you guys."
"Okay, let's do this," Ben said, standing up like he was about to scoop her out of the booth.
"Stop!" Gaesha said, a tiny laugh escaping her. "Fine, fine. I'll do one song, but that's it."
"Yay!" Mia said, clapping her hands. "What song are you picking?"
"A sad one," Gaesha said, her voice quiet. "Something that matches how I feel."
"That's perfect," Lila said. "Go for it, Gaesha."
Gaesha dragged herself out of the booth, her friends cheering loudly behind her.
She didn't notice Kent sitting in the back corner of the bar, alone with a cup of coffee.
He'd come to the bar to clear his head, missing Gaesha so much it hurt, not knowing she'd be here tonight.
Gaesha climbed onto the stage, the spotlight hitting her face. She held the microphone tightly, her hands shaking a little.
"Okay," she said, her voice wobbly. "I'm gonna sing. Please don't laugh at me, okay?"
"We won't!" Mia shouted from the booth. "You're gonna be amazing, Gaesha!"
The bar was packed with people—some chatting, some clapping for the last singer.
Gaesha's yellow sweater stood out like a sunflower in the dark room. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
"I don't even know why I'm doing this," she muttered to herself, her voice picked up by the mic.
"You got this!" Ben yelled, giving her a big thumbs-up.
Gaesha glanced at the song list, her fingers trembling as she scrolled.
She didn't want a happy, bubbly song—not tonight, not when her heart felt so heavy.
"This one," she said to the karaoke guy, pointing at the screen.
The music started, slow and gentle, and Gaesha closed her eyes for a moment.
She didn't see Kent looking up from his table, his coffee cup frozen halfway to his mouth.
He hadn't expected to see her here, not standing on a stage, not looking so sad and small.
"Okay," Gaesha said into the microphone, her voice barely above a whisper. "Here I go."
She started singing, her voice shaky but clear, each word carrying the weight of her sadness.
The crowd quieted down, listening to her soft, heartfelt notes.
Mia leaned forward in the booth, whispering to Lila. "She's really pouring her heart out," she said.
"Yeah," Lila said, her eyes soft. "Poor Gaesha. She's hurting so much."
Ben nodded, his usual goofy grin gone. "She needs this," he said. "Even if it makes her cry."
Gaesha kept singing, her voice growing a little stronger with each line.
She gripped the microphone tightly, like it was the only thing keeping her steady.
The song was sad, just like she'd wanted, and it brought back memories of Kent, the gala, and all the things that had gone wrong.
Her friends clapped softly, trying to cheer her on without breaking the moment.
In the back, Kent watched, his chest feeling tight. "Gaesha," he whispered to himself.
He missed her so much, and seeing her like this made his heart ache.
Gaesha finished her song, her voice fading into a soft, trembling note.
The crowd clapped, their applause gentle, like they understood it was a heavy moment.
She stood on the stage, breathing hard, her eyes shiny with tears she was fighting to hold back.
"Gaesha!" Mia called, jumping to her feet. "You were absolutely amazing!"
Gaesha managed a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She stepped off the stage, her legs feeling like jelly.
"I did it," she said to herself. "But I still feel so sad."
She made her way back to the booth, her friends pulling her into a warm group hug.
"You were so good," Lila said, squeezing her tightly. "I'm so proud of you."
"I cried," Gaesha said, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "I knew I would."
"That's okay," Ben said, patting her shoulder. "You got some of it out, right?"
"I guess so," Gaesha said, sitting down and pulling her sweater sleeves over her hands. "Can we go home now?"
"Not yet," Mia said, sliding back into the booth. "Let's have one more drink, okay? Just stay a little longer."
Gaesha sighed but nodded. "Fine," she said. "But I'm still sad, you guys."
"We know," Lila said, resting her chin on her hand. "But we're here with you."
"Yeah," Ben said, leaning back. "You're stuck with us, Gaesha. No escaping."
Gaesha looked at her friends, their faces full of care and stubborn determination.
For the first time that night, she felt a tiny spark of warmth, like she wasn't completely alone.
But deep down, her heart still ached for Kent, and she wasn't sure if that pain would ever go away.