Unfinished Chords

Kit had never been more excited to start fresh. It wasn’t just the new city, the vibrant buzz of London filling her senses; it was the chance to rewrite the story she’d been living for so long. The old Kit had been buried under the weight of family drama, expectations, and a life that had never felt quite right. But now—now was different. She was an adult, free to make her own decisions, carve her own path.

Her mum had let her come here with one condition: business internship. “Just in case,” her mum had said, like a silent reminder that Kit would need to fall back on something practical someday. Kit had rolled her eyes at first, but now, with her apartment still smelling faintly of fresh paint and Ikea furniture, she knew she’d have to make the most of it.

Still, it was hard to ignore the fact that the apartment was… well, it was hideous. Her mum had picked out every single detail. The throw pillows were a shade of beige that seemed almost intentional in its dullness, and the kitchen looked like it belonged to an over-cautious old lady who didn’t trust anyone to touch anything. Kit hadn’t even dared to take the plastic off the new couch.

But that was fine. London was a city full of possibilities, and she was ready to dive in.

Kit hadn’t thought much about her old life in London, at least not in any emotional sense. It had been years since she’d left—since her dad had left. He never told them why, never explained what had happened. One day he was there, and the next, he was gone. Kit had spent too many nights waiting for him to come back, hoping for some explanation, some reason. But her mum had never talked about it, not directly. The silence between them had thickened over the years.

This was her chance to start over, away from all of that.

The thing she hadn't expected was to think about Jade.

It was funny how people from your past seemed to pop up when you weren’t looking for them. Jade. Her childhood best friend. The girl she used to share secrets with, write bad songs with, and dream about the future with. The girl she’d kissed at twelve—just for practice, as they’d both agreed.

It had been years since Kit thought about her. They’d both grown up, gone their separate ways, and Kit had lost touch. But somehow, the memory of Jade lingered in the corners of her mind.

Maybe it was the coincidence of returning to London that did it. Or maybe it was the idea of finally confronting the things she'd left behind.

Kit smiled to herself, feeling a little silly. She wasn’t here for Jade, not really. Jade had probably moved on with her life just like Kit had.

But still, Kit had to admit that there was a certain spark of curiosity in her chest. What had become of Jade? Was she still the shy, nervous girl who had tried so hard to please everyone? Was she still playing piano, still writing songs?

And what would it be like to see her again, as adults?

———

"Did you hear? Kit’s back in town." Scorpia says, whilst casually reading that morning’s newspaper.

Jade froze in the middle of the cafe, her hand hovering over a cup she was about to serve. Her stomach dropped. The mention of Kit’s name was like a shot straight to the heart. She hadn’t thought about her in years. Not really.

"Kit? As in Kit Tanthalos?" Jade's voice was tight, as if she were trying to laugh, but the words caught in her throat.

"Yeah, funny, right?" Scorpia jokes, "Saw it on her brother’s Instagram, that guy posts about everything.”

Jade’s chest tightened, but she forced a smile. "Sure. Funny. But we don’t really know each other anymore."

It was true. After Kit left, Jade had changed. At first, it had been the usual stuff—loneliness, sadness. She’d felt abandoned, like a part of her life had slipped away with Kit. But then, over time, Jade had thrown herself into her music. She’d gotten better at everything she touched, from playing piano to guitar, drums, even writing. She hadn’t needed Kit to be great. Not anymore.

The old Jade, the shy one, the one who let herself be molded by other people, had disappeared. In her place was someone different—more confident, more sure of herself. Jade didn’t need Kit, didn’t need anyone who couldn’t stay.

But still, hearing that Kit was back, well, it brought up things she wasn’t ready to face.

Kit had been a big part of her life once. A girl who had been manipulative, who had used their friendship to her own advantage. It wasn’t something Jade had known at the time, but now, looking back, she could see it clearly. Kit had always been the one who decided what they would do, where they would go. Even their band, "Kit and the Jade Stones," had been more about Kit than it had been about them.

Jade had let herself be swept along. Until one day, Kit was just gone.

And now here she was again.

"Yeah, funny," Jade murmured, but the word tasted bitter in her mouth. She set the cup down a little too hard and turned to walk away.

——

Kit had spent the morning wandering around the city, trying to get a feel for the place. She didn’t have a plan—just a vague notion of exploring, of breathing in London’s chaotic energy. She found herself on a side street near her apartment and, suddenly, a craving hit her. Not for food, not for anything complicated—just a simple, steaming cup of coffee.

She pushed open the door of a small, cozy cafe, the little bell above the entrance tinkling as she stepped inside. The place was warm and inviting, with a mix of dark wood and soft lighting. The scent of espresso beans and cinnamon filled the air, and for a moment, Kit just stood there, taking it all in. She was still getting used to living on her own, to the city that felt like both a fresh start and a looming uncertainty.

The barista was a girl with almost familiar curly ginger hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked up as Kit approached, a smile playing on her lips. Kit had her order ready: a black coffee, nothing fancy. She needed the caffeine, but she wasn’t looking to have a conversation. She just wanted to get in and get out.

But as she reached the counter, she froze.

The girl behind it, smiling at her like she’d been expecting her, wasn’t just any barista. It was Jade.

Kit’s heart slammed into her ribs. Jade.

The girl who had been her best friend, the one who had held her hand when she was scared, the one who had kissed her on a dare, on a whim—back when everything was simple and easy. She had never expected to see her again, not like this. Not with time and distance between them, with so many things unsaid and unfinished.

Jade’s face froze too. The smile vanished from her lips, replaced by a stunned, unreadable expression. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Kit swallowed hard, unsure what to say. Her mouth felt dry. She hadn’t prepared for this moment, had never thought their paths would cross again.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought of Jade—of course, she had. But it had always been a passing thought, a ghost of a memory. A soft ache. Nothing more.

But now, here she was, standing in front of her.

Jade opened her mouth, then closed it, like the words were stuck somewhere deep inside her. She cleared her throat awkwardly and stepped back, her eyes scanning Kit as if she were seeing a ghost.

"Kit?" Her voice was quiet, almost tentative.

Kit nodded, still reeling from the shock of seeing her, of being here, now, after all this time. "Hey, Jade," she said, trying to sound casual, like this was just another encounter in the city, like this wasn’t a reunion years in the making. "I didn’t expect to see you here."

Jade blinked, the shock still evident in her face. She looked different—more confident, more composed. If it hadn’t been for the dozens of freckles scattered across her face, Kit would’ve questioned if this was even the shy, awkward girl Kit remembered. There was something harder in her gaze, something that Kit couldn’t quite place.

"I—" Jade started, then faltered. She glanced down at the counter, running a hand through her hair, as if to gather her thoughts. "You’re back?"

Kit felt the awkwardness settle in. "Yeah, I’m… living here now," she said, trying to smile. "Just moved in. Thought I’d get a coffee." She gestured weakly to the counter. "And, you know, explore a bit."

Jade’s eyes flicked to the menu above her, then back to Kit, as if she couldn’t decide whether to continue the conversation or let it go. "Right," she said quietly. "I didn’t know you were coming back."

Kit hesitated, then took a breath. "Yeah, well, I didn’t really tell anyone. Just… needed a change, I guess."

There was a long pause, a silence that stretched uncomfortably between them. Kit’s heart was pounding in her chest. She hadn’t expected to feel so nervous, so unsure.

But the truth was, Jade had been a huge part of her life once. And the fact that she was standing here now, so different, so distant, made something twist in Kit’s chest. Was this it? Was this all they had left? A few awkward sentences, a glance that meant nothing anymore?

Jade finally cleared her throat and shook her head, looking away to prepare Kit’s coffee. "So… you’re back for good, then?" Her voice was careful, distant.

Kit nodded. "I guess so. For now." She wanted to say more, to explain why she’d left all those years ago, why she hadn’t kept in touch, why things had just… stopped. But she didn’t know how to say it. She didn’t even know if Jade would care.

"So you still do music?" Jade said suddenly, her voice quieter now, as if the mention of the past was an awkward subject.

Kit’s heart skipped. "I had a band for a while, nothing crazy came out of it though," she said, forcing a smile. "And it didn’t really compare to our band." The memory of those days—of their clumsy, youthful music and stolen moments—was bittersweet.

"I thought you were going to be a rock star," Jade said, her voice sharp now, with an edge Kit wasn’t used to. "Guess not."

Kit stiffened. "I—" She didn’t know how to answer that. Didn’t know what to say about the dreams they used to have, the girl she used to be.

Jade let out a soft laugh, but it wasn’t warm. It was bitter, distant. "Well, I had to put music on the back burner for school." she said. "Not everyone has a mum who can throw money around to save them." She gave Kit a pointed look before quickly turning away to grab a coffee cup, her back to her.

Kit watched her for a moment, unsure what to do next. The silence between them was thick now, charged with everything they hadn’t said.

After what felt like an eternity, Jade turned back around, setting the cup in front of her. "That’ll be three pounds," she said briskly, her tone professional, the warmth gone.

Kit stared at her for a moment, taking in the girl standing before her. She didn’t know what had changed, what had happened in all the years they hadn’t spoken. She didn’t know how to fix the distance between them, how to make things right.

But she couldn’t just walk away.

"Jade," Kit started, her voice soft, uncertain. "I… I’m sorry. For everything. For not—" She cut herself off, not sure if she should keep going.

Jade didn’t look at her. She simply nodded, as if the apology was something she’d already heard before. "It’s fine," she said quietly. "Really."

But Kit didn’t believe her. And somehow, neither did Jade.