Forgotten Date

Alex lay on his bed, his thoughts consumed by the unexpected encounter with Nora.

The image of her beautiful, delicate face, her tentative smile, and the manner in which she hesitantly agreed to his offer of a ride home kept replaying in his mind, like a loop he couldn't break.

 It was as if she had triggered something deep within him a curiosity, a desire to protect her, even though she was practically a stranger.

The softness of her voice, the sadness in her eyes it all stirred something in Alex that he hadn't felt in a long time.

He wondered what had happened in her life to make her so guarded, so vulnerable. There was a fragility about her that contrasted sharply with the steeliness he had seen when she bumped on him at the hotel.

As these thoughts swirled in his head, The piercing ring of his phone yanked Alex from his daydreams back to reality.

Startled, he reached for it on his nightstand, glancing at the screen. There was no caller ID, but something in the pit of his stomach twisted uncomfortably. He had a feeling he knew who it was.

With a resigned sigh, he answered the call. "Hello?" he said, his voice tinged with a mix of apprehension and irritation.

The voice on the other end was soft, almost trembling. "I waited all day at the restaurant for you," came the familiar voice of Zoe, barely above a whisper. I've been calling you, but each time I called it went straight to voice mail.

Alex closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as guilt washed over him. He had completely forgotten about the dinner reservation, the one he had reluctantly agreed to in the first place.

His mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Nora that Zoe's existence had slipped from his thoughts entirely.

He was supposed to go on dinner date with Zoe, but he left the restaurant without seeing Zoe. 

After seeing Nora, he went searching for her after she left in a rush when they bumped on each other.

A soft sob echoed through the phone. "You failed me again, Alex," she said, her voice cracking with hurt. You promised you'd come, and I waited there like a fool.

Alex felt a pang of guilt shoot through him, but it was quickly covered it and said in a cold voice "I'm sorry, Zoe," he said, trying to sound sincere, though his words felt hollow even to his own ears. Something came up, and I had to rush back to fix it.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When Zoe finally spoke, her voice was small and defeated. It's always something with you, isn't it? I just, I thought tonight would be different. I thought we could finally have a nice evening together.

Alex's chest tightened. He could hear the pain in her voice, the quiet desperation of someone who was clinging to something that was already slipping away.

He knew Zoe was trying her best to make things work between them, but the truth was, his heart does not beat for her.

His family had been pushing him to marry Zoe for months now. She was the perfect match, a well-mannered, beautiful woman from a good family, someone who could bring stability and respectability to his life.

But no matter how hard he tried, Alex couldn't force himself to feel something that wasn't there. 

Zoe had been patient, understanding, even forgiving when he had canceled plans or missed important dates.

But tonight, the reality of their relationship hit him like a ton of bricks. He didn't want this life, this future that had been mapped out for him by others. 

I didn't mean to hurt you, Alex said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just…not sure about a lot of things right now."

Zoe sniffled on the other end. I get it, Alex. I really do. But how long are you going to keep me waiting? How long am I supposed to keep hoping that things will change?

Alex didn't have an answer for her. He knew she deserved more, more than half-hearted promises and broken dates, more than a man who couldn't fully commit.

But he also knew he couldn't give her what she wanted. His mind was elsewhere, occupied by thoughts of someone who didn't fit into the perfect mold his family had created for him.

"I'm sorry, Zoe. I really am."

There was a long silence on the other end, and Alex could feel the weight of his words hanging in the air.

He wondered if this would be the moment Zoe finally decided to walk away, to free herself from the painful limbo he had put her in.

He never actually refuted because he had no girlfriend and to keep the other girls away, he did not deny the rumors that was circulating that they are dating.

Maybe now is the time to make things clear between us.

 But the thought of hurting her even more made him feel like a coward.

Now go to Zoe, he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I care about you too, you know that, right?"

"I know," she replied, her voice barely audible. 

I'll pick you up tomorrow, and we'll go to lunch at a nice place as a way to make it up to you.

Alex didn't know what else to say. Zoe finally sighed. "I should go," she said softly. Take care of yourself, Alex.

"You too, Zoe," Alex replied, his voice cracking slightly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she whispered, and the line went dead.

Alex stared at his phone, the guilt and confusion churning inside him like a storm.

He knew he had let Zoe down again, and this time it felt like he had crossed a line that couldn't be uncrossed. But he also knew that staying with her, pretending that everything was fine, would only make things worse in the long run.

As he lay back on his bed, Alex's thoughts drifted back to Nora. There was something about her that had captured his attention in a way that Zoe never could.

But as much as he wanted to explore whatever it was that drew him to Nora, he knew he couldn't do so without first dealing with the mess his life had become.

He had to make some hard decisions, and he had to do it soon.

 Would he be able to find the courage to follow his heart, and what will my parents think of her. They are so in live with Zoe.