Between Then and Now

The city felt different today. Or maybe it was just her.

She walked through the familiar streets, the crisp morning air biting at her skin,She could feel the air ,but her thoughts were somewhere else. With him.

Last night had changed everything.

The kiss.

The way he looked at her afterward, like she was the only thing keeping him grounded.

And then—the phone call.

Something about it had shifted the energy between them. He'd brushed it off, but she knew better. She could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers had curled into a fist before he shoved his phone back into his pocket.

And now?

Radio silence.

He hadn't texted. He hadn't called.

And maybe she should be relieved. Maybe she needed the space to figure out what this all meant.

But instead, it just made her feel restless.

Like something was slipping through her fingers before she even had the chance to hold it.

---

(An Unwelcome Encounter)

She was halfway through her morning coffee run when she saw him in a

café, dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her sharp features twisted into something unreadable.

And then, as if sensing her gaze, she turned.

Their eyes met.

And that's when she knew.

This was the person who had called him last night.

Before she could process what that meant, a familiar voice cut through the morning buzz.

"You came," he said.

Her stomach twisted.

He was there. Standing just a few feet away from the woman.

Her breath caught in her throat. He looked... different. Not in a bad way. Just—different.

Like there was something weighing on him. Something she didn't know about.

Something he's thinking about.

And suddenly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to.

Still, she forced herself to keep her expression neutral and normal. "Didn't realize I needed an invitation to get coffee."

A flicker of amusement crossed his face, but it was gone too quickly.

The woman beside him shifted slightly, her gaze flicking between the two of them before she spoke.

"So," she said, her voice smooth, unreadable. "You're her."

The way she said it made her bristle.

What do you mean I'm her ?

Her eyes darted to him for an explanation, but he just exhaled a slow breath.

"Let's not do this here," he muttered.

But it was too late.

She squared her shoulders, looking directly at the woman. "I don't think we've me before"

The woman's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "No. But I've heard a lot about you."

Something about the way she said it made her chest tighten and wondering.

She hated this feeling. This uncertainty. This sudden sense of being on the outside of something she didn't even know actually existed.

And what made it worse?

He still hadn't explained a damn thing to her .

The moment they were alone, she turned to him, crossing her arms.

"Okay," she said, voice even. "Want to tell me who she is?"

"She said again, will you tell me who she is or you wants to hide it from the girl you always tell you do love"?.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "It's complicated."

Her jaw tightened. "I hate that word."

He hesitated. "She's—someone from my past."

"Past," she repeated, waiting for him to elaborate.

He sighed. "She was... important to me. A long time ago."

Her stomach twisted. "And now?"

His silence was the worst answer.

She forced herself to keep her expression blank, but inside, she was unraveling.

Because for the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn't sure where she stood with him.

And that scared her more than anything.

The silence between them stretched, thick and heavy.

She hated it.

She hated the uncertainty, the questions swirling in her mind, the way her chest tightened every time she thought about the woman from earlier.

And more than anything—she hated that he wasn't saying anything.

"So that's it?" she finally said, breaking the quiet. "You're just going to stand there and hope I stop asking?"

His jaw clenched, hands shoved into his pockets as he looked away. "It's not like that."

"Then explain it to me," she pressed. "Because from where I'm standing, it sure as hell looks like it."

He let out a slow breath, eyes flicking up to meet hers. And for the first time, she saw something there—something raw, unguarded.

But just as quickly, he shut it down.

"It's complicated," he muttered.

She let out a humorless laugh. "Right. Because that's always the best excuse, isn't it?"

She took a step back, shaking her head. "You know, I thought we were past this. I thought we were finally figuring things out. But now?" She let out a bitter chuckle. "Now, I'm starting to wonder if I even know you at all."

His head snapped up at that, something flashing across his face—guilt, frustration, something she couldn't quite place.

"That's not fair," he said, his voice lower now.

"Isn't it?" She crossed her arms, her voice steady despite the way her chest ached. "You had the chance to tell me. To explain. And instead, you let her do all the talking while you stood there, hoping I wouldn't ask too many questions."

His lips parted like he wanted to say something—maybe an apology, maybe an excuse.

But before he could, her phone buzzed.

She pulled it out instinctively, barely glancing at the screen before shoving it back into her pocket.

His eyes narrowed. "Who was that?"

She let out a dry laugh. "Oh, now you want to ask the questions?"

His jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything.

"Don't worry about it," she said, voice sharper than she intended. "It's complicated."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring the way her heart screamed at her to turn back.

Because for the first time in a long time—she wasn't sure if he would follow.

---

End of chapter.