Chapter 11: Unfinished Conversations

Evelyn hesitated for only a second before stepping into the café. The chime above the door rang softly, and the scent of fresh coffee filled her senses. The place hadn't changed much—warm lighting, soft chatter, the sound of a milk frother hissing in the background. It was familiar, yet at the same time, she felt like a stranger stepping into a past life.

Alexander watched her as she walked in, his expression unreadable. She noticed the slight tension in his shoulders, the way he fidgeted with his coffee cup. He was nervous, and that realization sent a strange mix of emotions swirling in her chest.

She walked up to his table, placing her hands on the back of the chair opposite him. "This seat taken?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Not anymore."

Evelyn slid into the chair, setting her purse on the table. She glanced at the cup in front of him, then at the one the barista had just placed on the counter for her. "Still drinking the same?"

Alexander chuckled softly. "Some things don't change."

She let out a small hum, wrapping her hands around her cup. The warmth seeped into her fingers, grounding her. "So," she started, her voice steady but cautious. "You wanted to talk."

Alexander exhaled, looking down at his coffee as if searching for the right words. "I know I don't deserve a second chance, and I'm not asking you to just forget everything that happened." He met her gaze, sincerity evident in his eyes. "But I need you to know that I regret it all. I regret hurting you. I regret walking away instead of fighting for us. And I regret not telling you sooner how much you mean to me."

Evelyn studied him, searching for any sign of insincerity, but found none. He looked exhausted, not just physically but emotionally. Like he had spent countless nights going over the same thoughts, the same regrets.

She took a sip of her coffee before responding. "You know, for a long time, I tried to hate you." She let out a dry laugh. "It would have been easier if I could."

His expression flickered with pain. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"But I couldn't." She shook her head. "Because I kept remembering the good times. The way you used to make me laugh. The way you knew exactly what to say when I had a bad day. And it made it so much harder to accept that you left."

Alexander reached across the table slightly, but stopped himself, as if afraid to push too far. "I was a coward, Evelyn. I thought leaving would be better than staying and risking hurting you even more. But I was wrong."

She tapped her fingers against her cup, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. "And what now?"

"I don't expect you to jump back into anything with me." His voice was firm yet gentle. "I just want a chance to prove to you that I've changed. That I'm not the same person who let you down."

Evelyn stared at him, weighing his words, the sincerity in his voice, the way his eyes never wavered from hers. A part of her wanted to trust him, to believe that people could change. But another part of her was still guarded, still carrying the scars of their past.

She sighed. "I don't know if I can trust you again, Alex."

His shoulders dropped slightly, but he nodded. "I understand."

A silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable but heavy with unspoken words. The café around them continued as if their world hadn't just shifted, as if this moment wasn't defining something fragile and uncertain between them.

Finally, Evelyn spoke again. "But maybe… we can start with coffee."

Alexander's eyes lit up, hope flickering behind them. "Coffee sounds like a good start."

And just like that, the past didn't disappear, but the future held the possibility of something new.