𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲

vegan diet

Hannah and I are sitting on stools up to my kitchen island. She said she wanted to come over for a while to tell me something. After a while of small talk she finally gets on with the news. "I bumped into Travis at the grocery store today."

My heart drops. "It was such a coincidence," she says, "We had a really nice conversation about him starting a new business or whatever. Next thing you know he's apologizing and asking me if we could try everything over again."

She looks down at her hands, "I don't know. He just looks different. I think he's actually changed." She goes on and on about how he's grown into his features, and he looks better than how he used to.

"I think he went to rehab, finally got off those drugs he was on. He's doing better now." She smiles at me, "I don't know." Hannah shakes her head, like she can't believe what is coming out of her mouth, "Just seems like he's finally grown up."

My lips set into a grim line. I thought she learned her lesson the last time. "I just don't trust it." She closes her mouth tightly processing my words. "I don't trust him."

It seems that she throws my opinion out the window. I can see it actually. Hannah doesn't care about anything I'm saying. "Look Bailey. I know it seems that he's up to no good, believe me I get that. But-"

"Do you get it Hannah, do you actually?" I cock my head to the side, "It seems you've forgotten who he really is."

"Was." she corrects.

I almost scoff at the word, "One measly apology and you're ready to give him your all again."

Travis cheated on Hannah multiple times. Once, he even tried to hook up with a middle aged bartender on their date night. And let's not forget the time he tried to coerce me into his bed. I felt that Hannah blamed me for it, or maybe I just thought she did. She ghosted me for a little over a month and didn't answer any of my calls or texts until she calmed down.

Travis never cared about her and I guess Hannah never realized it. "It's hard to get rid of your first love" she'd say, every time he fucked up and she wanted an excuse for dealing with it. I couldn't really argue with her because I didn't know how hard it is. She knows I've never loved a man.

"People change." she whispers.

I sigh. "I know." I comb my hands through my hair and set my elbows onto the marble counter, "I know, I'm just having a hard time accepting... whatever this means."

"I don't want you to get hurt again."

I can't take you leaving me because of him again.

Her eyes soften looking at me. "I won't get hurt. He will not treat me like he used to before. I'll be extra careful this time." she whispers, pressing her hand onto mine laid on my thigh.

"You promise?" I ask.

She smiles, "Promise." I have no choice but to smile as well.

Hannah takes her hand off of my lap and reaches over to pick an apple slice off of her plate. Apples have been her favorite snack since she was a child, other than Nutella. Surprisingly, she doesn't like the two combined.

After some time of watching her eat the apples I break the silence. "A few days ago I got a job at Ultimatum."

"What!"

---

At work the next day I'm confined to sorting out random paperwork and editing a few speeches Lukas has to present. I'm particularly happy when I hear the sound of the intercom and knowing whose voice is about to follow.