Second Chances

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

Friday afternoon, on their way to their lunch date, Maddy and Haley navigated the sidewalks through hordes of bundled pedestrians. The streets were adorned with celebratory holiday decorations but Maddy was not in a festive mood.

"You picked this place?" Haley asked as they approached a run-down corner deli.

Maddy nodded. "Other than a public bathroom at Penn Station, this is the least romantic meeting venue I could think of."

Haley cocked her head.

"I wanted to make sure that I wasn't sending the wrong message," said Maddy. "He has a way of twisting things around."

Haley winced. "This looks like the kind of place that the Health Department is afraid to inspect."

"Just order the water. And don't drink it. And don't touch anything. I brought hand sanitizer."

"So we're really doing this, huh?"

"I have to. He's just not getting the message. So maybe if I tell him once again to his face, in front of a witness, maybe it'll finally sink in. We were a thing back in college but that was then and this is now. It didn't end well and now it's time to move past all that."

"Just don't be mean, okay?"

"Wait. What?"

"If this guy breaks down in tears, I just can't."

"Don't even say that."

"I mean, when I see a guy with tears in his eyes, a piece of my heart dies."

"I'm gonna be stern but I'm not gonna be mean. He doesn't deserve that."

"How stern?"

"I'm gonna tell him once and for all that it's over. I'm in a relationship. And it's going great. And then you can tell him you know the guy and he's unbelievably hot and super successful and he's totally into me and blah, blah, blah. You know. Improvise."

"I think I can handle that."

"No pressure."

When Maddy and Haley entered the dingy deli, Nathan waved them over to his booth. Sitting beside him, was a ruggedly handsome guy in a leather jacket.

Nathan got up wearing a huge grin on his face. "Hey, Maddy. Can I give you a hug?"

"No."

"Okay." His smile fell.

"Nathan, this is Haley," she said.

"Nice to meet you." Nathan shook her hand. "This is William Sullivan."

"Call me Sully." The guy smiled. "Everybody does."

Haley smiled back as she slid into the booth. "Hey, Sully."

Maddy unzipped her coat and sat beside Haley.

"So, here we are at lunch." Nathan sat across from Maddy. "I love lunch. It's one of my favorite meals."

"Yep," Maddy replied. "Right up there with breakfast and dinner."

The waitress set a gigantic sandwich in front of Nathan and a big salad before Sully.

Admiring the sandwich, Nathan said, "I was afraid you wouldn't show up, so we went ahead and ordered."

"I'm not the one who doesn't show up," said Maddy.

"Here we go." Nathan sighed. "This again."

"Are you ladies ready to order?" the waitress asked.