2 kids

Told you so.

Ashley.

Anxiety traps my body as I enter the little café. It makes my feet freeze in place; heart begging to be freed from the cage in my chest.

I can't do this.

I turn around before anyone spots me, only to be met with Mae and Nina's eyes. Neither of them will allow me to leave without having talked with Noah first.

With a sight I make my way to the table he's supposed to be at. I purposely made him wait, hoping he'd give up and leave. I purposely avoided his calls and messages until I didn't bump into him at my dad's office. I felt paralysed and attacked by my own karma. I hated the vulnerability settling in my chest that moment.

I notice him before he notices me, and I hide behind a palm tree.

He's seated by the window, laptop open in front of him and some notebook spread in his. His eyes travel from the notebook to the laptop, and occasionally he types something down. I watch him do his work for a while, breathing heavily and trying to muster up the courage to face him.

Nothing about him gives off the impression he's supposed to meet someone. He looks like he's busy with his work, wanting to be undisturbed. If a woman came to him and started a conversation, I'd gladly tiptoe out of this café.

But no one dares to interrupt him.

Neither do I.

I can't deny a small part of me is still attracted to him. He's a handsome man and something about him makes my heart flutter even after all these years. I never loved him, but I always cared for him. Then why does it feel like I'm breaking his heart now.

Though he makes my heart race, he never makes it calm down. It always only races, overfilled with anxiety. The moment of calmness I so desperately search for never comes in his presence. And he may be as handsome as the crowned sexiest man on earth, he doesn't make me feel at home. Not like Alex does.

Noah's nothing more than a reminder of my childhood in Florida. Of the good moments, the happy times.

I gather the courage to step out from my hiding position. When I look behind me, Mae and Nina are gone. I know they're watching from somewhere nearby, maybe even directly from somewhere here.

I take my time crossing the distance between us. There's no need to hurry, I tell myself. I'm not breaking up with him, I'm not breaking his heart. I'm simply attempting to restore a friendship that's at stake now.

Though I don't seem to possess any romantic interest towards him, I want him in my life as a friend. As much as I hate to be reminded of Florida, I had forgotten about the good times. I had forgotten that my life wasn't only black, it was colourful once too. Noah's return to my life reminded me of those months. And for that I'm grateful.

At the last second I chicken out, ready to run for my life.

But it's too late, he has noticed me.

There's no bright smile on display when his eyes meet mine. Something of a vague outline of uplifted corners of his lips in a very soft smile is visible.

I've hurt him without doubt. But I would've hurt him a thousand times more if I had stayed that night. It wouldn't have been fair to have led him on, to play him and use him like that. It wasn't respectful to go and sleep with Alex either, but unlike Noah he could tame the tidal wave of frustration raging inside of me.

"Hi," I say, contemplating whether I should take a seat over for him or not. When his 'hi' reaches my ears, and his eyes motion for me to sit down, I hesitantly do so.

A long silence follows, and I offer to leave. But Noah says, "I'm sorry for what happened."

"No," I shake my head. "I want to apologise. I shouldn't have run away like that. It was-"