Down the road of memories

Falling in love at a coffee shop

Elle POV

Noah took me to a coffee shop near his parents' house for breakfast. We sat on the terrace to enjoy our coffee and muffin. To my astonishment, the topics of conversation came one after the other without much effort. It seemed like both he and I needed to know what had become of the other over the past 6 years. I was in the middle of a story that had happened in Africa during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years at USC while riding Kilimanjaro with Skylar when I saw Noah's eyes darken and his shoulders tense. He was silent for a few moments before I asked him what had bothered him.
- Nothing!" he replied.
- You really think I'm going to believe you, Noah Flynn. I think I'm one of the people who knows you the best, so I know you're lying. Listen, if you want us to get back together, you're going to have to be honest with me. Let you confide your emotions to me.

He sighed before telling me:
- When you mentioned Skylar, it reminded me of the worst day in the last 6 years. The one where I realized how much I had lost by letting you go...

Flashback Boston, 18 months after breakup
Noah POV

If there's one holiday you hate when you're single, it's Valentine's Day. I was in the middle of my junior year at Harvard and unfortunately, my cover of I Still Have a Girlfriend in LA had been destroyed by Rachel's cousin, Livia. My teammate Greg and his girlfriend Abby had tricked me into a double date. They chose Mackenzie, a girl in law class with me. We got along well so I knew it wasn't going to be a total flop.

One morning in February, I came back from my jog and was looking at my social media profiles when an image of horror appeared on my screen. A guy named Skylar Leighton had tagged Elle saying: First date with Elle Evans, accompanied by a picture of the love of my life on the back of another guy on the beach. The photo had the effect of a stab in the heart. I didn't think for a second before dialing Lee's number:
- What's going on bro? It's 4:00 in the morning!" Lee said to me in a sleepy voice.
- Lee, who is this idiot?
- Calm down, Noah! He's anything but a idiot...

I was lying on my bed on my way home from class. It was 3 in the afternoon and I had no intention of getting out of bed except maybe to take a shower before going back to bed for the night. I didn't want to go clubbing with Chloe and the guys, or play video games with my roommates, or go out to eat with my teammates. I just wanted time to pass! Lee's words this morning were spinning in my head: he's a perfect guy, Olympic swimmers, medical student, a gallant man who opens the door of his car for her... The fear of my whole life jumped out at me! The perfect guy had arrived and I had made way for him a long time ago.

2 hours later I heard a knock on my door and Chloe came in before she even heard an answer. She sat down in my work chair and said:
- Tell me what's going on, Flynn. Mackenzie told me that you cancelled all your plans for the weekend without giving her any explanation. And you would have avoided her all day. Dan says you didn't talk to anyone during football practice.

I didn't answer her, I didn't look at her. I had no desire to discuss that. But knowing Chloe, she was never going to let the situation go.
- Is it because of your discussion this morning with Lee?

I looked at her surprised, how could she know?
- Your mother called me. She thought you'd probably need to talk to someone about it. So, how did you know?
- I saw his picture on social media.
- From Skylar with Elle?

I nodded softly. I couldn't even pronounce his name. Yes, because this idiot had a name...
- I asked Lee who it was and he told me that...
- Is the guy Elle is dating?
- Yes... I didn't think it would affect me so much, Chloe. It's like I'm losing her again. I hate this guy. I...