Sweeter This Time

Chapter 1- Encounter

As I approached the coffee shop, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a message from my best friend, inviting me to join her for a coffee as we had planned earlier. Smiling at the timing, I quickly replied, agreeing to buy her a coffee as well.

With a renewed sense of purpose, I pushed open the door to the bustling coffee shop. The inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted me, and I scanned the room, my eyes searching for my friend.

And then, amidst the chatter and the clinking of cups, I saw her, sitting at a table near the counter, a bright smile on her face. She waved her hand for me to notice her.

As I made my way over, I suddenly froze in my tracks. There, at a table by the window, was a very familiar face. My breath caught in my throat, a mix of emotions rushing through me.

Before I could react, my best friend looked up, noticing my hesitation. With a knowing smile, she waved me over, gesturing for me to join her at the table. I hesitated for a moment, torn between the comfort of my friend's presence and the unexpected encounter with my past.
Taking a deep breath, I made a decision. I walked over to my best friend's table, my heart still racing but my resolve firm. As I sat down, my friend gave me a reassuring squeeze on the hand, silently offering her support.

"Hey, are you alright?" Samantha asked me with a wishpering voice.

I nodded and calmly and smiled ate her to hide my scared heart.

She smiled a bit.
"Stay here, I'll be the one to order for us" she insisted. I can't do anything since she left me already at the table alone.

I glanced over at the person I saw earlier, meeting his gaze with a mixture of poise and determination. In that moment, I realized that my heart will still pound and unease with him around me.

I hope he didn't recognized me. And I hope out path won't cross again like today.

I sat in my car, the engine idling as I stared out the windshield. My mind kept replaying the events of earlier today, the unexpected encounter that had left me feeling off-kilter.Of all the places in the world, why did I have to see him again at my favorite coffee shop? That cozy little spot had always been my sanctuary, a place where I could escape the stresses of life and simply enjoy a good cup of coffee. It was my happy place, a haven of comfort and familiarity.And yet, there he was - my ex-boyfriend, the one who had shattered my heart into a million pieces. I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me, the way our eyes had locked for that brief, agonizing moment. It was as if the universe had conspired to throw us together, to force us to confront the ghosts of our past.I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white. The memory of his face, the way he had looked at me with a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite decipher, it all came rushing back. I had felt so exposed, so vulnerable in that instant, my carefully constructed walls crumbling in his presence.

Samantha left because her mom called her, her baby won't stop crying unless she go back home.

Yeah, Samantha is happily married and alraedy have her own family. I'm happypy for her, and sometimes I get to think when will I be blessed with that kind of family.

Finally, I decided to go home. I almost forgot reality.

While I drove my car, that thought still glued on my mind. I can't seem to focus the suddenly-

"Ahhhhhhh!" I cried.

I didn't realized that my car crashed on other's car.

Thanks God I was able to brake fast.

I stepped out of my car, my legs feeling shaky beneath me. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made my heart pound in my ears as I took in the scene before me. The front end of my car was crumpled, glass scattered across the pavement, and the other vehicle bore the brunt of the impact on its side.My hands trembled as I ran them through my hair, trying to process what had just happened. How could I have been so careless, so lost in my own thoughts that I failed to see the other car? Guilt gnawed at my conscience as I approached the other driver, who was already out of their vehicle, surveying the damage.

"I'm so sorry," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I... I didn't see you. I wasn't paying attention." My voice cracked as I approached the driver.

"Are you alright?"  Said the middle-aged man who was driving the car.

"Be careful next time" a cold and familiar voice said.

My breath caught in my throat as our eyes met, the same mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite place reflected in his gaze. It was as if time had frozen, the world around us fading into insignificance as we stared at each other, the weight of our shared history hanging heavy between us.

"Essa?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

I nodded, my own voice failing me as a million emotions rushed through me. Anger, hurt, confusion, and a strange sense of longing all battled for dominance within me, leaving me feeling off-kilter and vulnerable.

"I... I can't believe this is happening," I managed to say, my hands trembling as I clutched the insurance papers.

"Of all the places, of all the people," he murmured, his gaze drifting to the damaged cars.
I followed his line of sight, the reality of the situation crashing back into focus. We were standing amidst the aftermath of a car accident, the twisted metal and shattered glass a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unexpected twists and turns it could take.
As I looked back at him, I couldn't help but feel a sense of irony. Of all the people I could have hit, of all the places it could have happened, it had to be him. It was as if the universe had a twisted sense of humor, throwing us together in the most unexpected and uncomfortable way possible.

We stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared history and the present circumstances hanging heavy between us. And in that moment, I knew that this chance encounter, this unexpected reunion, would change everything.

The man before me, the one whose car I had carelessly collided with, was none other than my ex-boyfriend. Yes, he is.

"C-can we exchange insurance?" I stand firmly and hide my trembleness. I want to run way right now.

"Sure, we can" said the driver.

I transacted as fast as J can so I can finally go home, and the fact that I want to avoid him. I want to escape his cold gaze.

Ethan Jace Emerson,why now?
Why did you came back?

As I talked to his driver, he can't stop staring at me, I feel like he alreaxy burried me on the ground in his thoughts.

"Just let me talk to her." He interjected in the middle of our conversation. Si be it,he's the boss, but even so.

Before I could respond, he stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Let's just get this sorted out," he said, his tone clipped and devoid of any warmth.I blinked, taken aback by his sudden coldness.

"I... I was just exchanging insurance information with him," I stammered, feeling like a stranger in his presence.

He nodded, his gaze shifting to the other man. "I'll handle this," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

The driver, sensing the tension between us, quickly handed over his insurance card and hurried back to his car, leaving me alone with my ex.

I watched as he jotted down the necessary information, his movements efficient and impersonal. Gone was the man I had once known, the one who had held me in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. In his place stood a stranger, a man who treated our history as nothing more than a distant memory.

"Here," he said, thrusting the insurance card back at me.

"Make sure your insurance covers the damages."I took the card, my fingers trembling slightly.

"I... I will," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his gaze never wavering. "Good," he said, turning to leave.

He had treated me like a stranger, a mere transaction in his day, and it hurt more than I could have imagined.As I stood there, clutching the insurance card in my hand, I felt a single tear slide down my cheek. Am I stupid enough to cry for that person who treated me as if I didn't even existed from his past?