Short stories

have we met before

"Have we met before?" she asked the boy who was sitting at the table next to her.

She had been staring at him for quite a while now. They're at a cozy diner and they coincidentally ordered the same. He also had this familiarity, but she couldn't seem to remember where she could have met him before. Maybe they were in primary school together? Or maybe they were in the same class in high school? She didn't know.

"I don't think so" he replied, "but you seem familiar? It sounds weird I know, but... it feels like I've seen you somewhere. It even feels like I knew you really well, but that doesn't make any sense, because I would've remembered you..."

"I feel the same way! I also can't think of a way we could've met before, and yet..."

"Where do you live? Or where did you live, before you moved here for college?" he asked her.

"I'm from Boston, you?" "I'm from Los Angeles... that means we didn't see each other on the street once either..."

"Maybe we met in our previous life? I think everyone lives multiple lives, but just doesn't remember their past lives. Maybe we were best friends and our brains recognized each other!"

"I don't know... I don't really believe in that stuff" he answered. "Maybe you just look like someone else I met briefly and the same with you, that I just make you think of someone. Isn't that a possibility either?"

"I don't think so, your face is really unique! In a beautiful way, don't get me wrong.. " I said, while starting to blush. Seeing that, he smiled at me. "Same here, you're too pretty for me to think of someone else by seeing you"

I only blushed harder from his comment, and turned my head away, so he wouldn't see it.

"What's your name by the way? I forgot to ask you. I'm Darius"

"My name is Atossa. My parents really love the classical antiquity, so they named me after one of the wives of their favourite Persian sultan. Did your parents name you after the Sultan Darius? He was a great man, he really helped expanding the Persian Empire. Or did they just find it a pretty name?"

"I think they did name me after him, because my mom teaches history in high school and she loves teaching about the Persian Empire. She's really interested in the Persian culture."

"Then maybe we were destined to meet each other, since our names are from a couple from long ago. Atossa was the wife Darius loved the most. So maybe we've lived a lot of lives and in all of those lives, we were meant to be!"

"It's probably just a coincidence" he said while chuckling, a fond look in his eyes. He already liked her. He wasn't the only one though, Atossa also couldn't stop staring at him, after her cheeks cooled down.

When they had been there for quite a while, never stopping with talking, her phone suddenly started ringing: her roommate was calling her. "I'm sorry" she said, "I've got to take this call, it's from my roommate"

She stood up and walked towards the bathroom. 'Hi Atossa! I called you to ask if you know when you'll be home, because I ordered pizza!' her roommate said through the phone. 'I'll be home soon, okay?' 'No problem! See you soon'

She walked back to their table and sat down. "I need to go back to home, sorry"

"It's okay, don't worry! Do you want to exchange phone numbers?"

"Yeah sure, give me your phone"

He handed her his phone and she put her number in it. After she gave him his phone back, they said their goodbyes, not seeing the man who had been staring at us, ever since they started talking.

---

When she came home, she could already smell the pizza Meara ordered.

"It smells delicious! Thank you for waiting for me!" said Atossa to her.

"No problem, Tossie. Let's dig in now, shall we?"

During dinner, they talked about the trip they planned. In about two weeks, they would be in a cozy cottage, close to a lake. Meara loves the sea, more like water in general, but Atossa's more a fan of forests, so they compromised, since the lake and their cottage is surrounded by trees.

"Did I tell you already about this guy I met today? He's so sweet! I loved talking to him and his name is Darius. What a coincidence right? Our names are the names of an ancient couple" Atossa started blushing, just remembering the guy who made her heart flutter, even though they just met.

"You look like you're already lovestruck, Tossie! Was he that nice? Maybe you're just meant to be, since you're blushing and your names are soulmates" answered Meara, grinning widely.

"Oh, shut up!"

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I'm kinda stuck now, so feel free to finish it! :)

this one is inspired by the song 'Have we met before' by Sarah Barrios and Eric Nam (I really love this song)

-> song upbove