Jennie and Lisa, both reeling from fresh breakups, find themselves alone in a dimly lit bar one evening. The weight of their heartbreaks brings them together as they share their stories over drinks. As the night goes on, they find unexpected comfort...
It’s been weeks since Lisa and I ended our situationship. I still can’t believe how much it feels like a real breakup, even though we were never officially together. This is the worst kind of heartbreak—the kind where you don’t even have a label to put on it, but it hurts just the same. After that last conversation, we didn’t see each other again, didn’t call, didn’t text. We just… stopped.
Our last talk was civil, I guess. We both understood that something wasn’t right, that maybe we weren’t ready for what was happening between us. It’s strange, though. I never thought a situation without any strings attached could end up being this painful. But I realize now that both of us need time to heal before we can truly commit to anyone, including each other.
Healing is essential before entering a new relationship. Without it, you carry all your past wounds, fears, and insecurities into something that’s supposed to be fresh and hopeful. I’ve learned that healing is about understanding yourself, forgiving what happened, and letting go of what you can’t control. Only then can you be open and ready to give yourself fully to someone else. I thought Lisa and I might have been ready, but it turns out we were both still too entangled in our own pasts.
In the midst of all this, I decided to accept the job offer in Paris. My flight is this coming weekend, and oddly enough, it’s the same flight as Kurt’s. After everything, we were able to have the closure we both needed. Our last conversation helped me understand him more, and I’ve forgiven him. He explained why he did what he did, and while it hurt, I can see now that it was just one of life’s many hard lessons.
I’m ready to move on to start fresh in Paris. I’m still sad about what happened with Lisa, but maybe this is what I need to finally let go and heal. I don’t know what’s waiting for me in Paris, but I’m hopeful. I’m ready to focus on my work, to immerse myself in the city, and to see where life takes me next.
As I finished packing my luggage, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my phone. My thoughts were a mess, swirling with memories of Lisa. I wanted to call her, to see her one last time before I left. But I wasn’t sure if she’d even want to see me. Still, I couldn’t help myself—I texted her, hoping for something, anything, from her.
My phone buzzed, and my heart jumped. But when I looked, it wasn’t Lisa—it was Kurt. He was reminding me that he’d pick me up tomorrow for our flight to Paris. I forced myself to reply, but the excitement had drained out of me. I tried to sleep, but it was no use. My mind kept drifting back to Lisa. I missed her so much, and the ache in my chest wouldn’t go away. The next morning, Kurt arrived as planned. The ride to the airport was smooth, but my thoughts were miles away, still stuck on Lisa. I couldn’t resist—I texted her again, one last time.
"Lisa, I’ve been thinking about everything. I just want to thank you for all the days we spent together. You made me so happy, even if it hurts now. I don’t really understand what happened between us, but it’s tearing me apart. Today’s my flight to Paris. Just tell me to stay, and I’ll cancel everything. I’ll stay for you."
As Kurt and I made our way through the airport, I couldn’t help but keep glancing around, my eyes scanning the crowd.
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I was searching for her, hoping against all odds that Lisa would show up. Each time the entrance doors slid open, my heart would leap, only to fall again when it wasn’t her. I knew it was foolish, but I couldn’t stop myself from hoping.
Kurt noticed my distraction and gently nudged my arm.
"You okay, Jen?" he asked, concern in his voice. I forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just... a lot on my mind."
He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to read the truth behind my words.
"If you’re having second thoughts about Paris, you don’t have to go, you know. We can figure something else out."
I shook my head, trying to push away the doubt. "No, Paris is the right move. I need this—new start, new place. It’ll be good for me."
But even as I said it, my thoughts betrayed me. I wasn’t thinking about Paris or the fresh start it could offer. I was thinking about Lisa—about how she hadn’t replied to my messages, about how she wasn’t here. I kept hoping that maybe, just maybe, she’d walk through those doors and tell me to stay, to not go.
Kurt and I reached our gate, and he sat down beside me, flipping through a magazine he’d picked up along the way. I stared at the boarding sign, the letters and numbers blurring as I got lost in my thoughts. Every few minutes, I glanced at my phone, even though I knew I’d turned it off. I was waiting for something that probably wouldn’t happen, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted Lisa to be here so badly that it hurt. It felt like the clock was ticking down to some final moment, and I was running out of time.
Kurt must have noticed my unease because he put the magazine down and looked at me seriously.
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"Jen, you sure you’re okay?"
I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself.
"I’m just... waiting for something. Someone." I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
He looked surprised, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he gave me a small, understanding smile and said, "Sometimes the things we wait for don’t happen the way we want them to. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something better waiting down the road."
I nodded, appreciating his words even if they didn’t fully sink in. I wanted to believe that something better was waiting for me in Paris, but right now, all I could think about was Lisa. I kept picturing her rushing through the airport, telling me not to go. I could almost hear her voice, feel her presence.
But the boarding announcement pulled me back to reality. It was the final call for our flight, and Lisa still hadn’t come. I stood up, feeling the weight of that realization settle in my chest like a stone. I glanced around one last time, hoping against hope, but there was no sign of her.
Kurt touched my arm gently, and I turned to him. "Let’s go, Jen. It’s time."
I stared at my phone, waiting, hoping for a reply. But the minutes ticked by, and nothing came. My heart sank as the final call for our flight was announced. I looked at my phone one last time, but there was no message from Lisa. With a deep breath, I turned it off and followed Kurt to the gate.
I nodded, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. As we walked toward the gate, I kept looking back over my shoulder, hoping she’d appear. But she didn’t. I had to accept that she wasn’t coming, that maybe she never intended to.
As I handed my boarding pass to the attendant and stepped onto the plane, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was leaving something unfinished behind. Maybe I’d never get the closure I wanted, but I had to move forward, even if it hurt.
With one last glance at the airport terminal, I took my seat on the plane. Kurt sat beside me, giving me a reassuring smile, but all I could do was stare out the window, hoping for something that wasn’t meant to be.
