Serenade in a Coffee Cup

Echoes of the Past

The sun was just beginning to set, casting long shadows across the city as Orm made her way through the bustling streets. She had spent the day at the studio, lost in her music, trying to forget the weight of everything that had been pressing down on her lately. Ling was at work, and they had planned to meet up later for dinner. But as Orm wandered aimlessly, her thoughts kept drifting back to the past, to the memories she had tried so hard to bury.

She found herself standing outside a small park, the same one where she and Bright used to hang out when they were younger. The memories hit her like a freight train—laughing together under the trees, sharing secrets, and making promises that had long since been broken. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but the past was relentless.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a message from an unknown number, her heart sinking as she opened it.

*Meet me at the park. We need to talk.*

Orm's grip tightened on the phone. She knew who it was. She had been avoiding him for weeks, ignoring his messages, his calls, pretending that he no longer existed. But it seemed Bright wasn't going to give up that easily.

With a deep breath, she turned and headed towards the park. She knew this confrontation was inevitable, but that didn't make it any easier. As she walked, her mind raced with thoughts of what she would say, how she would finally cut him out of her life for good.

When she arrived at the park, she saw him sitting on a bench, looking almost the same as he did all those years ago. But there was something different in his eyes now—something darker, more desperate.

Bright looked up as she approached, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "You came," he said, as if surprised.

Orm didn't sit down. She crossed her arms, keeping her distance. "What do you want, Bright?"

He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Still so cold, huh? After everything we've been through, you're still going to act like this?"

Orm's jaw tightened. "We haven't been through anything in years. Whatever we had, it's over. You need to move on."

Bright's smile faded, replaced by a hard glare. "Move on? Is that what you think I can do? After everything you put me through?"

"I put you through?" Orm repeated, her voice rising. "You're the one who betrayed me, who hurt me in ways I can't even describe! Don't you dare try to play the victim here."

Bright stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. "I did what I had to do. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, I understand perfectly," Orm shot back. "I understand that you're a coward, that you used me and then threw me away when I needed you the most. And now you're what? Trying to worm your way back into my life? It's pathetic, Bright."

He flinched at her words, but the anger in his eyes only grew. "You don't get it, Orm. You never did. Everything I did, I did for us."

"There is no 'us,' Bright," Orm said, her voice cold. "There hasn't been for a long time. You're not in my heart anymore. You're not in my life, and you're certainly not in my thoughts. I hate you for what you did to me, and nothing you say is going to change that."

Bright stared at her, his face a mask of anger and hurt. But behind it, Orm could see something else—desperation. He was clinging to the past, to a version of their relationship that had never really existed. And it made her sick.

"You need to leave, Bright," she said, her voice firm. "Leave me alone. Leave Ling alone. You're not welcome in my life anymore."

At the mention of Ling, Bright's expression darkened. "So that's what this is about," he sneered. "That little waitress you're so smitten with. You think she's going to make you forget about me? About us?"

Orm took a step back, her eyes narrowing. "Ling has nothing to do with this. This is about you and your obsession. It's over, Bright. It's been over for a long time. The sooner you accept that, the better."

Bright's fists tightened until his knuckles turned white. "You think you can just walk away from me? From everything we had?"

Orm didn't flinch. "I already have."

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the weight of their past hanging heavy between them. Then, without another word, Orm turned and walked away, leaving Bright standing alone in the park, his mind swirling with a mixture of anger, pain, and confusion.

As Orm walked, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had said what she needed to say, and for the first time in years, she felt like she was finally free of him. But as she made her way towards Ling's apartment, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end. Bright was dangerous, and she knew he wouldn't let go so easily.

But for now, she pushed those thoughts aside. She had Ling, and she wasn't going to let Bright ruin what they had. Not again.