The Lost One

Chapter 2: Found

Cali and Evie said goodbye to their friends and went to leave the cafe together when Zion called out to Cali. Evie gave her a wink and said she'd catch her at home. Cali sighed, resigned to facing Zion. She supposed she should probably say goodbye even if she felt there wasn't anything else left to say between them. She'd said all she wanted to say when she told him it wasn't going to work out.

Cali made her way up to the counter to face her ex-fling. He gave her a small smile and took his apron off, calling out to a girl named Jax that he was taking his break. The girl glanced up from her phone for only a second in acknowledgment and then went right back to typing. Zion made his way around the counter and asked Cali to join him outside.

She followed him to a small bench outside the front door of the cafe. Zion asked Cali to sit and she did, although hesitantly. She wondered what he could have to say to her that required an outdoor, sit down conversation. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Zion smiled at her sadly. "I heard you're moving in a few days?"

Cali nodded, "two to be exact. We leave on Wednesday."

The smile on Zion's face withered. He sighed loudly and ran a hand over his short cropped hair. Cali watched him digest the information. He really was handsome. He was tall with dark, coppery skin that shone beautifully in the sunlight. He worked out but wasn't over muscular. His toned arms looked good in his work polo. His bright brown eyes and radiant, white smile is what had captured Cali's attention in the first place. He was attractive as well as polite and respectful. Then there was the fact he was also in school for premed, just one year behind her.

She didn't mean to hurt him when she told him she was leaving. She considered staying at great length but it just wasn't the best choice for her. It wasn't fair to let him think that she would be back or ask him to try long distance or to move with her. They weren't even officially dating, though that was by her choice. Zion made it clear that he was interested in something long term with her. In reality, she broke it off because things were starting to get serious to the point where she knew he would press the issue of making her his girlfriend.

They had gone on three official dates and she had hung out in the cafe a few times by herself while he was working to study. They laughed and chatted in between notes and customers. She had gone as far as making out in his car on a date he'd taken her on outside of the city. His family lived just outside of Newark and he knew a nice restaurant there that he wanted her to try so they did. Aside from a high school boyfriend, she had never kissed anyone in that way before. It had been a long time. In truth, she was scared to get beyond that point with anyone. She knew her body wasn't perfect. Her leg and hip were permanently disfigured and she didn't know how someone would react to it. She was honest and told him about the attack and he had seemed understanding but she wasn't sure at what point she would be ready to take things to the next level.

She felt it was asking a lot to make someone wait even if they said they didn't mind. Mostly because she didn't even know how long it would take to trust someone on that level. It wasn't that she had unattainable standards, it was that she was scared to commit to something serious. She had already been forced to sacrifice so many of her dreams that she didn't want anyone to distract her from the new ones she was striving for. She was scared about anyone seeing her body raw and exposed and vulnerable. She had worked so hard for so long to be strong for herself and no one else and it was hard to break down that barrier. It wasn't Zion's fault, it was hers. The move just made it easier to break it to him that she wasn't ready.

"You know," he said, slumping back against the bench. "I really, really like you Cali."

"Z-," she started to say but he held out a hand to cut her off.