REKINDLED || Completed

17

🌸🌸🌸
Seventeen
🌸🌸🌸

"This is crazy!" Asher muttered aloud.

Dark Quotes Magazine was going insane.

"Stay hopeful?"

Really?

What happened to the "They can’t hurt what they can’t have" type of quotes?!

"What did he say now?"

Harry appeared with her coffee, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

"What? No. It’s just...some dumb stuff I subscribed to—thanks."

She took a sip. Ah... the taste never gets old.

Harry leaned on the counter, studying her. "What’s been up with you lately?"

It was a slow Tuesday. No one was in the shop except them and an old lady sat by the door.

"Classes. My project."

"Did you make up with that guy?"

"Yes," she answered too quickly.

Harry gave her a knowing look.

"What?" She raised a brow. "I made up."

"It’s just hard to believe you apologized," he smirked.

I didn’t, she almost said. But that would be handing him the win.

"It’s not impossible," she said instead.

"With time, you won’t have a problem saying sorry."

The way he said it—so casual yet so serious—made her chest tighten.

Before she could reply, the shop bell chimed.

Harry glanced over her shoulder, then mouthed oh.

"Decaf, please."

A voice beside Asher made her turn.

And just like that, it was a slap to the face.

"Hi."

Laramie McCullough smiled down at her. Still radiant as ever. Except for the faint shadows under her eyes—concealed, as always, by makeup.

Harry disappeared to get her order, leaving silence in his wake.

"You still love this place, huh?" Lara cast a wary glance around.

Asher shrugged, eyes locked on the slow swirl of her coffee.

Silence again.

Harry returned, setting the cup down. "I have cakes if you’d like."

"Oh no, thank you. This is fine." Lara paid, cup in hand.

Asher waited for her to leave.

She didn’t.

"Ash..."

Asher’s grip on her cup tightened.

"...can we talk?"

"It’s Asher."

"Right. Sorry."

She glanced at Harry, who gave a small nod.

"What is it?" she asked, turning to Lara.

Lara hesitated, flicking a glance at Harry. "Like, alone."

With a sigh, Asher followed her to a table.

Lara exhaled. "So...I should start by apologizing."

"For what?"

A frown. "Everything. For blocking you."