Autumn Rain

Chapter 7: Shadows of the Past

Alya sat frozen on her couch, staring at the message on her phone. Sam. Of all people, why was her ex reaching out to her now, after so long? The last time they spoke had been years ago, and she had moved on—or so she thought. But seeing his name flash on her screen stirred something deep inside her, a mix of nostalgia and unease that left her breathless.

"Hey, Alya. It's been a while. How've you been?"

Such a simple message, yet it carried the weight of their shared history. Sam had been her first real love—intense, passionate, and, at times, overwhelming. He was charming, confident, and had a magnetic personality that drew people to him. Alya had fallen for him fast and hard, and for a while, everything was perfect. But over time, his reckless side emerged, and the relationship began to unravel. They had fought, broken up, gotten back together, and eventually drifted apart for good. Alya had promised herself she wouldn't look back.

But now, here he was, reaching out to her like a ghost from her past.

She didn't respond right away. For days, she let the message sit there, unanswered, while the thoughts swirled in her mind. What could he possibly want? Was this just a casual check-in, or was there something more behind his sudden reappearance?

Meanwhile, things with Juno had only grown more strained. Their once steady stream of calls and messages had slowed to a trickle. Juno's schedule was packed, and between the time zone difference and his increasing workload, their connection felt distant—literally and emotionally. It wasn't that Juno didn't care; he just seemed to be caught up in his new world, while Alya was left behind, trying to keep the pieces of their relationship from falling apart.

As much as Alya wanted to talk to him about how she was feeling, every time they spoke, the conversation was filled with surface-level updates—what they were working on, how their days had been, small talk that never touched the heart of what was really going on between them. She missed him desperately, but she didn't know how to say it without sounding needy or making him feel guilty for being so far away.

One evening, after Juno had canceled yet another video call because of a late-night art session, Alya found herself scrolling through her messages again. And there it was—Sam's text. Still unanswered. Still waiting.

On impulse, and maybe a bit out of loneliness, Alya tapped out a response.

"Hey, Sam. I've been good. How about you?"

It was a small lie. Alya didn't feel entirely "good." She felt stuck, drifting between her life with Juno that seemed to be slipping through her fingers and this unexpected reminder of her past. Still, she hit send, not quite sure what she was hoping for.

Sam's reply came almost immediately.

"I've been good too. Missed talking to you. Would love to catch up sometime if you're free."

Alya's pulse quickened. Catch up? The last time they had spoken, their breakup had been bitter, filled with unresolved feelings and harsh words. And now he wanted to "catch up" like nothing had happened? She told herself it was just an innocent message, but a part of her knew better. There was always more with Sam. He had a way of pulling her in, making her forget the world around her.

Over the next few days, Alya and Sam continued to exchange messages, their conversations light at first—reminiscing about old times, joking about things they used to laugh about together. Sam was as charming as ever, slipping effortlessly back into her life. But with each new message, Alya felt herself being pulled in deeper, a quiet thrill growing in her chest. He talked about how he had changed, how much he had grown since they were together. He said all the right things, things she wanted to believe.

At the same time, her calls with Juno were becoming shorter and more strained. The distance between them felt insurmountable, like they were living in two different worlds. Juno's enthusiasm for his work had become his whole focus, while Alya struggled to find her place in a relationship that now felt like an afterthought.

It wasn't long before Sam sent the message that made Alya's heart skip a beat.

"I miss seeing you. Let's meet up. Just for old times' sake."

Alya stared at her phone, conflicted. She knew better. Meeting up with Sam—especially now—was a bad idea. She was with Juno, even if things weren't perfect at the moment. She couldn't just pretend that she and Sam could go back to being friends, not after everything they'd been through.

And yet, the loneliness inside her gnawed at her, and the idea of seeing Sam, of feeling that old spark again, was tempting. Sam had always known how to make her feel alive, how to make her forget the rest of the world. But was that what she really needed right now?

Alya's hand hovered over her phone as she typed her response. The words "Sure, let's meet" appeared on the screen. But before she could hit send, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Juno. Her heart pounded in her chest as she read the words: "Can we talk? I miss you."