Rena sat on the edge of her bed, staring out the window at the city skyline, her mind a storm of conflicting thoughts. The packed boxes scattered around her apartment served as a constant reminder that her time here was almost up. She had less than a week before she'd be gone—on her way to a new city, a new job, and a new life. Yet, as much as she wanted to embrace this fresh start, a gnawing doubt kept creeping in, making her wonder if leaving was really the answer.
She had spent the last few days doing her best to ignore the emotions swirling inside her. Leandro's final, desperate attempt to win her back had been emotionally exhausting, but at least it had given her a sense of closure. Their chapter was over, and she had walked away for good, finally free of his hold on her. But Lem... that was a different story.
Despite everything that had happened between them, Lem lingered in her thoughts. His heartfelt message a few nights ago had unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. He had apologized, acknowledged his mistakes, and made it clear that he cared. But caring wasn't enough. Trust had been broken, and Rena wasn't sure if that was something they could ever rebuild.
She sighed and ran her hands through her hair, feeling the weight of her decision more heavily now than ever before. She had thought that leaving the city would free her from all this confusion, but now, she wasn't so sure. Was she running away from her problems or giving herself the space she needed to move on? And if she was leaving to find peace, could she really find it without confronting everything she was leaving behind—especially Lem?
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Jade.
Jade: Drinks at 6? You need a break from all that packing!
Rena smiled, grateful for Jade's timing. She needed her friend's advice now more than ever.
A few hours later, Rena and Jade were sitting at their usual spot in the corner of a cozy bar, the warm atmosphere a welcome distraction from the chaos in Rena's mind. The two women clinked their glasses together before taking long sips of their drinks. Jade gave Rena a pointed look, her eyes filled with concern and curiosity.
"So," Jade began, "what's going on? You've been pretty quiet ever since you told Leandro off. Are you having second thoughts about the move?"
Rena sighed, swirling the straw in her drink. "It's not the job. I know I want to take it. It's everything else—the mess I'm leaving behind. Lem, especially."
Jade raised an eyebrow. "Lem?"
"Yeah." Rena took a deep breath before continuing. "He sent me a message the other night, apologizing for everything and saying he didn't want me to leave thinking he didn't care. It just... It made me realize that I haven't really gotten closure with him. And now I'm wondering if I'm running away from all the feelings I still have for him."
Jade sat back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "Do you still have feelings for him?"
"I don't know," Rena admitted, her voice soft. "I think part of me does. He wasn't like Leandro. There was something real between us, and that's what makes it so hard. But at the same time, he kept so much from me. He was DJ Blue, Jade. He was giving me advice on my life without telling me who he really was. How am I supposed to trust someone who can lie like that?"
Jade nodded, taking a moment to process everything. "It sounds like you're torn between what you felt for him and the hurt he caused. And that's totally understandable. But you can't leave without figuring out how you feel, Rena. Trust me, if you go without getting some kind of closure, you'll just carry all that confusion with you."
Rena frowned, knowing Jade was right. "I don't know what closure would even look like with Lem. We've had our conversations, and he's apologized, but that doesn't change what happened."
