The Unspoken Currents

The Promise Revisited

It had been a week since their last conversation at Becky's apartment, and things had settled into an easy rhythm between them. There were no awkward silences, no tense stares—just a warmth that neither of them had felt in a long time. Freen had made it a habit to pick Becky up from work, a small gesture that had quickly become part of their routine. They spent their evenings together, revisiting places from their past or discovering new ones, letting the city become a backdrop for the time they were slowly reclaiming.

Today was no different.

Freen leaned against her car, waiting for Becky outside the Cravath & Armstrong building. She tapped her fingers against the door, glancing up at the sky as the sun began to set, painting the city in warm hues of gold and pink. Becky appeared in the entrance, her hair catching the light, and Freen couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"You're early," Becky teased as she approached, but there was a softness in her tone that made Freen's chest feel lighter.

Freen shrugged playfully, holding the car door open for her. "What can I say? I missed you."

Becky rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile that curved her lips. "You see me every day, Freen. But... thanks."

They slipped into the car, and as Freen started the engine, she turned to Becky with a familiar grin. "So, what's the plan for today, your honor? Pizza, bubble tea, or are we finally going to try that new ramen place you keep talking about?"

Becky leaned back in her seat, considering the options, then smiled slyly. "How about all three? Pizza first, then milk tea, and we'll save the ramen for later."

Freen laughed, the sound filling the car with warmth. "You've got a deal."

They ended up at a cozy pizzeria they hadn't visited in years, one they used to go to during their college days. The place hadn't changed much—same checkered tablecloths, same dim lighting, same rich smell of freshly baked crust. They ordered a large pepperoni with extra cheese, a nod to their usual order from back then, and settled into a booth by the window.

"Do you ever think about those days?" Freen asked, glancing over at Becky as she sipped her soda.

Becky shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Sometimes. It feels like a lifetime ago, but also like it was just yesterday, you know?"

Freen nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, I get that. We've come a long way since then, haven't we?"

Becky met her gaze, something unspoken passing between them. "Yeah, we have."

Their pizza arrived, and they fell into a familiar rhythm—talking, laughing, sharing stories from their day. The conversation flowed easily, like the years of distance between them had melted away. But beneath the surface, there was a current of something deeper, something neither of them was quite ready to address.

After grabbing their favorite milk tea from a small shop tucked away in a quiet alley, they headed back to Becky's apartment. The place had become a kind of shared sanctuary in recent weeks, a space where they could forget about the world outside and just be themselves.

Becky flopped onto the couch, kicking off her shoes, and Freen joined her, their shoulders brushing as they settled into the cushions. The TV flickered on, and they half-watched a movie, but soon their attention drifted back to each other, the movie becoming background noise.

Becky turned to Freen, her expression thoughtful. "Do you ever think about those promises we made back in college?"

Freen glanced at her, a curious smile tugging at her lips. "Which promises? We made a lot of them, you know."