Zaire has waited three long years to reunite with her best friend, Aiyana. Their joy is unmistakable, but her excitement quickly shifts when she meets Aiyana's boyfriend-Omari, the man Zaire once loved deeply.
Unbeknownst to Aiyana, Zaire and Omari...
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I hadn't expected to run into anyone I knew, let alone 'him.'
Dakarai. The name alone brings back a flood of memories-awkward high school dances, late-night phone calls, and the first butterflies I'd ever felt for someone. He was my high school crush, my first real heartbreak before life pulled us in different directions.
The sun was peeking through the clouds, casting a warm glow over the bustling café as I made my way to grab a quick coffee. The rich aroma of freshly brewed beans mixed with the sound of laughter and clinking cups enveloped me, grounding me in the moment. I was still feeling the lingering effects of the night before when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar figure. At first, I thought my tired eyes were playing tricks on me, but then he turned, and our eyes met. I froze, my coffee order forgotten, my heart skipping a beat like I was sixteen again.
"Zaire?" His voice was deeper than I remembered, but that smile was exactly the same.
I laughed, trying to hide how caught off guard I was. "Dakarai. Wow, I... I can't believe it's you."
We stood there for a moment, the lively chatter of the café fading into the background as he took a step closer, his eyes sparkling with that same mischievous glint I used to fall for. The air felt charged, like a jolt of electricity passed between us. "What're the chances, huh? Are you free? Let's catch up."
We find a small diner, and as we sit across from each other, the conversation flows so quickly, as we've never lost touch. Dakarai tells me about his work, how he's been back in town for a while, but we just never crossed paths. talk about my life, how I left town to move to a different state, but I leave out certain details-like Omari. There's no need to go there. Not now.
"You look great, Zaire. Still glowing after all these years." His smile is warm, and for a second, I feel that old familiar spark.
We linger over our food, reminiscing, laughing about the dumb things we did back in high school, and it feels good. Simple. Almost like I'm in another world, where my past with Omari doesn't exist, where Aiyana's relationship with him doesn't hang over me like a shadow.
By the time we leave the diner, it's like no time has passed at all.
---
When I invite Dakarai to come with me to Aiyana's place, I don't think much of it. I just want her to meet him. But when we walk through the door, Aiyana's eyes light up with a mischievous glint.
"Oh my God, Zaire, you should've told me you were meeting an old flame," she teases, elbowing me playfully as she checks out Dakarai.
"It's not like that," I laugh, but I can feel my cheeks warming.
Aiyana raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. You know what? We should all go on a double date-Omari and me, you and Dakarai. It'll be fun."
