Forgetting Sparks

Chapter 5

Layla barely slept that night, her mind replaying every detail of her encounter with Omar and Nadia. The fear in his eyes when Nadia appeared, the venom in Nadia's tone—these weren't the marks of a simple ex-girlfriend. There was something darker going on, something Omar hadn't told her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that by reconnecting with him, she'd been dragged into a world she didn't belong in.

In the morning, her phone buzzed with a message from Omar: "Layla, please. I need to explain. Meet me tonight at the café?"

Part of her wanted to delete his message and pretend he was still the ghost he'd been for all these years. But another part—a part that still remembered all the moments they'd shared—couldn't resist the chance to understand what was really going on.

Reluctantly, she replied: "Fine. One last chance."

By evening, she found herself sitting in a small corner booth at a café they used to frequent as teenagers. The memories felt almost bittersweet now, tainted by everything that had come rushing back into her life with Omar's reappearance. As she sipped her coffee, she spotted him walking in, his expression tense and serious.

He sat across from her, his face softening a little as he looked at her. But she kept her gaze steely, refusing to let him think this would be an easy conversation.

"Thank you for coming," he began, his voice low.

"I'm not here to make things easy for you, Omar," she replied coldly. "If you want me to stay, you'd better be honest. Start with Nadia. Who is she, really?"

Omar took a deep breath, leaning back in his seat, his jaw clenched. "Nadia and I... we met a few years ago. Things were intense—too intense, maybe. I thought it was love at the time, but I was wrong. She's possessive, manipulative, and... well, let's just say she's not used to people telling her no."

Layla folded her arms, watching him carefully. "So why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?"

"Because I thought I could handle it," he said, frustration flickering across his face. "I thought if I ignored her, she'd eventually move on. But when she found out I was back in town... and that I'd reconnected with you... it triggered something. She's become obsessed, convinced that we're meant to be together."

"So why are you still here?" Layla's voice shook with barely contained anger. "Why are you dragging me into this mess?"

"Because I still care about you, Layla," he admitted, his voice raw. "You're the only real thing I've ever had in my life. I just... I wanted a second chance with you. I wanted to start over."

She shook her head, her heart aching at his words. "But you're not giving me a second chance, Omar. You're pulling me into something dangerous. Nadia... she's not just some ex. She's... unstable. I could feel it last night."

Omar ran a hand through his hair, looking away. "I know. And that's why I've been trying to keep my distance, even though I don't want to."

Layla exhaled sharply, her emotions swirling between anger, fear, and something she didn't want to admit was still love. "So what now, Omar? How do you expect me to be with you when there's someone like Nadia lurking in the shadows?"

He reached across the table, his hand covering hers, and despite her better judgment, she let him. "I don't know, Layla. But I promise, I'll protect you. I won't let her hurt you."

A part of her wanted to believe him, wanted to pretend that this could work, that they could outrun the darkness surrounding them. But the logical part of her, the part that had learned to survive without him, warned her to tread carefully.

Just as she was about to speak, the door to the café swung open, and Layla's heart skipped a beat as Nadia walked in. She was dressed impeccably, her eyes scanning the room before landing on them. Her lips curled into a chilling smile, and she walked over, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

"Oh, how sweet," Nadia sneered as she reached their table. "I see the two lovebirds are having a heart-to-heart."

Omar's face hardened as he stood up, putting himself between Layla and Nadia. "Nadia, leave her alone. This is between you and me."

Nadia laughed, her eyes glittering with malice. "Between us? Don't flatter yourself, Omar. You walked away from me, and now you think you can just run back to your little high school sweetheart?"

Layla could feel her heart pounding, but she forced herself to stay calm. She stood, meeting Nadia's gaze head-on. "Listen, Nadia. Whatever you think you have with Omar is your business, but you don't get to come here and make threats."

Nadia's eyes flickered with amusement, and she took a step closer to Layla, her voice low and venomous. "You think you're special, don't you? You think he's going to choose you after all this?"

Layla felt a chill run down her spine, but she refused to back down. "I think that whatever you had with him is over. It's time to let go, Nadia."

But Nadia's smile didn't waver. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere, darling. Omar and I have a... connection. Something you wouldn't understand. And I'll make sure he remembers that."

Omar's jaw clenched, and he stepped between them again, his tone icy. "Nadia, enough. This is over. You need to move on."

But Nadia's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "You think you can just say the word and I'll disappear? It doesn't work like that, Omar." She turned to Layla, her voice dripping with menace. "And you... you'd better be careful. You have no idea who you're dealing with."

With one last, chilling smile, Nadia turned and strode out of the café, leaving a tense silence in her wake.

Layla's hands were trembling, and Omar reached for her, his eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry, Layla. I never wanted you to get caught up in this."

She pulled her hand away, her voice unsteady. "Omar, I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can handle... her."

Omar's face fell, but he nodded, understanding. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Layla. I'll fix this, I promise."

She looked into his eyes, torn between the love she still felt and the fear gnawing at her heart. "You can promise all you want, Omar. But until she's out of the picture, I don't know if we can be anything more than strangers."

And with that, she walked out of the café, leaving him standing there alone, feeling as if she'd just stepped away from the only man she'd ever truly loved.