Red Flags in the Rearview

Epilogue

The café was quiet, a soft hum of chatter and the occasional clink of cups filling the air. Rayne sat at a corner table by the window, sipping his coffee as he flipped through the pages of a self-help book he’d picked up on a whim. Outside, the city buzzed with life, but for once, he didn’t feel the need to be part of it.

The bell above the door jingled, and a familiar voice called out, pulling him from his thoughts. “Still pretending you’re an intellectual, huh?”

Rayne looked up to see Reymark walking in, his usual confident swagger in full effect. Despite their diverging paths, some things hadn’t changed.

“Coming from the guy who thought ‘War and Peace’ was a podcast,” Rayne shot back, smirking.

Reymark slid into the seat across from him, placing his phone on the table. “Touché. What are you reading, anyway?”

“Just something about growth and self-discovery,” Rayne said, closing the book and setting it aside. “You wouldn’t get it.”

“Hey, I’m all about self-discovery,” Reymark replied, leaning back in his chair. “I’ve discovered I’m pretty great as I am.”

Rayne rolled his eyes but couldn’t help chuckling. “Of course you have.”

They fell into an easy silence, the kind that came from years of friendship. Despite everything that had happened, they’d managed to hold onto what mattered most: each other.

“So,” Reymark began, breaking the silence, “how’s Jhenny?”

Rayne’s expression softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. “She’s good. We’re taking things slow, but it feels… right. For once.”

Reymark nodded, a rare moment of sincerity crossing his face. “That’s good, man. I’m happy for you.”

“What about you?” Rayne asked, studying his friend. “Seen Lianne lately?”

Reymark shook his head. “No. We decided to keep our distance for now. She deserves someone who’s ready to give her everything, and I’m not there yet. Maybe someday, but not now.”

Rayne nodded, respecting his friend’s honesty. “That’s big of you.”

“Yeah, well,” Reymark said, shrugging. “Even I have my moments.”

The two of them sat there for a while, catching up on life, work, and everything in between. The conversation flowed easily, a reminder that no matter how much they changed, their friendship would always be a constant.

As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, Reymark stood, stretching his arms. “Alright, I gotta head out. Got a gym session to get to.”

“Since when do you go to the gym?” Rayne asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Since I decided to start taking care of myself,” Reymark replied with a grin. “You’re not the only one trying to grow, you know.”

Rayne smiled, genuinely impressed. “Good for you, man.”

Reymark clapped him on the shoulder before heading for the door. “Don’t get too boring with all this introspection stuff, alright? Someone’s gotta keep life interesting around here.”

Rayne chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”

As Reymark left, Rayne turned back to his coffee, a sense of contentment settling over him. They were on different paths now, but that was okay.

Somewhere out there, Reymark was still figuring things out, while Rayne was learning to embrace the stability he’d once feared.

Their lives weren’t perfect, but they were moving forward—one step, one choice, one day at a time.

And for the first time, both of them felt like they were exactly where they were supposed to be.