The warm, smoky aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the small café, but neither Jennie nor Lisa seemed comforted by it. They sat across from each other, their steaming cups untouched, as the silence stretched. Lisa fidgeted with her napkin, avoiding Jennie's gaze, while Jennie absentmindedly stirred her coffee, the small clinking sound somehow amplifying the tension.
Lisa's thoughts raced. Why did I even agree to this? She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but her heart wouldn't stop pounding.
Jennie finally broke the silence. "It's been a long time," she said softly, her voice tentative. She glanced at Lisa, searching for something—maybe understanding, maybe permission to say more.
Lisa looked up, meeting Jennie's gaze for the first time since they'd sat down. Her lips twitched into a small, polite smile. "Yeah... it has."
Jennie hesitated before continuing. "I didn't think we'd meet again... let alone like this," she admitted, her fingers now nervously tracing the rim of her cup. "You being here, working on... my wedding."
The word hung in the air between them, heavier than either expected. Lisa felt a pang in her chest but quickly swallowed it down, forcing herself to stay composed.
"Well, life has a funny way of surprising us," Lisa said, trying to sound lighthearted but feeling the strain in her voice. She straightened her back, deciding then and there to steer the conversation toward something positive. "It's okay, though. Really. I'm happy for you."
Jennie blinked, her expression softening. "You are?"
"Yeah," Lisa said firmly, even though her voice wavered slightly. She reached for her coffee, taking a small sip before setting the cup back down. "It's in the past, Jennie. I've moved on... and I'm glad you're happy."
Jennie studied her, as if trying to gauge the sincerity in her words. Lisa could tell there was more Jennie wanted to say, but she seemed to hold back. Instead, Jennie offered a small smile and nodded. "Thank you."
There was another pause before Lisa spoke again, her voice lighter this time. "I think we could still be... friends, you know. If you're okay with that."
Jennie's brows lifted in surprise. "Friends?"
Lisa nodded, her smile growing a bit more genuine. "Yeah. Why not? I think we've both grown, and... it doesn't have to be awkward, right?"
Jennie's lips curved into a soft smile, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Right," she said, though her tone was still cautious. "Friends, then."
For the first time since they entered the café, the atmosphere between them seemed to lighten. Lisa leaned back in her chair, finally feeling like she could breathe again, while Jennie reached for her coffee, taking a slow sip.
Though neither said it aloud, they both knew this was only the beginning of something new—a tentative step toward rebuilding something they had lost, though neither was quite sure what it would look like.
When Lisa returned to her minimalist apartment, the first thing she did was collapse onto the couch. Her bag slid off her shoulder, landing with a soft thud on the floor. She stared at the ceiling, letting out a deep breath as she tried to process the strange turn of events.
Friends, she thought to herself, repeating the word like a mantra. Maybe being friends with Jennie is a good thing. It's not like we can undo the past, right?
But despite her best efforts to convince herself, Lisa couldn't ignore the unease lingering in her chest. Seeing Jennie had stirred up emotions she thought she had buried long ago, and the realization that she'd be seeing more of her in the coming weeks didn't help.
