The rain fell in heavy sheets, soaking your coat as you stood in front of Nicholas's apartment building. Your heart thudded in your chest, a mixture of nerves and regret clawing at you. It had been months since you last saw him, months since you'd walked away thinking it was the right thing to do. But it wasn't.
You'd tried moving on, you really had. Your new boyfriend was kind, attentive, and said all the right things. But no matter how much you tried, he could never make you feel the way Nicholas had. There was always something missing—something you couldn't fake or force. And it always brought you back to the same realization: he wasn't Nicholas.
Wiping the rain from your face, you took a shaky breath and buzzed his apartment. The seconds stretched out endlessly until his voice crackled through the intercom.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," you said, your voice trembling.
A long pause. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you."
Another pause, and then the door buzzed open. You stepped inside, your wet shoes squeaking against the floor as you climbed the stairs to his apartment. When he opened the door, his expression was guarded. He stood there in sweatpants and a hoodie, his hair a little messy, but he still looked like the Nicholas you missed so desperately.
"What do you want?" he asked, his tone clipped.
You hesitated, suddenly unsure of what to say. But then you looked into his eyes, and everything poured out. "I made a mistake," you said, your voice breaking. "I thought I could move on. I thought I'd be okay without you, but I'm not. I've tried, Nicholas. I've tried so hard, but it's you. It's always been you."
He didn't respond right away, his jaw tightening as he looked away. "You left," he said quietly. "You decided we weren't worth it. And now you're back because what? You're lonely?"
"No," you said, stepping closer. "I'm back because I realized I was wrong. I was scared, Nicholas. Scared of how much I loved you, of how much you could hurt me if things didn't work out. But losing you hurt so much worse than I ever imagined."
His gaze softened slightly, but he still didn't move. "You think you can just walk back in and everything will be fine?"
"No," you admitted. "I don't expect you to forgive me right away, and I don't deserve it. But I had to tell you how I feel, even if you slam the door in my face."
For a moment, all you could hear was the rain hitting the windows. Then, Nicholas sighed and stepped aside, gesturing for you to come in. "You're soaked," he said, grabbing a towel from the closet and handing it to you.
As you dried off, he sat down on the couch, watching you with a mixture of hesitation and something that looked like hope.
"I've missed you too," he finally said, his voice quiet. "Every day. But I need to know that you're sure about this, about us. I can't go through losing you again."
You sat down beside him, your hands trembling as you reached for his. "I'm sure, Nicholas. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
He studied you for a long moment, then squeezed your hand. "We'll take it slow," he said softly. "But I'm willing to try again if you are."
Relief and gratitude flooded through you as tears filled your eyes. "Thank you," you whispered, leaning your forehead against his.
Nicholas looked at you, his mouth slightly open like he's about to say something but he hesitates.
"What is it?" you ask him, moving a strand of hair out of his eyes.
"Can I kiss you?" Nicholas asked you.
One of the things you missed about Nicholas was the way he would kiss you. His lips. The way he tasted. You missed all of it. When he asked you that question there was no way you were going to say no.
"Yes." you answer.
He cups your face in his hands and leans in to kiss you. Your lips meet and move in sync. The kiss is loving and passionate but filled with warmth.
The two of you break away for air and hold each others hands. You rest your head on his shoulders savoring the moment.
In that moment, with the rain still falling outside and his hand holding yours, you felt the weight of your mistakes lifting. You'd found your way back to him, and for the first time in months, you felt whole again.
