Stay

Men of Principles

Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free. -The Shawshank redemption.

Seeing my ex boyfriend in front of me was not how I imagined my day would start. He still looks as gorgeous as ever. Alex focus.

"What are you doing there?" I said in a very monotone voice.

"Alex don't tell me you are not happy seeing me here, as for me I am happy that I bumped into you." he said while walking to towards me.

"You still didn't answer me" my hands are now crossed.

"Uff Alex, my friend stays in the campus too. She told me to wait in the cafe for her."

"I not stalking you if that's what you wanna ask. You said you don't wanna get back together, I am not gonna force you now. Friend?".

"Yeah! Whatever nancy this is Jake and Jake Nancy" she waved a hey.

"Anyway.." Nancy say looking at her phone. "Alex I need to go I have to submit that extra credit paper to Dr Ryan. I gotta run, he is leaving for a week. See you at home. Nice meeting you Jake"

"Same here"

"Bye Nancy"

"Okay, nice seeing you..." I said with the intentions of walking away.

"Alex come on you were headed towards the cafe, plus we can hang out now that we are friends" saying the word 'friends' with pressure.

"Alex come on." he says it again.

"Fine, one coffee"

As we entered the cafe, Jake looked at me said "vanilla latte?" oh god he still remembers. It's been years, we broke up in the starting of the last year of school.

"Yeah" I said looking for a empty table.

I sat there waiting for him to bring the coffee. When we broke up it was mutual but by the end of the year just after prom, Jake wanted to get back together. I was trying to make him understand that things between will never work out. We will keep hurting each other. But he was so adamant on the fact that we can work it out since we both ever going to study in New York. The last time I saw him i slapped him so hard that my fingerprints were on his cheeks.

"There you go" he settles my coffee and takes his seat.

"I am sorry Jake"

"What why?"

"For the slap" I couldn't look in his eye while saying it.

"It was for best Alex. It opened my eyes, for real. That's when I realised I can't force you into a relationship you are not ready for. And we had too many reasons not to get back together."

"I can't believe I am hearing you say that" I said.

"I know, but I really did change Alex. I have tried to control my angry and my insecurity problems. Well now that I think, you stay with me and my drama for 2 years. Hats off to you." He gestured taking off an imaginary hat.

"hahahhaah, it wasn't all you. I did my fair share of mistakes too"

"Like kissing Sam when we both ever dating?"

"I was drunk that day okay, that doesn't count and then what about you Nina?"

"I was drunk too, okay"

"On what anger towards me"

"That was the last thread, wasn't it?" He said.

"Yeah, it was" there was this calm silence between us that I have felt with him for a long while. I am glad that I didn't walk away.