What If?

Familiar Faces

I'm 46 years old sitting alone at a coffee shop. I start to reminisce because it feels like it was just yesterday when I won best novel. Sitting in there with all the other writers I began typing my life away.

A guy dressed like a hipster walks in, he was so out of date. People stop dressing like that 20 years ago. But there was something about him that looked oddly familiar.

After obtaining his drink he stands there for a while. As he begins to walk towards the door, there was a split second where he catches a glimpse of my face... he stops.

Continuing to stare as he slowly creeps towards me. The unnamed man comes to a complete halt once he reaches the empty chair at my table.

He looks me straight into my eyes and unsurely asks "Rose?" Just the sound of his voice makes all the that memories rush back. It was him. My crush. The guy I never made a move on. So many miss opportunities and chances not taken. At the thought of this I began to feel uneasy. Somehow I managed to respond to his question, I was nervous not rude!

I replied "hey, yea it's me. Long time no see?" 

He stood there with a smile, that same smile that got me hooked to him all those years ago. After realizing I was staring too long I quickly asked him if he wanted to take a seat. His body language made it seem as if he was eager to sit down.

We sat there catching up on lost times as I gazed into his eyes of wonder. He told me his stories about the military. I told him about my life as a writer, and how I traveled the world. It was truly an amazing conversation.

After a long talk, we stared into each other's eyes. It was then a long awkward pause. This was my moment to make a move and ask what if?

I confessed "I've always had the biggest crush on you since high school." I waited for a reaction, but there was none. I continued "And I think now, what if? What if I told you then, we would've been perfect for each other.

He looked distraught. He then said "Rose, I'm a happily married man with children."

I interrupted "Okay, say no more I understand. I just wondered what if... I'm starting to think that I should've brought it up."

I knew right then and there it was my time to leave all those feelings behind me, so I picked up my laptop and S'mores Frappuccino and gravitated towards the exit.

On my way out I almost said something. Something to change his mind. Something to make him love me. Something to make me happy. But instead I said nothing. Because this was real life, not the stories that I wrote about. I needed to face the fact that in the real world not everyone has a happy ending...