MGA PAKIWARI AT PAGMUMUNI-MUNI (An AlDub Collection of Poems and Short Stories)

Lukewarm (A4Day6)

"Did you ever think that we could have worked out?" she asked, not looking directly at him but at the lukewarm coffee she had in front of her.

He didn't answer immediately, choosing instead to stir his also lukewarm tea, as if contemplating what to tell her back.

A heartbeat later and, "No. Even if we did get together, we would have broken up in the end."

"Was that really how you see us as?" she asked again, this time quietly - trying to mask the hurt in her voice by taking a sip of her lukewarm coffee.

He nodded before he looked up at her, smiling - not sadly but somehow, contentedly. "We would have butted heads all the time. And you will end up walking away or I could end up walking away - never to return."

"I see."

"We really are just better off as friends."

This time, it was she who nodded, quietly sipping her coffee, blinking rapidly to avoid having her tears fall. She saw him glance at his watch before looking outside the coffee shop's window, averting her gaze as she watched his face suddenly have that blindingly huge bedimpled smile that she fell inlove with years ago.

"I gotta go. I just saw my wife exit Babies R' Us and is probably waiting for me by the curbside."

She nodded again, smiling timidly up at him, a small quirk at the edge of her lips; this smile not quite reaching her eyes, as he walked towards the exit.

Before he opened the door, he turned back to her and said, "It was nice bumping into you, Julie. You should come visit us sometimes at home. I'm sure Maine would love to have you for dinner or something."

He smiled one last time at her before exiting the coffee shop, the chimes above the door jingling as it closed after him.

When she was sure he was out of earshot, she was finally able to let out the soft sob that she had been holding ever since she saw him come in and order his usual favorite tea. The sob she had been holding ever since he saw her and came over to her table, asking if he could share it with her since the shop was full. The sob that she had been holding when she noticed his platinum wedding band on his left hand. The sob she had been holding as he talked excitedly about his new wife.

She now realized that he was her biggest loss and regret in life.

If only...

She stopped her thoughts, however, as she also realized that she wasn't his. Yes, he lost her years ago when she chose her career over him. But she wasn't his loss.

Never was.

//

A/N: I told AMACON_Writers that I would only try to write tonight. But I couldn't resist not doing it. Nakaka-OC na hindi matapos yung drabbles plehs 😭😭😭

Unbeta'ed as always. At super short lang talaga. 😅