Where we left off

I was sixteen when I met him. His name was Jason, and he had this effortless way about him, like he was meant to make my world spin. I didn't realize it then, but that's exactly what he would do. At seventeen, we started dating, and I fell for every part of him - his laugh, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something he loved, the way he held my hand like it was something precious.He was my first everything - first kiss, first love, first time. Every weekend was magic. We'd walk on the beach, grab froyo after school, and spend long summer nights by the pool. Eight months might seem short, but it felt like forever - the kind of forever you think will never end.
But, like all good things, it ended. We went to prom together, dressed up, full of hope. We danced and laughed, thinking nothing could break us. Then, it all fell apart. He enlisted in the military, and I was left behind, heartbroken. The silence between us was unbearable. I cried more than I could admit, wondering why everything had changed.I convinced myself that time would heal me. But I never stopped thinking about him. I kept dreaming he'd come back and ask for me again. That never happened. Instead, I ended up in the arms of his cousin, Marcus. It wasn't love. It was comfort, a rebound. We dated for over a year, but my heart still belonged to Jason. Eventually, we ended things, and I moved on.Life went on. I met someone steady, someone who promised to love me. We got married and started a family. I thought I had everything I wanted - someone who loved me, someone to build a life with. But something was missing.Years passed, and I tried to forget Jason. Then, almost a decade later, I walked into a coffee shop and felt it - a familiar presence. When I turned around, there he was. Jason. Time seemed to freeze. He looked the same, but his eyes told a different story.