MIDNIGHT

Midnight: Chapter 4 – The Call

It was almost 8 p.m. when Julian finally gave in to the restlessness that had been haunting him for days. He had spent the entire afternoon pretending to be buried in work — emails, reports, endless calls — but his thoughts had never left Simone. Every meeting ended with her name echoing softly in the back of his mind.

He tried to reason with himself: She’s probably fine. She’s moved on. Don’t make it complicated.

But as the evening fell and the city lights came alive, he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Something inside him ached — not just for her presence, but for the way she made things feel.

He picked up his phone, hesitated, then set it down again. Poured himself a drink, stared at the glass, and picked the phone back up. He scrolled to her contact — “Simone 🌸” — and smiled faintly at the emoji she’d added herself, back when things still felt effortless.

He pressed Call before he could change his mind.

The dial tone rang once. Twice. Three times.

Then, her voice — soft, familiar, steady.

“Hello?”

Julian froze for a heartbeat, the sound of her tone washing over him like sunlight after a long storm. “Hey… Simone,” he said finally, his voice low, almost uncertain.

There was a pause. Then a quiet smile in her voice. “Julian. Wow. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, letting out a small, nervous chuckle. “It has.”

“How have you been?” she asked, her tone kind but distant — polite, not cold.

“I’ve been…” He exhaled. “Busy. You know how it gets.”

“I do,” she replied. “Always busy.”

The words were simple, but they carried something heavier — a quiet truth. For a few seconds, neither spoke. The silence between them felt full, not empty. It held everything they hadn’t said.

Julian cleared his throat. “I, um… I wanted to check on you. It’s been a while since we talked. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until today.”

Simone leaned back on her couch, her fingers tracing absent circles on the armrest. “That’s thoughtful of you,” she said softly. “I’m doing okay.”

He wanted to ask if she missed him — if she ever thought of him the way he thought of her now — but pride still had a weak grip on his tongue. So he asked instead, “You sound good. Busy too?”

“A little,” she said. “Trying to keep my peace these days. Working, spending time with myself. It’s been… nice.”

That last word — nice — sank into him like a pebble dropped into water. He knew what it meant. She was healing. Without him.

“Simone,” he said quietly, “I know I haven’t really been… there. You reached out, and I didn’t meet you halfway. I just—” he paused, struggling to find words that didn’t sound rehearsed. “I guess I thought you’d always be around. And then one day, you weren’t.”

Her breath caught, barely audible. “Julian…”

“I’m not saying this to make things weird,” he continued, his tone soft, honest. “I just— I missed talking to you. That’s all.”

Simone smiled to herself, though her eyes grew glassy. “I missed talking to you too,” she admitted. “But I needed space. I needed to stop feeling like I was the only one trying.”

He closed his eyes. Her words stung — not because they were harsh, but because they were true.

“I know,” he said quietly. “You were right to pull back. I should’ve been more present. I just… I didn’t realize how much that silence would cost me.”

For a moment, neither said anything. Only the faint hum of the night filled the space between them — the distant sound of cars, a soft song playing from somewhere in Simone’s apartment.

Then Julian’s voice broke the quiet.

“Can I see you?”

Simone’s brows lifted slightly. “See me?”

“Yeah,” he said, almost shyly. “Tonight.”

“Tonight?” she echoed, glancing at the clock. It was already close to nine.

He laughed softly. “Yeah. Just give me forty-five minutes, and I’ll be at your doorstep.”

Simone’s lips parted in surprise. “Forty-five minutes?”

“Yes,” he said with quiet certainty. “I promise.”

She hesitated, her heart quickening. She wanted to say yes, but part of her still feared being let down again. So she said carefully, “Alright, Julian. Forty-five minutes it is. Let’s see if you really mean it.”

“I do,” he said firmly. “See you soon.”

The line went quiet after that.

Simone sat there for a while, phone still in hand, heart thudding softly in her chest. She didn’t know if she should get ready — if he’d truly show up. But something about the way he said it this time felt… different.

She stood, walked to her closet, and pulled out something simple — a cream-colored blouse and dark jeans. Casual, but lovely. She brushed her hair, applied a little gloss, and caught her reflection in the mirror. For the first time in a while, she felt a flicker of nervous excitement.

Forty minutes passed.

Then, her phone buzzed.

Julian’s name lit up the screen.

“I’m outside,” his message read.

Her breath hitched.

She grabbed her bag and stepped outside. Simone stood for a moment outside her gate, her hand resting lightly on the small purse she carried.