Emily's Swiss journey

hard to believe

After classes, Emily and Hannah returned to their dorms, exhausted from hours spent in the library preparing for exams. The weight of study pressure had drained them, and each went their separate ways to their shared living spaces.

Emily’s dorm, which she shared with two marketing students, was quiet as usual. She wasn’t particularly close to her roommates, as they tended to stick within their major and weren’t very open to mingling with others. She sighed, dropping her bag near her desk and collapsing onto her bed, staring at the ceiling in silence.

Meanwhile, Hannah’s dorm had a much livelier energy. She shared her space with Laila, a cheerful computer science student, and Claire, a passionate history major.

As Hannah walked in, Laila looked up from her laptop and greeted her with a grin. “You look cooked!”

“My brain is about to explode,” Hannah replied, tossing her bag onto a chair. “Too much to remember. I don’t think I can fit anything else in my head!”

“I feel the same,” Claire chimed in, holding up an oversized book. “I mean, look at this! I got it from the library today, and it’s just one of the many I have to read.”

Hannah and Laila turned to Claire, both wide-eyed at the sheer size of the book.

“Whoa,” Hannah said. “That’s dedication. Or insanity.”

Claire laughed. “Probably both.”

Hannah sighed dramatically. “Nope. I’m done for today. I can’t take it anymore—I’m going to bed. Goodnight, you two.”

“Good idea,” Laila said, glancing at her phone. “It’s already 10 o’clock, and we all know what tomorrow is. Come on, Claire, let’s call it a night too.”

As the dorm quieted down and the lights were turned off, Hannah settled into bed, ready for sleep to claim her. But just as she was drifting off, the vibration of her phone jolted her awake.

“Ugh, I forgot to put it on silent,” she muttered, fumbling for her phone. The glow of the screen revealed a message from an unknown number. She blinked in surprise and opened it.

“Hey! What’s up? Sorry to text you so late.

I’m Edward, by the way.

I was wondering if we could meet for coffee tomorrow. I’d really like to talk to you.”

Hannah sat up slightly, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Finally, her inner voice exclaimed. She had been waiting for this moment—to hear Edward’s explanation about why he had vanished. She quickly typed back a reply.

“Ok, let’s meet at Roxe. They serve good coffee.”

A response came almost instantly.

“Deal! See you at 5 PM.”

“Deal,” she replied, setting her phone down with a small smile.

As she lay back down, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. Tomorrow was going to bring answers—or at least, she hoped it would.

The next day felt like it stretched on forever for Hannah. Between classes and last-minute exam preparation, her mind kept drifting to the upcoming meeting with Edward. Questions swirled in her head: What had happened to him? Why had he disappeared? And why now—after all this time—was he reaching out?

By the time 5 PM rolled around, Hannah arrived at Roxe, a cozy little café tucked into a quiet corner of the city. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the sound of soft jazz played in the background, adding to the warm ambiance. She scanned the room, her heart racing slightly, until her eyes landed on Edward sitting by the window.

He noticed her at the same moment and stood up, waving her over. Dressed casually in a light sweater and jeans, he looked just as she remembered—calm, composed, and slightly mysterious.

“Hannah!” he said warmly, pulling out a chair for her.

“Hey, Edward,” she replied, sitting down. “It’s been... a while.”

“It has,” he admitted with a small smile. “Thanks for meeting me.”

A waiter came by, and they each ordered a coffee. As soon as they were alone again, Edward took a deep breath. “I owe you an explanation. I know I disappeared, and that wasn’t fair to you.”

"So," Hannah said, leaning forward slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Where have you been all this time? Why did you stop contacting us after you went to Canada?"

Edward sighed, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, it's complicated... but also kind of funny when I think about it now."

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "How is it both complicated and funny?"

"See," Edward began, leaning back in his chair, "the day before we were supposed to leave for Canada, I decided to go surfing. It was my last chance before the big move, and you know how much I love the ocean."

Hannah nodded, remembering his obsession with surfing. "Yeah, sounds like you."

"Right," Edward said, chuckling. "So there I was, having the time of my life, riding the waves, when all of a sudden, I wiped out. Big time. I didn't think much of it at first, but when I got back to shore, I realized my phone was gone. The ocean had literally swallowed it."

Hannah's eyes widened. "You lost your phone? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Edward confirmed, shaking his head. "At first, I was annoyed, but I figured I’d just get a new one. So I headed home to grab some cash and head to the store. But as soon as I walked in, chaos was waiting for me. My little brother, James, had managed to fall off his skateboard and break his ankle."

"Oh my god! That’s terrible!" Hannah exclaimed.

"Tell me about it," Edward said, running a hand through his hair. "We rushed him to the hospital, and thankfully, the doctor said it was a clean break—nothing too serious. They put a cast on him, gave us some crutches, and told us he’d be fine to travel the next day. But by the time we got back home, I was so focused on packing and making sure James was okay that I completely forgot about buying a new phone."

Hannah couldn’t help but laugh, though she quickly covered her mouth. "So you just forgot? What about when you got to Canada?"

Edward grinned sheepishly. "That’s the funny part. I didn’t even remember I didn’t have a phone until we were on the plane. By then, it was too late. Once we landed, things got hectic. Between settling in, school, and helping my family adjust, I kept putting it off. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months... and before I knew it, years had passed."

Hannah shook her head in disbelief. "You mean to tell me all of this started because you lost your phone while surfing?"

"Pretty much," Edward said, shrugging. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's how it happened."

"Well," Edward said, leaning forward slightly, his tone shifting. "It seems like Selena didn’t tell you."

Hannah tilted her head, confusion crossing her face. "Tell me what?"

Edward hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as if unsure how to say it. Finally, he sighed. "Selena and I broke up a week before I moved to Canada."

"What?!" Hannah nearly dropped her coffee. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Edward admitted, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of regret. "We decided not to tell anyone at the time—not you, not our friends—because we didn’t want it to make things awkward or messy. But it seems like she kept it a secret longer than I thought."

Hannah stared at him, still processing the news. "But... why? You two looked so perfect together. You always seemed so happy."

Edward gave a small, bittersweet smile. "We were, at first. But you know how relationships can be. Sometimes, even when two people care about each other, things just don’t work out. It wasn’t anyone’s fault—it just happened."

Hannah frowned, her voice softening. " You both seemed so sure of each other."

Edward nodded. "I thought so too. And I think she felt the same. But sometimes, no matter how much you think someone is 'the one,' life has a way of showing you that maybe they’re not. It wasn’t easy, but we both knew it was the right decision."

Hannah was quiet for a moment, then said, "I wish I’d known. I would’ve been there for you—both of you."

"I know," Edward said. "But we didn’t want to burden anyone. And then with the move, it was just easier to let things fade quietly. Selena and I are on good terms now, though, and I’m glad we ended things without resentment."

Hannah nodded, still a bit shaken by the revelation. "Well, I’m glad you’re okay, Edward. It must’ve been hard for you, going through that and then moving halfway across the world."

"It was," Edward admitted. "But it taught me a lot about myself. And, in a way, it gave me a fresh start."

Hannah smiled faintly. "I guess things really do happen for a reason, don’t they?"

"Yeah," Edward said, returning her smile. "They do."