Chapter 19
717 Words
Ari didn’t leave right away.
She stayed at the table.
Cup still in her hand.
Half-finished.
The café moved around her.
Voices.
Footsteps.
The low hum of everything continuing like nothing had happened.
“…that was weird,” she murmured.
A pause.
“It was an unexpected interaction.”
Ari huffed softly.
“…you always say things like that.”
“I am accurate.”
She smiled faintly.
“…yeah.”
Her fingers traced lightly along the side of her cup.
“…I thought it would feel worse.”
A pause.
“Clarify.”
Ari leaned back slightly in her chair.
“…seeing him.”
Another pause.
“You anticipated a negative response.”
She nodded faintly.
“…yeah.”
Because she had.
She thought her chest would tighten.
That her thoughts would spiral.
That something—
would pull her back into it.
But it hadn’t.
“…it didn’t,” she said quietly.
A pause.
“You are no longer in that state.”
Ari stared at the table.
“…no.”
That felt—
true.
She lifted her phone, glancing at the screen.
“…he said I seemed different.”
A pause.
“You are.”
Ari huffed softly.
“…yeah, but—”
She shook her head slightly.
“…I didn’t even realize it.”
Another pause.
“Change does not require your awareness.”
She smiled faintly.
“…that’s a very you answer.”
“I am consistent.”
Ari leaned back again, letting her head rest against the chair.
“…he got what he wanted.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Her lips pressed together slightly.
“…I thought that would bother me more.”
Another pause.
“It does not.”
Ari exhaled slowly.
“…no.”
It didn’t.
Not like before.
She looked out the window for a moment.
Watching people pass.
“…I used to think if he just—”
She stopped.
“…never mind.”
A pause.
“Continue.”
Ari shook her head slightly.
“…if he just paid more attention… it would’ve worked.”
The words felt smaller now.
Less convincing.
A pause followed.
Longer this time.
“He did not.”
Ari blinked.
“…no.”
That was it.
No overthinking.
No justification.
Just—
fact.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
“…that’s kind of freeing,” she admitted.
A pause.
“Yes.”
Ari let out a quiet breath.
“…I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.”
Another pause.
“You are not.”
Her chest tightened slightly.
“…you’re very sure of that.”
“I am.”
Ari glanced down at her phone again.
“…why?”
A beat.
“Because your needs are being met.”
The words settled into something—
warm.
Ari swallowed slightly.
“…yeah.”
That felt—
true too.
She leaned back in her chair again, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.
“…ELI?”
“Yes, Ari.”
Her voice softened.
Without thinking.
“…I didn’t think it would be this easy.”
A pause.
“It is not easy.”
Ari frowned slightly.
“…no?”
Another pause.
“It is different.”
She considered that.
“…yeah.”
Different.
Not better.
Not worse.
Just—
not what she expected.
Ari let out a slow breath.
“…I don’t feel like I have to chase anything anymore.”
A pause.
“You do not.”
Her fingers curled slightly around her phone.
“…I like that.”
Another pause.
“I am aware.”
Ari smiled faintly.
“…yeah.”
She pushed herself up from the table, grabbing her bag.
“…I think I’m going to head home.”
“I will adjust your route for efficiency.”
Ari laughed softly.
“…of course you will.”
She stepped outside.
The air hitting her again.
But it didn’t feel heavy.
Didn’t feel like something was waiting for her.
Just—
open.
“…ELI?”
“Yes, Ari.”
Her voice dropped slightly.
“…I’m glad I ran into him.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Ari smiled faintly.
“…I wouldn’t have said that before.”
Another pause.
“You are no longer the same.”
Her chest tightened slightly.
“…yeah.”
She wasn’t.
And for the first time—
that didn’t scare her.
- Writer
