WHEN HE CAME BACK

CHAPTER 1: WHY NOW? Looking at him, I thought it was better if I'd never met him. The past four years were easier for me after he left. But why come Back now? I mean it was easier to pretend he never existed. To leave the room whenever his name was mentioned. To cry to my pillow in the night when no one could hear me. But I guess he just had to come back, didn't he? Right after i started getting better. The restaurant was supposed to be safe. I had chosen it because it was at the far end of the city and no one knew I came here. The yellow lights and quiet music, the kind of place you could sit alone and not be asked questions. I had come to celebrate. I had finally finished my novel. I was wearing my favourite black dress, the one I bought when I decided I was done mourning. I had ordered coffee and cake. I was looking at my phone, scrolling through messages, feeling proud of myself for the first time in four years. My friends were congratulating me and honestly it felt amazing. I was about to reply when a shadow fell across my table. It was a slow shadow, like someone hesitating. I looked up slowly, thinking it was the waiter bringing my cake. It wasn't. A gorgeous little girl handed me a small white card and ran out of the restaurant. Her little light up shoes flashed red as she ran. The card was handwritten in bold, black letters, all caps, like someone pressed too hard, 'PLEASE COME OUTSIDE'. I knew that handwriting was familiar but I wanted to believe otherwise. The way he wrote that P, that E. I had seen it on birthday cards, on valentine cards but I wanted to believe so many people had that similar handwriting. Maybe it's a prank. But my heart knew, I should've trusted my gut. I got up, and just slowly walked out of the restaurant door. My chocolate cake sat untouched. My coffee was getting cold. My phone was still buzzing with congratulations, but I didn't hear it. I just slowly walked out of the restaurant door, holding that small card so tight my nails dug into it. The outside air was cool. Cars were passing. "Ummmm sash...?? can we talk?" the familiar voice called. My blood ran cold. I knew that voice before facing backwards. I would know it anywhere, even in a crowded market, even in my sleep, even four years of trying to forget it. Four years and it hadn't changed. Still soft, still with that little pause before my name. "Yeah, I'm fine." My hands were shaking so badly my purse fell down. The clasp opened and my lipstick rolled out onto the pavement. I bent down to pick it up, mostly so I wouldn't have to look at him yet. I lifted my head and stared directly into his eyes. I was immediately drawn back to everything that I wished to have to buried along time ago. He still had the sparkling blue eyes just as I remembered. The same eyes that used to look at me like I was the only person in his world. The same eyes that looked away on the last day he left. He didn't seem different. His shoulders were still broader. He wore a dark jacket and looked expensive, his hair still cut short just as I remembered. But the cruelest part was his eyes were still sparkling blue. I remained still just staring at him with nothing to say. What do you say to someone who broke you? Time seemed to stand still. The music playing, the cars passing, all of it faded. It was just his face and my shaking hands. "U sure your good? You look kinda pale. Let me take you to the hospital." He held onto my hand and his warmth brought me back to reality. "No. I'm fine. Thanks for that but please don't touch me. I can find my way." He let go of me immediately, like my skin had burned him. He looked hurt. For a second I saw guilt flash across his face, real guilt, his eyes dropping, his jaw tightening. He asked me to his car, parked just across the road, a black car I had never seen before. I walked away. I couldn't stand seeing him again after so many years. Four years I've tried moving on and when I've finally done it he comes back. Has he no shame? "I promised myself that night that if I saw him again, I would not cry. I would not break." but then I still broke at his sight. I went back to the restaurant and didn't look back not even for a second. Copyright © 2026 by Kimberly Tatu Stories. All Rights Reserved.