Almost, Always

The town hadn’t changed much. Same cobblestone streets, same coffee shop on the corner, same ivy climbing the bookstore’s brick walls. But somehow, it felt different. Or maybe she was the one who had changed. Elena stepped out of the cab, gripping the handle of her suitcase a little too tightly. She wasn’t supposed to be back—not like this. Not for a wedding that wasn’t hers. The invitation had arrived weeks ago, tucked between bills and magazine subscriptions she never read. You’re invited to the wedding of Julia Martin and Ethan Calloway. Ethan Calloway. She had stared at the name for too long, the past pressing against her like an old wound. Now, standing in front of her childhood home, she inhaled deeply, willing her emotions into silence. “Look what the wind dragged in.” The voice was unmistakable—deep, familiar, laced with amusement. Elena turned, and there he was. Nathan. He leaned against the porch railing, hands tucked into his pockets, looking exactly the same but somehow different. His dark hair was slightly longer, his frame broader, but the smirk—the one that always got them into trouble—was still there. She swallowed hard. “Hello, Nathan.” “Didn’t think you’d come,” he said, eyes searching hers. "I almost didn’t.” A slow nod. A flicker of something unreadable in his expression. Then he pushed off the railing, stepping closer. “Well,” he murmured, his voice softer now. “Guess we’ve got some catching up to do.” Elena wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a warning. Chapter 2: Unfinished Conversations Elena hadn’t seen Nathan in four years. Yet, standing in front of him now, it felt like no time had passed at all—and somehow, like a lifetime had. She shifted her suitcase, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingered on her, like he was searching for something familiar in a version of her he no longer knew. How long are you staying?” Nathan asked, his voice casual, but she caught the underlying curiosity. “A few weeks.” “Long enough to realize you still hate this town?” She exhaled a short laugh. “Still enough time to remember why I left.” Nathan smirked, the corner of his lips twitching just like they used to when they teased each other. Except now, there was something heavier beneath it—something unsaid. A breeze drifted between them, rustling the trees that lined the street. The silence stretched too long, too uncomfortable, before Nathan finally broke it. “So, you got the invitation.” She stiffened. Of course, he’d bring it up. “I did,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You knew about it?” Nathan gave a small shrug. “Hard not to. The whole town’s been talking about it.” Elena glanced away, pretending to focus on the old swing set in her parents’ yard. The same one she and Nathan used to sit on, legs kicking lazily as they talked about their future—about leaving this place behind. Nathan had stayed. She had left. And now Ethan—the boy who had once told her he loved her—was marrying someone else. “Are you… okay?” Nathan’s voice was quieter now, almost careful. She turned back to him, searching his face for mockery, but there was none. Just concern. Elena forced a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Nathan studied her for a moment, as if weighing whether to call her bluff. But then, he simply nodded, stepping back toward the railing. “Well,” he said, stretching his arms over his head, “since you’re here, you might as well let me buy you coffee.” She raised an eyebrow. “You still drink that burnt stuff from Patty’s Café?” “You still complain too much?” Elena rolled her eyes, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. Maybe coming back wouldn’t be so bad. Patty’s Café smelled exactly the same—like burnt coffee and cinnamon rolls that were always better in theory than in taste. Elena sat across from Nathan in their usual booth, the one by the window. It was almost unsettling, how easy it was to fall back into old habits. “So,” Nathan said, stirring his coffee lazily, “are you actually going to tell me why you came back?” Elena lifted her cup, letting the steam warm her face. “I told you. The wedding.” Nathan snorted. “Right. Because you and Ethan are just so close now.” She tensed. He wasn’t wrong. Ethan had once been her best friend. Then her almost-everything. And now, he was just another person whose life had moved on without her. She should have declined the invitation. She should have sent a polite excuse and stayed in the city where no one knew the version of her that had loved Ethan Calloway. But she hadn’t. And worse—part of her had known exactly why. She set her cup down carefully. “I needed a break.” Nathan leaned back, watching her. “From what?” “Life.” His lips pressed together, like he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t push. He never did. Nathan had always been the kind of person who waited—for people to come to him, for confessions to spill naturally. Maybe that was why they’d never… Elena swallowed. No. She wouldn’t go there. Instead, she changed the subject. “So, what about you? Still working at your dad’s shop?” Nathan’s jaw tightened, and for a split second, she regretted asking. “I run it now,” he said after a pause. “Dad retired.” She blinked. “Oh.” He laughed, but it was hollow. “Yeah. Funny how things work out, huh?” Elena didn’t know what to say to that. When they were younger, Nathan had hated the idea of staying here, of inheriting the family business. He was supposed to leave—just like her. But he hadn’t. And she had never asked why. The silence between them stretched, thick with the weight of things left unsaid. Then Nathan sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “You wanna go for a drive?” She frowned. “A drive?” “Yeah.” He pushed his coffee aside and stood. “Come on. You owe me.” She raised an eyebrow. “For what?” Nathan smirked. “For disappearing.” Elena opened her mouth to argue—but nothing came out. Because, in a way, he was right. And maybe, just maybe, she owed it to herself to finally stop running. The night air was crisp as they drove out of town, the hum of Nathan’s truck filling the silence between them. The roads hadn’t changed—same winding turns, same towering trees that blurred past under the moonlight. Elena leaned her head against the window, watching as familiar landmarks flickered by. “Where are we going?” Nathan smirked. “You’ll see.” She hated when he did that. The half-answers, the teasing. But she didn’t press. Not when the quiet between them felt… comfortable. Minutes passed before the truck finally slowed, tires crunching against gravel. When Elena looked up, her breath caught. The lake. She turned to Nathan, a million emotions crashing over her at once. “Really?” He simply shrugged. “Figured it’s been a while.” It had. The lake had been their place—back when summer nights stretched forever and life felt like it was waiting to begin. They had spent hours here, lying on the dock, making promises they never kept. Elena stepped out of the truck, the cool air biting at her skin. The water was still, reflecting the sky like a sheet of glass. “Come on,” Nathan said, nodding toward the dock. She hesitated, then followed, the wooden planks creaking under their weight. When they reached the end, he sat down, legs dangling over the edge like old times. For a while, they just sat there, letting the past settle between them. Then Nathan broke the silence. “So, tell me the truth.” She glanced at him. “About what?” He turned his head, eyes locking onto hers. “Why you really left.” Elena’s stomach twisted. She looked away, focusing on the water instead. “You know why.” “I know what you told everyone.” His voice was quieter now, more serious. “But I also know you.” Her fingers curled into the fabric of her sweater. She should lie. She should brush it off, make some sarcastic remark. But the thing about Nathan was—he never let her hide. So, she exhaled. “Because of Ethan.” Nathan’s expression didn’t change, but something in his posture stiffened. “Figured.” She let out a bitter laugh. “I loved him, you know? Or at least, I thought I did. And then he just—” She swallowed. “He didn’t choose me.” Nathan was quiet for a moment. Then, “And that’s why you ran?” Elena turned to face him fully. “Wouldn’t you?” Something flickered in his gaze, something unreadable. But instead of answering, he just looked back at the water. And for the first time that night, Elena wondered if she was the only one who had ever run.