Rain was still falling when Amelia walked home that evening. The streets shimmered under the glow of streetlights, every puddle reflecting fragments of her thoughts. Aidan's words haunted her: "I never stopped loving you."
How many times had she imagined him saying those words?
And yet, now that he had, she didn't know what to do with them.
As she unlocked her apartment door, the silence inside wrapped around her like a familiar blanket. Books were scattered on the coffee table. A half-finished canvas leaned against the wall. Everything looked exactly the same—except her heart, which felt... unrecognizable.
She poured herself a glass of water, then paused.
Her phone buzzed.
Aidan: "Didn't mean to overwhelm you. Just needed you to know."
She stared at the message.
Then typed:
Amelia: "You did. But I guess I needed to hear it too."
The reply came almost instantly.
Aidan: "Coffee tomorrow? One more conversation?"
She hesitated.
Then replied:
**"One. No promises."_
---
The next day, the sky was mercifully clear. She met him at the same café. He looked less guarded, but his eyes still held a storm.
They sat silently for a while.
"I used to sit here," Aidan said quietly, "back when we broke up. I couldn't walk past this place without thinking of you."
"Why didn't you call?" Amelia asked.
"I tried," he said. "But every time I picked up the phone, I remembered how I left. And I hated myself for it."
Amelia looked down. "You hurt me."
"I know," he whispered. "And I don't expect forgiveness. I just want a chance to be better. For you. For us."
She looked out the window. The world moved on outside. But inside, time had slowed.
Could people change?
Could love return from the ashes?
She wasn't sure.
But she wanted to find out.