After the Heartbreak

Chapter 6: A Date that Never Was

The day of our date arrived, and I woke up feeling like a ball of nervous energy. I spent way too much time getting ready, trying on outfit after outfit, fussing over my hair, and checking my phone every five minutes to make sure I hadn’t missed a message from Gino.

This was it. After years of wondering what might have been, I was finally going to find out.

By the time I was ready to leave, my stomach was in knots. I kept replaying our conversations in my mind, imagining how the date would go. We would laugh, reminisce about high school, and maybe—just maybe—there would be something more. A spark, a connection that had always been there but had never had the chance to ignite.

But then, just as I was about to head out the door, my phone buzzed.

“Hey, I’m so sorry,” Gino’s message read. “Something came up, and I can’t make it today. Can we reschedule?”

I stared at the screen, the air rushing out of my lungs. I felt like someone had popped the balloon of excitement I’d been holding onto all day. I sat down on the edge of my bed, reading the message over and over again, hoping that maybe I’d misunderstood.

But no. He wasn’t coming.

I forced myself to respond, trying to sound nonchalant. “Yeah, of course. No problem.”

Inside, though, I was devastated. I had built up this moment so much in my head, and now it was slipping away. But what could I do? Life happens. People cancel. It didn’t necessarily mean anything.

Did it?

The disappointment gnawed at me, but I pushed it down, convincing myself that next time would be different. There would be a next time.

Days passed, and Gino didn’t mention rescheduling. I tried to act casual, like it didn’t bother me, but every time my phone buzzed, a tiny flicker of hope would rise in my chest—only to be dashed when it wasn’t him.

And then, finally, he asked again.