[WATTYS 2021 SHORTLIST]
After suffering a heartbreak caused by no explanation, DYLAN MILLER does everything she can to forget about HUNTER GRAYSON.
That all changes 18 months later when the two finally meet once again. Except this time is nothing...
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A knock at the door stilled the beat of my heart. I could feel the sweat pool in my palm as I reached for the handle, slowly opening it to see him standing with a wide smile. Charlie was dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt and dark navy dress pants. One arm cradled a bouquet of flowers, while his other hand held a bottle of red wine.
"Hi," I said nervously, stepping to the side to allow him in.
"Hi," he repeated, dipping his head to softly press his lips against mine.
It was a quick kiss with no passion behind it. But I didn't mind. The act alone helped settle some of the nerves rattling inside me. And any hint of comfort was greatly appreciated.
Only four days had passed since the last time I had seen Charlie. The last time had been after that morning in the apartment, resulting in the time that has past feeling more like forty days. Selfishly, I had spent most of those days apart, ignoring his attempts to see each other in fear that he would want to talk about what happened. I wanted time to process my thoughts and feelings. Yet, I found myself more confused than ever over what to think or do.
After leaving the apartment, I called Abby right away, needing someone to talk to. To my surprise, she was already settled in by the time I arrived. She joked about whether it was too early for a drink after I had told her what happened. I told her I was willing to change all the clocks in the house to a more appropriate drinking hour.
We didn't. But we were very tempted to do so.
She asked me what I was going to do. My response was that I obviously didn't know. I confessed that I was worried I was going to end up crossing a line. I was concerned about coming in-between a longstanding friendship, turning them into enemies over something as trivial as myself.
I asked Abby what she would do if she were in my position.
"Would you end things with Charlie?"
Abby took her time responding, the anticipation becoming torturous. "No," she told me, "You didn't do anything wrong, Dyl. Hunter did. Not you."
"Don't overthink it." Abby continued, sensing that my thoughts were beginning to swarm, "You're going to drive yourself insane. Just see how the weekend goes before you do something you might regret."
Her words replayed in my mind as I looked up at Charlie.
"You look beautiful."
I sucked in a deep breath hearing his compliment, Abby's words replaying at the back of my mind. "Thank you."
Don't overthink it.
"Are you nervous?"
"A little," I admitted, but not for the reasons he thought.
