The rain fell in sheets that morning, a gray veil between the world and the sky. Ada stood in front of the café, her umbrella already soaked, waiting for the courage to walk in. The windows were fogged from the warmth inside, revealing only silhouettes and blurred lights. A bell chimed softly as she finally pushed the door open.
Warmth and the scent of roasted coffee beans enveloped her. Inside, the café was a gentle hum of chatter, clinking cups, and distant jazz. Ada spotted Selene immediately—she was by the window, a half-empty mug in front of her, fingers running circles along the rim.
"You're late," Selene said without looking up.
"I know," Ada replied, shrugging off her coat and taking the seat across from her. "Sorry. The weather."
Selene finally looked at her. "You always use the weather as an excuse."
Ada managed a small smile. "Maybe because it always reflects what I feel."
Selene didn't respond right away. Her gaze flicked to the window, where the rain ran down in rivulets, like tears on glass.
"I saw Leo yesterday," she said finally.
The sentence dropped like a stone into Ada's stomach. She reached for her coffee, only to find it wasn't there yet.
"How… how is he?" Ada asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Selene's jaw tightened. "He asked about you."
Ada looked down at her hands. "What did you say?"
"That I didn't know. That I hadn't seen you since last autumn. That maybe you were happy now."
Ada winced. "And did he believe you?"
"I don't think he wanted to."
Silence grew between them, heavy like the clouds outside. The barista brought over Ada's drink and set it down gently, as if sensing the tension.
"You should talk to him," Selene said, after a while.
Ada shook her head. "I wouldn't know what to say."
"Start with the truth."
"And if he doesn't want to hear it?"
"Then at least you tried. At least you stopped running."
Ada exhaled slowly, the steam from her cup curling upward. The warmth did little to thaw the ache in her chest. She thought of Leo's eyes—the way they used to soften when he looked at her, the way they hardened the last time he did.
"I thought I could let it go," she whispered. "But I see him everywhere. In strangers. In songs. In dreams."
Selene reached across the table, resting her hand on Ada's. "Some people leave marks that never fade."
---
Later that day, Ada walked aimlessly through the city, letting the rain soak her to the bone. She passed familiar places—the bookstore where they had shared their first kiss, the bridge where they used to sit and talk for hours. Each step pulled memories from the shadows.
She ended up at the pier by sunset. The sky had broken open, streaked with red and gold, as if trying to apologize for the day. The sea roared softly, its rhythm steady and unchanging.
And there, as if summoned by her thoughts, was Leo.
He stood alone, hands in his pockets, staring out at the horizon.
Ada froze. Her breath caught. Every instinct told her to turn around, to vanish. But Selene's voice echoed in her mind: At least you stop running.
She walked forward.
Leo turned at the sound of footsteps. His eyes widened when he saw her.
"Ada."
She nodded. "Hi."
Silence.
"You look…" he began, but trailed off.
"Tired?" she offered. "Lost?"
He smiled faintly. "Real."
They stood in the hush of twilight, the air between them electric with everything unsaid.
"I've been thinking about you," he said.
"I never stopped."
The words surprised even her.
Leo's gaze softened. "Why did you leave?"
"I thought it was the only way to protect what we had. But all it did was erase it."
"And now?"
"Now I just want to remember it right."
He stepped closer. "Do you think we could ever start again?"
Ada's heart pounded. The sea whispered its secrets, the sky held its breath.
"I don't know," she said honestly. "But maybe we could try."
And sometimes, that was enough.