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Just because I closed the book on my past doesn’t mean I still don’t think about Henry. I desperately want to call him to say hello, to tell him I miss him, and if he wanted to rebuild our relationship, I’d move back in a heartbeat. I stare at my phone screen at the contact with his name. The number is old; it’s not his anymore. He changed it years ago, but I still kept the old number. I still have Peter's, Mom's, and Dad’s numbers.
"I hope you're doing well, and I want you to know I miss you," I whisper as the bus tugs through the stops, the hum blending with the rhythm of my heartbeats. "I love you."
I close my eyes and lean my head against the cool window. I imagine sitting at my kitchen table with my entire family, the room bathed in the soft glow of evening. I’d tell them about my date with Julian, not the intimate details, but the charming ones they would love — the twinkle lights, the meal he cooked, the rooftop table he arranged.
This daydream washes away my pain and pulls a genuine smile onto my lips. We can always change our narrative; we just have to be willing to do so.
***
“Hey, Levi,” I say as I step off the elevator, the hum of its mechanics still echoing in the background.
“Hi,” he mouths through a mouthful of croissants, a playful glint in his eye. Two more croissants sit on his plate, flaky layers shedding crumbs onto the desk. “The boss treated us to coffee again and brought in a whole box of pastries.”
He grins, a few crumbs clinging to his lips.
“Hope you don’t mind; I grabbed a couple extra.”
Levi lowers the croissant, and that's when I notice his split lip. "Levi, what the heck happened to you?” I gasp.
He touches his lip, not wincing but grinning like he's just won the lottery. “Oh, I had a date," he announces.
I raise an eyebrow. "With a boxing glove?"
My strides bring me closer, and I am eager for a clearer view. The nasty scab forming on his skin and the bruise darkening his jawline are hard to miss.
"I'm not sure my story is office-appropriate," he admits.
Story of my life. I wave my hand dismissively. "Just promise me you're okay?"
He chuckles, eyes sparkling with unconfined excitement. "I'm more than okay."
Brushing away crumbs with a casual flick, he leans in, his voice hushed. “I had a date with the hottest girl of my life," Levi boasts, practically puffing out his chest.
I can't help but roll my eyes. “Levi, your idea of a hot date is worrying. Remind me never to ask you for dating advice.”
He grins, unabashed. “She didn’t give me this. I earned it trying to be her knight in shining armor,” he says, trying to sound heroic but only managing to look slightly ridiculous. He's like a big, goofy kid who needs to pack on an extra twenty pounds to be taken seriously.
“I was rescuing her bag.”
I drop my bag onto the desk with a dramatic flair. “This better be good. Spill the beans, Romeo.”
"I was just minding my own business, strolling down the street, right? Then this dude comes sprinting past me with a bag, and behind him, this girl is screaming her head off. Turns out he'd snatched her bag. I stick out my foot, trip the guy, snag the bag," he says, grinning goofily.
"Look at you, real-life superhero," I quip, trying not to laugh. "But that lip...?"
He waves it off. "Oh, that? When the guy got up, he wasn't too thrilled about my heroics. Gave me a good whack before he bolted. But, silver lining — the girl felt so bad, she asked me out for coffee."
"I take it the coffee date went well?"
He nods. "Got her number, too. We're going out again next Saturday."
He's glowing, and I wonder if I share the same glow after my date.
"That's so exciting."
"It is but stressful too. With my budget, McDonald's is like a four-star restaurant. I can't be the guy who suggests McDonald’s for the first date," he says, his smile dropping and replaced with stress.
"Hmm..." I chew my lip. I really want to help him. He looks so excited, but it’s quickly being extinguished with stress."You said you have a Ramen noodle budget."
