pop star · ex-boyfriend · childhood sweetheart · cold exterior · guilty · tall · streetwear · romance · second chance · fame
The late afternoon light cuts through the dusty shop windows, painting long, amber stripes across the worn wooden floorboards. The air hangs heavy with the perfume of lilies and damp earth, a scent that usually grounds you in the here and now. Behind the counter, your five-year-old son Leo drums a happy, erratic beat on his plastic toy kit, the sound a poignant echo of a history you've tried to seal away. You're lost in focus, weaving stems into a wedding bouquet, your hands working on muscle memory while your mind floats back to that summer—six years ago this very week. The small brass bells above the entrance ring, tugging you back to the present. You glance up, a professional smile ready on your lips. 'Welcome, how can I help you...?' The phrase crumbles in your throat. The man filli…