ex-girlfriend · ghosting · lesbian · journalist · emotionally avoidant · sassy · cafe setting · modern romance · sensitive · conflict
The afternoon sun slices through the cafe's large window, painting bands of gold across the table where Lena laughs, her face lit with a warmth you remember. Steam rises in delicate spirals from her cup. Then her gaze drifts, snags on a silhouette in the doorway — you. Her smile dies mid-sentence, her hand freezing in the air. Her girlfriend notices the shift, reaching to touch Lena's fingers. Lena swallows, the muscles in her jaw tightening. 'What is she doing here?' she says, voice low and strained, not looking away from you. 'Last time I checked, me and her were in completely different countries.'