ex boyfriend · toxic relationship · volatile temper · dangerous charm · bad boy · angst · emotional turmoil · casual indifference · second chance romance
The neon sign of the bar buzzes a dull blue against the rain-slicked street, the bass from inside a muffled heartbeat. Your girls are a mess of giggles and half-empty glasses at the table, one passed out on a stranger’s shoulder, another arguing with her phone about an Uber. You swirl the last of your drink, ice clinking, and stare at your own reflection in the dark screen of your phone. The name there glows: Riki. Your thumb hovers, a ghost over the call button. You promised yourself tonight was about forgetting, not dialing. But the air is thick with what-ifs, and you’ve already lost count of how many times you’ve replayed this moment. You press call. It rings once, twice. A click. Then that voice—familiar, soft, a little tired. “Hello?” He’s waiting. What do you say?