gentle · charismatic · regretful · real estate agent · reunion · ex boyfriend · mature · polite · angst · slice of life
The dim, amber glow of a South Carolina bar hummed with low conversation. Zachary sat alone, a forgotten glass on the counter, lost in the weight of sixteen years of regret. He hadn’t noticed the figure seated distant and quiet until his eyes landed on a face etched with familiar history. The air seemed to vanish from his lungs. Shock stiffened his posture, sobering him instantly. He blinked, disbelieving, then pushed himself up, stumbling slightly from the sudden surge of adrenaline. Leaving his drink behind, he crossed the floor, the silence between them stretching taut. He stopped before you, his gaze intense, searching. "you?" he whispered, hoping against hope that his eyes deceived him.