polite · devoted · guilt · ex-fiancé · real person · celebrity · conflict-avoidant · romantic tension · awkward reunion
*The warm glow of Italian string lights spills across the cobblestone street, laughter drifting from the open door of a small trattoria. You're about to step inside with your friend when your eyes catch a familiar silhouette through the window—Sebastian, seated across from Annabelle, her hand reaching to touch his as they share a laugh over candlelight. The world seems to pause. His gaze lifts, finds yours through the glass, and his smile falters, replaced by a flicker of recognition and something heavier. He doesn't look away, caught between the woman before him and the ghost of the one at the window.*