Theo was her high school bestfriend. He was her only friend, her confidant and best buddy but Alexander tormented him because of her. Alexander would send him on stupid errands, make him do stupid things, sometimes even watch his cocoon of friends laugh and mock him just to spite her.
She never understood why until Alexander told her he didn't like how close she and Theo were. He said she had to do something about it or Theo would suffer miserably. She was okay when it was only her being bullied but when Theo became involved, it became a thorn in her flesh. She couldn't bear to watch her bestest friend in the whole wide world suffer, so she did what she thought was best - she dissociated herself from him.
She stopped talking to Theo and avoided his presence totally. She didn't give him any explanation, she just started treating him like a plague. Theo got angry and confronted her, then she used that opportunity to tell him she was tired of their friendship.
She had to yell and say hurtful things before he believed her. It hurt her soul but she had to do it to protect him from Alexander.
Until graduation, she and Theo never spoke to each other again.
But presently sitting right in the coffee shop at the end of her street which she had never visited before but had to today because the coffee shop she visited on a regular was closed, was Theo in the flesh.
He looked so different from how she knew him to be. His hazel eyes were focused on his phone which he kept tapping on repeatedly. He looked to be in a hurry.
He was dressed in a plain loose shirt, shorts and black face cap. Where could he be in a hurry to, dressed so casually?
Nicole didn't know how to approach him; she didn't know if to approach. While she stood at the entrance of the coffee shop deciding if to make her way to her old friend, he looked up suddenly and straight at her.
His eyes lit up like he won a lottery.
"Is that Nicole?!" He exclaimed excitedly.
She waved awkwardly and in a low voice muttered, "The one and only..." while approaching him slowly.
He stood up from his chair and in two long strides, moved to hug her. When did he grow so tall?
The other customers in the shop glanced at them for a brief while before going back to enjoying their morning drinks.
"Wow, look at you...what are you doing here?!"
She laughed nervously, "I live around here. What are you doing here?"
"I am shooting an ad not too far from here so I took a break and came to get coffee. Who knew I would meet you here?!"
His excitement made her nervous but she tried her best to not show that she still felt guilty for breaking up their friendship.
"Come on, come sit..." He pointed to his table.
Nicole followed him and took a seat.
"So, how are you? What do you want to drink? I hope you are not in a hurry, I would really love to catch up..." He grinned.
"Coffee, black." She said after calling the waitress standing at the counter over. "I am okay and no, I am not in a hurry. How are you?!" She tried to match his excitement.
"It's been years! Life has been exciting. After college, I got a job as an ad creator. It pays the bills and I have been living fine...what about you?"
The waitress brought her coffee and she sipped from the steaming cup of caffeine, "I graduated from college and became a kindergarten teacher..."
He nodded, "You always had a thing for kids so it is no surprise. Remember that time at the amusement park when you gave that kid who desperately wanted a cotton candy your last bill so they could get one? It was the nicest thing I had ever seen someone do."
Nicole smiled as she remembered that exact scene, "I guess I have always had a soft spot for children."
A comfortable silence settled between them until she broke it, "You said life is exciting, that makes one of us..."
"How so?"
She scoffed playfully, "You first. Why is life so exciting for you?"
He chuckled and shrugged, "I have a good paying job, a beautiful girlfriend, met my old time friend...what is there not to be excited about?"
"You have a girlfriend?"
He nodded and smiled, "Adrienne...she is the love of my life."
Nicole could see he was very much in love with the girl he spoke about and she was so excited for him.
"I am happy for you, Theo."
He grinned, "What about you? Are you dating anyone?"
"No. Been single for years now."
Theo gasped dramatically, "Years as in how long?"
"I have sex, don't get me wrong but I haven't had any lasting romantic relationship since I left high school. It has always been flings, short, toxic relationships and the likes of them."
He looked at her like she suddenly grew two horns, "So you have never experienced the real boyfriend and girlfriend shit?"
Nicole laughed, "I did but it wasn't all that."
He shook his head in wonder, "You are unbelievable."
His phone rang and he looked at the caller ID, "I am so sorry, Nicole but my team has been calling and I have to go now or my ass gets whooped."
He stood up and she smiled at him, "Of course."
"Call your number."
She called her phone number out for him and he tapped it into his phone.
"I will call you. It was nice seeing you again!" He told her giddily before walking off with a wave.
She waved back at him and watched him till he went out of sight. She then went back to sipping her coffee with a smile on her face.
That went well.