It had been over a month since Ray last saw Leah, and while the pain had lessened, it was still there, lurking beneath the surface. He had started to fall into a new routine, finding solace in his art and spending time with Tyler. But just when Ray thought he was beginning to heal, the universe had other plans.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and Ray had reluctantly agreed to attend a mutual friend's birthday party. He wasn't in the mood for socializing, but Tyler had insisted that it would be good for him to get out of the house. As he entered the crowded bar, he scanned the room, his gaze briefly skimming over the sea of unfamiliar faces. But then, his heart stopped.
There, across the room, was Leah.
She looked different, yet the same. Her hair was a little shorter, her smile a little more reserved. But it was her. And for a moment, Ray wasn't sure if he should stay or bolt for the door.
Before he could make a decision, Leah spotted him. Their eyes met, and time seemed to slow. Her smile faltered for a second, but then she waved, her expression softening. Ray forced himself to smile back, his stomach doing somersaults as he made his way over to her.
"Hey," she said, her voice quiet, almost hesitant. "It's been a while."
Ray nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Yeah. It has."
They stood there for a moment, the awkwardness between them thick enough to cut with a knife. But then Leah gestured toward the bar. "Want to grab a drink?"
Ray hesitated, part of him wanting to make an excuse and leave. But another part of him—the part that still ached for her—wanted to know how she was doing. What had changed for her in the time they'd been apart?
"Sure," Ray said finally, following her to the bar.
They ordered their drinks and found a quiet corner to sit in. The conversation started light, polite even. They talked about work, their friends, the usual small talk. But underneath it all, there was an unspoken tension. Ray could feel it building, like a storm ready to break.
"How have you been?" Leah asked, her eyes searching his face.
Ray shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. "I've been… okay. You?"
Leah smiled softly, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, same."
There was a brief silence, both of them seemingly unsure of what to say next. Ray could feel the question bubbling up inside of him, the one he had been too afraid to ask the night they broke up.
"Why?" he asked suddenly, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Leah blinked, looking at him with wide eyes. "Why what?"
"Why did you leave?" Ray clarified, his heart pounding in his chest. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't happy? Why did you just… end things?"
Leah's expression softened, and she let out a small sigh. "Ray… it wasn't easy for me, either. I didn't want to hurt you, but I felt like I was losing myself in the relationship. I was scared."
"Scared of what?" Ray asked, his voice catching slightly.
"Scared that if I stayed, I wouldn't be the person I wanted to be," Leah admitted, her gaze dropping to her hands. "I felt like I was suffocating like I couldn't breathe. And that wasn't your fault. It was me."
Ray stared at her, trying to process her words. It wasn't the answer he had expected, but it was an answer nonetheless. It didn't make the pain go away, but it gave him a small piece of the closure he had been craving.
They talked for a little while longer, and by the end of the night, Ray realized something important. Seeing Leah again hadn't been as unbearable as he thought it would be. The hurt was still there, but it wasn't as sharp. And maybe, just maybe, that was progress.