Zach had always believed that love was something that lasted forever. But as he sat in his dimly lit apartment, staring at the rain trickling down the window, he realized that forever was a concept that didn't always apply to people.
Lena was gone. Not in the physical sense—she still existed somewhere in the same city, walking the same streets, breathing the same air. But she was no longer a part of his world, and that was something Zach was struggling to accept.
His phone vibrated on the table. He ignored it at first, assuming it was just another meaningless notification. But when it buzzed again, something in him told him to check.
Lena: Hey. I know it's late, but can we talk?
Zach stared at the message, unsure of how to respond. They had agreed to move on, to let go. So why was she reaching out now?
He hesitated for a long moment before finally typing a reply.
Zach: Where?
Lena: That café near the bookstore. 20 minutes?
He sighed, rubbing his temple. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe it would only make things harder. But despite everything, Zach knew one thing—he wasn't ready to let go just yet.
---
A Conversation Under the City Lights
The café was almost empty when Zach arrived. The faint hum of jazz music played in the background, blending with the sound of raindrops tapping against the window. He spotted Lena sitting in the farthest booth, her fingers wrapped around a cup of tea, her platinum blonde hair tucked behind her ear.
She looked up as he approached, offering a small smile. "You came."
Zach slid into the seat across from her, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. You said you wanted to talk."
She nodded, stirring her tea absentmindedly. "I've been thinking a lot… about us."
His chest tightened. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear this, but he stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
"I don't regret what we had," Lena said softly. "But I do regret how we ended."
Zach exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Lena, we tried. We really did."
"I know," she murmured. "But I hate that it ended with silence. I hate that we just walked away like strangers."
He clenched his jaw. "Would saying more have changed anything?"
Lena hesitated, then shook her head. "Probably not. But I still think we owed each other a real goodbye."
Zach looked away, his fingers tapping against the table. A real goodbye. He had spent weeks convincing himself that they didn't need one—that moving on was easier if they just cut things off clean.
But was it really clean? Or had they just left their wounds open, pretending they weren't bleeding?
"I don't know if I can do this again," Zach admitted.
Lena smiled sadly. "I'm not asking you to."
Their eyes met, and for the first time in a long while, there was no resentment, no lingering tension. Just two people who had once been everything to each other, now standing at the end of something neither of them had fully processed.
Lena reached into her bag and pulled out a small envelope, sliding it across the table.
"What's this?" Zach asked.
She hesitated before answering. "A letter. I wrote it after we broke up, but I never sent it. I thought… maybe you should have it."
Zach stared at the envelope, his throat dry. He wasn't sure if he wanted to read it. But something in Lena's expression told him that it mattered.
She stood up, grabbing her coat. "Take care, Zach."
He wanted to stop her, to say something, but his lips wouldn't move.
Instead, he watched as she walked out the door, disappearing into the rain.
---
The Letter
Zach waited until he was back in his apartment before opening the letter. His hands trembled slightly as he unfolded the paper, his eyes scanning the familiar handwriting.
Zach,
I don't know how to say goodbye to you. Maybe that's why I never sent this. But I think we both deserve closure, even if it's too late.
Loving you was the easiest thing I've ever done. You were my best friend before anything else, and maybe that's why it hurts so much to let go.
I wanted us to last. I really did. But sometimes, love isn't enough to fix everything. And I think we both knew that, even if we didn't want to admit it.
I'll always cherish what we had. I'll always be grateful for you. But now, it's time to move forward.
Goodbye, Zach.
-Lena
Zach swallowed hard, his vision blurring slightly as he read the last words.
He had spent so much time clinging to the idea of fixing things, of going back. But now, as he held Lena's words in his hands, he realized that some things weren't meant to be fixed.
Some things were just meant to be remembered.
And maybe, just maybe, that was okay.
---
To be continued...