The First Morning Without Her
Nathan woke up to silence.
For the first time in two years, there was no morning text from Olivia. No half-hearted "hope you have a good day" or last-minute reminder about something she needed him to do for her.
His bed felt too big, his apartment too empty.
The breakup had been real last night. But this morning, it felt even more real.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes. He had expected to feel regret, to have that crushing urge to text her, to tell her he hadn't meant it.
But the regret never came.
What did come was doubt.
Not doubt that the breakup was the right choice—he knew it was. But doubt that Olivia would even care.
Would she wake up and feel the absence of him the way he felt the absence of her?
Or would she just brush it off, go about her day, maybe even call Daniel and laugh about how dramatic he had been?
The thought stung.
But at the same time, it confirmed everything he had already known.
If Olivia truly cared about losing him, she wouldn't have made him feel like he had to beg for her love in the first place.
Nathan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. He had to get out of his head before he spiraled.
He grabbed his phone and texted Eric.
Nathan: You free today?
A response came almost immediately.
Eric: For you? Always. You finally done with that mess?
Nathan smirked. Eric never held back.
Nathan: Yeah. Finally.
Eric: Good. Let's grab a drink tonight. No sulking allowed.
Nathan stared at the message, then typed:
Nathan: Deal.
He needed this.
Ghosts of a Past Relationship
Nathan spent the rest of the morning trying to distract himself.
He went to the gym, hoping the physical exhaustion would quiet his thoughts. It worked—temporarily. But the moment he got home and stepped into his apartment, the silence hit him again.
It was strange. Olivia had never actually spent that much time in his place—she was always busy, always somewhere else.
But she had left her marks.
The hair tie still sitting on the bathroom counter. The half-empty bottle of her favorite iced coffee in the fridge. The book on the nightstand she had promised to read but never did.
Nathan stared at them, debating whether to throw them all away.
Would that make him look petty?
Would it make him look weak?
He sighed. Instead of overthinking, he grabbed a cardboard box and tossed everything inside. He'd figure out what to do with it later.
As he did, his phone vibrated.
For a second, his heart leaped.
Maybe Olivia had texted. Maybe she had finally realized what she had lost. Maybe—
It was just a work email.
Nathan let out a bitter laugh. He was pathetic.
He shook his head and tossed his phone onto the couch. He refused to be the guy who waited around, hoping his ex would suddenly change.
She won't.
She had proven that already.
A Night Out
By the time Nathan met Eric at their usual bar, he was ready to drown his thoughts in good company and cold beer.
Eric grinned when he saw him, clapping a hand on his back. "Damn, man. You actually look lighter."
Nathan chuckled. "You saying I looked miserable before?"
Eric smirked. "You were miserable. We all saw it. You just took longer to admit it."
Nathan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well. Took me long enough."
They grabbed a table, ordered drinks, and for the first time in months, Nathan didn't feel like he was constantly waiting for a text, an apology, something from Olivia.
He was just… present.
Eric raised his beer. "To freedom."
Nathan smirked. "To sanity."
They clinked glasses.
The Temptation of Familiarity
The night was going well—until it wasn't.
Nathan was mid-conversation with Eric when his phone buzzed. He didn't plan on checking it. But then—
Olivia's name flashed across the screen.
Nathan's stomach twisted. His heartbeat picked up.
He stared at the message.
Olivia: So, that's it?
Two words. But they sent his mind into chaos.
Was she regretting it? Did she miss him? Did she finally realize what she had lost?
Eric noticed his expression and sighed. "Don't tell me that's her."
Nathan nodded slowly.
Eric leaned back, shaking his head. "Don't do it, man."
"I just…" Nathan hesitated. "What if—"
"No." Eric cut him off. "Don't even start with the 'what ifs.' You already know how this goes."
Nathan swallowed. He did know.
She wasn't reaching out because she missed him. She was reaching out because she didn't like losing control.
Olivia had never wanted to lose him.
She had just never wanted to keep him the way he deserved.
Nathan stared at his phone, then locked the screen without replying.
Eric grinned. "Atta boy."
Nathan exhaled. Yeah. This time, he wouldn't fall for it.
The Road Ahead
The next few days weren't easy. There were moments of doubt, moments where he almost texted her. But each time, he reminded himself:
He had already fought for this relationship. He had already waited for her to change. He had already tried.
And he was done trying.
One afternoon, as he cleaned out his apartment, he came across an old photo of them—one from the early days, when he still believed she cared as much as he did.
Nathan stared at it for a moment. Then, with a deep breath, he tossed it into the box with the rest of her things.
It was time to move forward.
And this time, he actually meant it.
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