Caleb's phone buzzed from his pocket, the sharp vibration slicing through the thick tension in the room. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen and his playful smirk vanished. His tone shifted as he answered, voice low and serious.
"Yeah....I'm on my way."
The change unsettled her, he sounded different, focused and almost cold. It was as if the Caleb who teased and tempted her wasn't the one speaking now. When he hung up, he slipped the phone back into the pocket and met her eyes.
"I have to go.", he said, his tone flat but edged with something unspoken. It was as if I was seeing two different people in my room right now. "Something came up", he said in a firm voice.
Her heart lurched. Not yet. She didn't want him to leave, not with the air still tense, not with when her boyfriend was just here and caused all of this tension, not with her own feelings tangled in knots she couldn't undo.
"Caleb-" she started, her voice softer than she meant it to be. He paused at the door, his gaze lingering on her just long enough to remind her of everything they shared in secret. Then his eyes flicked to her, then he sighed before settling back to her.
"You know where to find me", he murmured, almost like a promise, before stepping out and pulling the door shut behind him, leaving her in a silence so heavy it pressed against her skin.
She sank onto the edge of her bed, her hands trembling. Love for one man, desire for another. It was pulling her apart.
Her chest ached with the weight of it. She grabbed her phone and called her one only best friend to talk about what had just happened. The familiar voice on the other end picked up quickly, carrying both concern and comfort.
"Hey girl, can you come over?", she asked, her tone softer than usual.
"What's wrong?", her friend replied, already sounding worried. After a pause, her best friend suggested they go out for drinks to loosen up. The thought of escaping her heavy feelings, even for a few hours, felt like the kind of distraction she needed. A night away from the silence of her room, surrounded instead by music, laughter, and familiar warmth of her best friend's presence, seemed almost like a remedy.
Without overthinking, she agreed. Within an hour, two of them were together, dressed up, ready, ready to shake off the weight of the day, and stepping into the night with the unspoken promise that, at least for tonight, they'd let go of everything else. The city lights greeted them as they arrived, the hum of nightlife buzzing through the streets. Music spilled mixing with the clinking of glasses. She felt a flutter of nerves, but her best friend slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer with a reassuring smile.
Inside, the air was warm, filled with movement and rhythm. They found a spot near the bar, ordering their first round of drinks. The sharp burn of the liquor contrasted with the sweetness of the moment. Two best friends side by side, reclaiming the night. She and her best friend swayed under the pulsing lights, their worries drowned out by the rhythm of the crowd.
For a moment, it felt like nothing else existed. But then, as she spun towards the bar to grab some water, her eyes landed on a familiar figure in the corner. He wasn't supposed to be here, yet there he was. Leaning casually against the counter, a drink in his hand, his gaze already fixed on her.
Her breath caught. The noise around her faded, just for a second, as if the world had presses pause. Her bestfriend noticed too, her eyes darting between the two of them before leaning in close whisper, "Do you want to leave....or do you want to see where this goes?"
She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the cocktail she held in her eyes, the urge to just chuck down everything at once. Every instinct screamed at her to walk away, to keep her distance before old feelings came rushing back. And yet, something rooted her in place, the way his gaze didn't waver, the way the room suddenly felt smaller, like it was only the two of them.
Her best friend nudged her gently, a silent encouragement. The choice was hers. She could retreat into the comfort of the night as planned, or she could step into the unknown that was waiting for her across the room. With a steadying breath, she set the glass down. Her feet moved before her mind could catch up, carrying her slowly toward him. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the air itself resisted, but when she finally reached him, his smirk soften into something she couldn't quite read.
"You're a long way from where I thought I'd find you", he said, his voice low, warm and unsettlingly familiar. The noise of the bar faded further into the background. Her chest tightened as she searched for words, unsure if she wanted answers, or if she was ready to give any herself.
It wasn't Caleb like she had hoped but her childhood best friend.
The one who had once been her entire world before life had pulled them apart. Older now, broader, but with the same mischievous spark in his eyes that used to make her laugh until her stomach hurt.
"I didn't think you would recognize me", he said, his voice low and roughened with age, though still carrying the warmth she remembered. For a heartbeat, she couldn't speak. Memories crashed over her all at once, sunlit afternoons, whispered secrets, promises mad beneath the stars. And now here he was, standing in front of her like no time had passed at all, though everything had changed.
"What the fuck are you doing this side?", she asked with a grin on her face while eyeing him up and down as she realized it wasn't a dream, he was right in front of her.