Fiona sat at her desk, the soft glow of her
desk lamp casting shadows across the
room. She took a deep breath and opened
her messages. One by one, she began to
type.
To Dominic:
"I know we haven't spoken much, but I think
it's time we talked. There's a lot I need to say,
and I owe it to you. Can we meet, just the two
of Us? Let me know when you're free."
She stared at the message for a moment
before sending it, knowing it would be the
start of a difficult conversation. Her hands
trembled slightly, but she steadied them,
then turned her attention to the next
message.
To Damien:
"I need to speak with you . I realize how
nuch things have affected you both, and I
want to make it right. I can't be in a
relationship at this moment, but I'd like to
keep our bond as friends if that's okay with
you. Let me know when you're free to meet."
She read both messages once more before
hitting send. Her heart pounded in her chest
as she thought about what would come
next. She wasn't sure what would happen
but she knew that no matter what, this was
the first step.
The next day, she met with Dominic
first. They sat in a quiet café, the hum of
soft music in the background. Fiona had
chosen a neutral spot-somewhere that felt
calm, away from the chaos of their lives.
Dominic was the first to speak. ""I... I
don't know what to say. I thought you were
going to hate me forever for what
happened.
Fiona smiled softly, shaking her head. "I
don't hate you. I just needed space to figure
things out. But I also didn't want to leave
you in the dark."
He looked at her, his eyes filled with a quiet
pain. "I was angry. At myself. At everything
And know that pushing you away didn't
help either of us.I should've handled it
differently
Fiona nodded, her voice gentle. "We both
Made mistakes. But I don't want to hurt you
anymore. Ican't be in a relationship right
now. I need to focus on myself, on healing
But I'm not walking away. We can still be
friends. If you want to, of course."
Dominic's expression softened. He
didn't argue, didn't try to convince her to
change her mind. He just nodded slowly. "
get it. And... iwill be here. If you need me."
The conversation lingered in the air, but
Fiona knew it was the beginning of a new
chapter for them-a chapter where their
bond wasn't defined by romance, but by
respect and understanding
Later that evening, she met Hakimi at a
quiet park. The air was cool, the stars
beginning to twinkle in the night sky.
Damein, always the charmer, looked at her
with a soft smile, but she could tell there
was a tension between them.
"Fiona," he started, his voice calm, "I...I
don't know what to say either. Things have
been so complicated between us, and I
know I've been distant. It's not because of
you. ljust... have been figuring things out
too."
Fiona met his gaze, her voice steady but
soft. "I understand. I think we've both been
avoiding the real talk. I can't give you what
you want right now. I need to be with myself
for a while. But I want to be friends, Hakimi.
I hope that's okay.
He didn't flinch, didn't try to argue. Instead
he sighed, a small, knowing smile appearing
on his lips. "Yeah. I think I can live with that
I'lI always be here, Fiona. No matter what."
Fiona smiled softly in return. It wasn't the
passionate love she had once imagined, but
there was a deep sense of relief in knowing
that they had come to an understanding
that they were not just leaving things
that they had come to an understanding
that they were not just leaving things
unresolved.
As she walked home that night, Fiona felt
lighter. The weight of the past wasn't
completely gone, but she had taken the first
step toward healing. She wasn't making any
promises she couldn't keep, but she was
opening herself to the possibility of new
beginnings-with herself, with them, and
maybe even with the future.
She just had to let it unfold in its own time.