Once upon a time, in a small town nestled by the sea, there were two souls destined to be together. Dawson and Charlotte had once shared a passionate love that burned bright, but life’s twists and turns had pulled them apart. Now, fate had brought them back together, giving them a chance to rekindle what they had lost.

It was a warm summer evening when Dawson and Charlotte found themselves face to face for the first time in years. The air crackled with electricity as their eyes met, and in that moment, time seemed to stand still. The memories of their past love flooded their minds, igniting a fire that had never truly extinguished.

Unable to resist the pull, they found themselves entwined in a dance of longing and desire. Their bodies moved in sync, as if they had never been apart. The touch of their skin, the taste of their lips, every sensation was a reminder of the love they had once shared.

As the night deepened, they sought solace in each other’s arms, finding comfort and familiarity in the embrace of their souls’ counterpart. Their love was a tapestry of colors, vibrant and alive, painting their world with passion and tenderness.

In the quiet moments, they whispered words of love, their voices a symphony of longing and devotion. They bared their souls, sharing their dreams, fears, and hopes for the future. In each other’s presence, they found solace, understanding, and acceptance.

Their love was not just physical; it was a deep connection that transcended time and space. They explored not only each other’s bodies but also the depths of their hearts and minds. They discovered new layers of intimacy, each touch and caress a testament to their unbreakable bond.

In the soft glow of the moonlight, they made love, their bodies entwined in a dance of ecstasy. It was a union of two souls, a merging of their beings that left them breathless and fulfilled. Every touch, every kiss, carried the weight of their shared history, their souls intertwining in a symphony of love and desire.

As the night slowly faded into dawn, Dawson and Charlotte lay tangled in each other’s arms, their bodies glistening with a sheen of sweat. They reveled in the aftermath of their love, their breaths slowly returning to a steady rhythm. Their souls were intertwined, their hearts beating as one.

In the gentle morning light, Dawson traced his fingers along the curves of Charlotte’s body, marveling at the beauty he had missed for so long. He whispered sweet words of adoration, promising to cherish and protect her with every fiber of his being.

Charlotte’s eyes shimmered with tears of joy as she looked into Dawson’s eyes, seeing the depth of his love mirrored in his gaze. She knew that they were soulmates, destined to find their way back to each other. The pain of their past was but a distant memory, replaced by the overwhelming joy of their reunion.

They spent the day exploring the town they had once called home, hand in hand, their laughter filling the air. They relished in the simple pleasures of life, savoring the taste of ice cream, and sharing stolen kisses under the shade of an ancient oak tree.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden hue over the horizon, Dawson and Charlotte stood on the beach, their toes sinking into the soft sand. They watched as the waves crashed against the shore, a reminder of the ebb and flow of their love.

In that moment, Dawson took Charlotte’s hand in his, his voice filled with a deep sincerity. “Charlotte, my love, I promise to cherish you for all eternity. You are my soulmate, my forever.”

Tears of happiness streamed down Charlotte’s cheeks as she whispered, “Dawson, you are my everything. Together, we will face any challenge that comes our way. Our souls are forever entwined.”

And so, Dawson and Charlotte embarked on a new chapter of their love story. They knew that their journey wouldn’t always be easy, but they were armed with the knowledge that their love was unbreakable. They would face life’s trials and tribulations hand in hand, their souls forever intertwined, their love a beacon of light in a world sometimes filled with darkness.

As they walked into the sunset, their hearts overflowing with love, they knew that their reunion was not just a chance encounter. It was a testament to the power of true love, a reminder that soulmates are forever bound, even when life tries to tear them apart.

WARNING: Some adult content not suitable for children. Rated 13+ viewer discretion is advised.

I could hear my window being opened up all the way and I sat up to see Draya climbing through it. “Draya what are you doing here?” “I want to talk.” “Oh now you want to talk? I tell you that I love you and so you dump me and then ghost me for 5 days! I tried texting and calling you! I lost count of how many messages I must have left you! Hell the third day I went over to the house, I stood there ringing the door bell and knocking for hours! I was about to give up when Celeste answered the door; then I ask to see you and she tells me that you don’t want to see me…” Hot trears of anger and hurt are running down my face now. “…It broke my heart to hear that! It was devastating and yet I still tried to get into contact with you! I wanted answers hell just wanted to hear your voice anything but tonight I just gave up because it seemed pretty clear to me that you wanted nothing to do with me. I was just done with it. Done being hurt by every call you didn’t answer and every text you wouldn’t respond to. I couldn’t take it anymore! So I was done. You show up and now you want to talk? How do you have the fucking nerve?” “Darling…” she said reaching out to touch me probably too try to wipe my tears away because she always did but I stopped her. “Don’t touch me! And don’t call me darling or princess; you don’t get to call me that anymore. You can call me Sarah and that’s it!” She with drew her hand and sat down at the end of my bed. “I never wanted to hurt you Sarah. I really didn’t. I was being stupid and foolish I know that now. When you told me you loved me in that moment I knew that I love you too.” “Then why Draya? Why did you start avoiding me and acting like I didn’t exist? You don’t do that to people you love.” “Because it terrifies me! The last person that I felt this way about… was Shaylyn and it ended tragically. I didn’t want to feel that way again. When I lost Shaylyn I vowed and swore to myself that I would never fall again, never love again because it hurts to much in the end and I didn’t ever want to hurt like that again.” “You really think I would hurt you?” “Not intentionally, no, but the fact is that you are human and humans don’t live forever. Shaylyn died in my arms; I watched the life literally drain from her. I saw the light leave her eyes, felt her body go cold and still, heard her heart beat one last time. I felt like some part of me died too; hell I wished I was dead. I don’t think I could bare it if that happened to you; because I don’t want to be without you. You have become my everything. It’s like we’re two sides of the same coin and one cannot truly live without that which makes it whole; you make me whole Sarah and I haven’t felt like that in a very long time. I don’t want to lose you. I was an idiot and I hope you can find it in your heart even though I broke it to forgive me.” I wanted to forgive her too. I wanted to throw myself into her arms and tell her all was forgiven. But I couldn’t, not after what happened, not at risk of my already damaged heart, not if she would put me through this a second time. I wasn’t ok with a short term relationship anymore; maybe I never was, all I knew for certain was I couldn’t lose her again. I couldn’t go through this again. “No Draya, I might forgive but not forget. I don’t think I can take you back, not if this is still just a short term thing, not if you are going to leave in a few months and then leave me again. I won’t go through this a second time. I can’t!” “I have no intention of going anywhere; and if I did I wouldn’t go without taking you with me. I am all in.” I wasn’t sure what to think, or feel, I wanted to believe what she said I really did but there was a part of my brain that said I had to be smart and protect myself from more hurt. That she shouldn’t get off so easily. Shouldn’t treat me this way without any consequences. Shouldn’t be allowed to break my heart and get away with it. But there was another more reckless part of me that said Fuck it love is all about taking risks so go ahead and take a leap of faith for once in your life. That was the part of me that won out. “I’m all in too and I think I am about to do something very stupid.” “What’s that?” she asked “This!” I said surging forward and pressing my lips against hers and after a moment of surprise she was kissing back. Oh fuck did I miss kissing her, holding her, touching her. I felt Draya’s warm tongue slide against my lower lip and I willingly parted my lips allowing her to slip her tongue inside. She began to explore my mouth with her tongue running it across the roof of my mouth and caressing the inside of my cheeks and oh my fucking god why had we not done this sooner? We kissed like that for a long time but unfortunately for me I needed to breathe. We were both breathing hard when we broke the kiss. “So can I call you darling and princess again?” She said. I think she was trying to lighten the mood or flirt with me or both. “Oh just shut up and kiss me again!” I demanded and she did using that wonderful tongue of hers for a second time. I started pulling at her clothes and she began to do the same as we started to undress each other until the only things we had left on were our panties. We fondled each others’ breasts while we kissed, moaning into each other’s mouths. Draya started to kiss down my jaw and down my throat sucking and nipping along the way kissing down my breast flicking her tongue against my hard nipple before swirling her tongue around it and then sucking it in while she continued to fondle the other one. I tangled my fingers in her hair, god this felt so fucking good. She finished with my first breast and moved over to the second one. I was loving this and I wanted more; wanted to have her touching more of me, wanted her to finally take me completely. I untangle my hands from her hair and slide them down her body until I reached the waistband of her panties and started to try to push them down. When she noticed this she released my breast with a pop. “Darling what are you…?” I didn’t let her finish her sentence. “I want you, all of you right now. I want you to take me, fuck me, make love to me.” I said as I continued to try to push her panties down. She sook her head grabbing my wrists and pushing them away from her panties. She moved my hands upwards and then pinned them down on either side of my head. I let out a noise between a wine and groan of protest. “No princess.” “Why don’t you want to…want me?” She smiled at me “You have no idea how much I want this and you but not like this. I don’t want this to be a heat of the moment thing that you might regret in the morning; so sleep on it; just for tonight and if in the morning, when you have a clearer mind…if you still want to then we will do it tomorrow night at my place okay?” I sighed “Yeah ok. Can we still cuddle at least?” “Of course princess, come here I’ll be the big spoon.” she said pulling the covers over us before wrapping her arms around me. I relax against her body, drifting peacefully off to sleep.

I woke up with Draya’s arms still around me. I kept my eyes closed and sighed contentedly trying to pretend to still be asleep. “Good morning princess.” Draya whisperers in my ear. I never could trick her, she could always tell when I was awake. “Good morning” I replied but still kept my eyes closed. “Are you still tired?” She asked me. “No, not really but I am enjoying being held by you too much right now to want to get up.” “Good because I have no intention of letting you go any time in the very near future.” “I am so glad my parents are out of town right now.” my mom and dad were out of town for a while visiting with an ill family member.

Draya kissed the back of my neck and the desire of last night returned. “Some one is easily excited today.” Draya said with a chuckle “How could you tell?” “Your heart rate increased.” “No fair using your vampire super powers!” “Sorry but it’s not exactly something I can help darling.” “I know but it would be nice if I could keep some secrets from you.” “I still can’t read your mind so you can keep some secrets.” “Draya….I’m really happy you came back and that we are together again.” “As am I darling. I have missed holding you, the feel of your warm body against mine, your sent, the little noises you make while you sleep.” “I don’t make noises when I sleep.” “Yes you do and they make you even more adorable if that’s even possible.” “I’ve missed our playful banter too.” “I’ve missed everything; as I said before, you are my universe. With out you it was dark all the time you were there to rescue me and I forsook you and I know that I will be making up for that for the rest of eternity but if it keeps you with me then I will gladly do it all.” “Draya, you came back that is what matters.“ “No, because I never should have left in the first place. I was such a fool and I am grateful that you are willing to forgive a fool like me. I am so lucky to have you and was too blind and stupid to see it but now that I realize it I am never letting you get away or letting go of you ever again.” “Same, I refuse to ever lose you ever again! I love you too much to allow that.” “So am I safe in assuming you still want to…” she trailed off “What? have sex? Yes I still want to.” “You’re sure? Absolutely sure?” “Draya my angel I love you and I want to be with you so yes I am absolutely 100% sure I want to do this and I might be a little nervous and the slightest bit scared yes but I think that’s normal I mean it’s my first time after all but I trust you I want this…do you?” “Yes of course I do. I love you too from now until the end of all enduring time.” “Then that’s all that matters.” “In that case I better go home I have a lot to prepare.” “No don’t go, not yet.” “You’ll see me tonight, and don’t you have school today?” “Yes and I know that I will see you tonight I just want to be held a little longer. 5 maybe 10 minutes tops.” “How about 15 more minutes will that be enough to hold you over until tonight?” “There will never be enough time to sate me but I will settle for 15 minutes for now.” Draya pulls me close and I relax in her embrace. I tried protesting again when the 15 minutes was up but it didn’t work. “You ou need to get ready for school now princess and I will see you tonight. I will be picking you up 6 sharp.” “Ok I suppose I can endure until then.” She kissed my forehead and then my lips before disappearing though my window.

As I got ready I felt as if I was walking on air. All felt right with the world again and I felt happy again I couldn’t stop smiling and smiling. Tracy noticed this immediately when she picked me up. “Your mood has improved.” “Draya’s back!” “She is? Since when?” “Last night she came over and told me that she was sorry about what she did.” “And you forgave her? Just like that?” “No I gave her a piece of my mind first. She knows what she did was wrong and she regrets what she did and then yes I forgave her.” “You are a better person than me Sarah. I am not that forgiving.” Tracy said pulling away as we went to pick up Hallie who when told the news threw her arms around me hugging me tightly. “Hallie, sweetie, can’t breathe.” “Sorry..” she said releasing me “I am just so happy for you!” Kelsey squealed in delight when we told her and was practically bouncing up and down in her seat. Brian had driven Raquel to school that morning but when we saw them and I told them Brian was so happy I thought he might announce that he was going to throw a party in my honor. Raquel lightly smacked him on the back of the head saying “Boy you have got to learn to contain your enthusiasm. I swear you are going to embarrass me one of these days and yourself too.” Then she turned to me “I’m glad that you and Draya are back together and that you are happy? You just weren’t you these past few days you know what I mean?” “Yeah I think so, it was like I had a dark storm cloud hanging over my head.” I said Then the bell rang and we made our separate ways to go to our first class. I felt like I was walking on sunshine. Nothing could ruin this day. Mot even Nasty Nicki who decided to grace us with her presence at lunch, but I refused to let her spoil my good mood and pretend that she simply did not exist. “So when are you going to see her again?” Kelsey asked as Tracy drove us home “Tonight and I am spending the night at her house.” “Really? Want us to help you get ready?” Kelsey asked “As much as I love you guys I know that you won’t leave if you stay to help me so no I think I can handle it.” “Oh come on Sare Bear you’re no fun.” said Hallie “The answer is still no and I am a joy to be around.” “Yeah you are, so Hallie, Kelsey quit teasing Sarah.” Tracy said “All I gonna add is don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” advised Raquel “So basically nothing is off limits, good to know.” “You know what I mean! Be careful.” “I will.” I said and not long after that Tracy was pulling up to my house I bid my friends goodbye and went inside to get ready

THE END to be continued in story titled The First Time

I glanced across the gymnasium at the dance to look at him like I always did. I thought that he’d be laughing and dancing with his friends, but he wasn’t. I wondered if he’d be slow-dancing with his new girl and looking into her eyes, but he wasn’t. He was looking at me. Even once we made eye contact, he didn’t look away. Neither did I. The moment we fleeting, but tempting. I kept thinking of trying to make things right with him. I wanted us to be in love again. But when he started dating Hanna, I didn’t think that I would get the chance. I quickly diverted my attention away from him. I hurried out of the gym, and went over to my locker. I felt so overwhelmed about everything. It’d been years, but still I couldn’t let this go. I still loved the idea of him. “Megan?” I heard. I turned to see him standing behind me. “Ben? What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the dance?” I asked. “I just saw that you ran out and I wanted to make sure that you were okay,” He explained. “Oh…” “I know that we don’t talk much,” He started. “But I want you to know that I still care about you,” He said. I smiled. “I still care about you too,” I said. “Are you okay?” He asked me. “Uh, yeah. I’ll be fine,” I told him. He sighed. “Do you want me to stay with you?” He asked. “Really Ben, it’s fine. You have a girlfriend that you should be keeping company,” I mumbled. “The only girlfriend that I want to be keeping company is you,” Ben blurted. “What are you talking about?” I exclaimed. “Look, Megan, I think I might love you,” He said. “I miss you,” He said. I can’t believe this, I thought. Why would he put me in this position? “I don’t think that’s fair to say,” I told him. “What do you mean, Megan? I love you, and that’s the truth,” He argued. “Hanna is a great girl and I don’t want to hurt her,” I argued back. “But you’re saying that if it wasn’t for her…” He trailed off. “Yes Ben. If it wasn’t for her… then maybe I could say it back.” “You still can,” He said. “You know I can’t do that,” I argued. “Please. Megan. Please. I have been in love with you since 7th grade. Some 4 month relationship with Hanna is not going to get in the way of this. I thought I was into her, but it was just another coping mechanism.” “That an awful thing to say…” “I know…” He said. I looked up at him and took a step in. I ran my hand down the side of his collar and took a breath in. “I lo-“ I paused as tears filled my eyes and I stepped back. He sighed with disappointment. He turned to walk away. I wanted to cry but not until he left. He was obviously fed up with this. With my games. One minute I’m looking over at him at the dance, wishing that he’d take me back, and the next I’m watching him walk away from me after he confessed his love. “Wait! Ben! I love you!” I yelled. “You do?” He yelled back. “I do! I really do love you!” I called. “Oh thank god!” He yelled as he ran over to me. He gracefully scooped me up into his arms and twirled me just like the movies. I took a second to lean in and kiss him. Then I hugged him and let my tears come out. It didn’t matter how happy this moment was; it was emotional. “Oh my gosh.” We turned back. It was Hanna. “Ben? What are you doing?”

She sat quietly thinking to herself…am I good enough? Sitting on the couch, watching the raindrops coming down onto the window. She’s sitting there, the phone rings; she began to ignore it. She picks up the phone just to see a missed call from him. Her jaw dropped, she was in disbelief. She stared at the phone for a couple more seconds because she thought she was hallucinating. She calls back but no answer.

Hours later the doorbell rings. She just had gone out of the shower, her hair was soaked, dripping with water. She answers the door… it was him. Standing there in the pouring rain on the front porch begging her for him to come inside. She lets him in. She asked, “what are you doing here?” He began to cry. “I messed up he says, I regret it, I regret it all!” She began to cry as he continues. “I should have never gave up on you, I can’t get you off my fucking mind. I love you Paige. I always have and I always will.”

She continues to cry, her stomach swarmed with butterflies. She began to walk towards him trying to hold herself back but she couldn’t. She leaned in and she kissed him. His face lit up, he smiles as he holds her tight. “I don’t want to let go” he says. She responded, “then don’t, don’t leave me again Vincent. I can’t take the pain anymore”.

He holds her, “I won’t leave you again baby”. They kiss; it started out slow then it started to get intense. He picks her up and he carried her to the room. They continued making out. He got on top of her, put her hair behind her ear as they made eye contact. She smiled, “I love you Vin”. They continued and little by little an item of clothing was coming off. They made love and it was better than ever. They finished; they cuddled for hours until she began to fall asleep on his chest wrapped in the blanket. He was still awake staring at her, admiring how beautiful she was. He said to himself, “I’m so stupid for leaving her. I’m gonna marry this girl; I love her more than anything else in this universe”. He began to kiss her forehead and play with her hair as he began to close his eyes and fall asleep.

They woke up the next morning. He looks at her with the biggest smile on his face and says “good morning beautiful”. From here on out she knew he was the one. She always did and always will.

So like, when my girlfriends parents ask me what I “do for a living”, I pull a straight razor out of my back pocket. And, I don’t tell them I’m a poet, I sure as hell don’t tell them I’m an MC, But I pull a straight razor out of my back pocket.

And like, I could lie, right? I could say that I’m a pilot, or a teacher, or a handsome man, Or the change that I want to see in the world, or a pipe smoking grad student. I could go on and on about all the locked doors I could open, Or the exotic locales that have crawled up my nose, Or the blinding awesomeness of my resume paper. I could give them joyful heart attacks, I could Santa Claus their systems, but I don’t. I pull a straight razor out of my back pocket.

And maybe this is overly dramatic, But I’ve never been very good at small talk, right? I’m always too busy wondering where interesting scars come from, Too busy wondering how many poorly aimed arrows, Casual brushes of skin, drownings, or split-seconds of eye contact of the past 10,000 years have constructed this moment. Too busy imagining the soundtrack to my life, Dominated by smiling, adult, contemporary, alterna-rockers, And saying no. Give me hip-hop dressed in leather, knuckles cracking.

Because yo, We could talk about the weather, right? Like, that’s easy. We could deaden our colors and round our jagged corners so that we may fit more precisely into our own carry-on luggage. I could rattle off a string of pop culture references, Or rap really, really fast, And we’d all have a good laugh, but I don’t. I pull a straight razor out of my back pocket.

And just as her father begins to say, “Okay so you’re a barber?”

I slice my little finger off!

And they jump back instantly like characters in a poorly-edited student film, Their lines caught between their teeth, Their eyes staring directly into the camera. Levitating with pain, I pick my discarded figit up from off the Olive Garden floor, And with the black Sharpie I reached from my other back pocket I write my name on it.

And I say, “Give me $10 and I will let you keep this.” Not the finger, the moment. Give me $10 as tribute to the truth that we once stood here, That I did something worth remembering, That you, on this day, witnessed something larger than traffic or storm clouds or time passing. For the price of a fancy breakfast, Press your fingertips to the wet cement of my tombstone, Stand in the background of my iconography. It’s only $10. Tell my bones they’re doing a good job keeping me upright. Tell yourself that this day did not blur by, That this journal entry would be more than an absentminded doodle. For $10 I will carve my initials into your brain stem.

What do I do for a living? I’m an artist, right? I am a turtle without a shell and I have the scars to prove it. I am pulling myself from the magicians hat night after night and I have the scars to prove it. I am leaving fragments of my body in every dusty corner of this country and I have the scars to prove it. Give me $10 and I will show you everything

~small talk by Kyle ‘Guante’ Tran Myre

Left in scars Hidden in bars Just crying for help Without seeing behind my arm

“Do you have the package?” Bertie stood beside the lonely park bench fighting to sneak a gaze at the man occupying it, that would be too emotional.

“Jesus Christ Bertie this isn’t some spy film look at me won’t you?” Robert demanded, Bertie reluctantly turned his head. “We’ll hand it over then” Robert rolled his eyes and pulled out a small package wrapped in brown wrapping paper, tied up with a string. “Thank you” Bertie yoinked the package away from his ex.

“It doesn’t have to be like this Bertie we were so good together what went wrong?” Robert patted the seat next to him and with a sign Bertie took his place. “Things got too heavy, hanging out with you was fun but after we started dating… it got too much, I never felt like that before.” Robert nodded in acknowledgement. Bertie looked towards his ex; awkwardness strewn across his face. Robert laughed and pulled Bertie in for a hug.

“You’re so awkward, you know that right?” Bertie blushed. “If things were getting too much I would have understood, if you’d just told me. I’d like to still be friends with you if you want, no expectations.” Bertie nodded and nuzzled into Robert’s shoulder. “I’d really like that” he inhaled the man’s sent.

“But… I have another suggestion” Bertie lifted his head, confused. “What’s that?” Robert lifted Bertie’s chin with his index finger and leaned in for a kiss. The pair made out for what much have been ten whole minutes. Afterwards they both looked sweaty and frazzled. “I liked that suggestion” Bertie laughed catching his breath “go anymore?”

With a single red rose in hand, I stood outside of the restaurant waiting for her to arrive. Only one reoccurring sentiment filled my thoughts.

“I must be crazy.”

The whirlwind of our relationship only lasted a few days but remained an important stepping stone in the timeline of our lives. With casual disregard, we threw caution to the wind in pursuit of our own carnal desires. Whenever we exhibited our passions in public, most people cringed with discomfort. It paled in comparison to the mutual affections shared in private.

When things fizzled out between us, it was nobody’s fault. Each of us had our own pursuits that were a priority. The budding relationship became a casualty. She went her way and I went mine.

After three months apart, I started to wonder if we gave up too soon. What if she had been my soulmate and I pissed away the limitless possibilities that love had to offer?

Whether or not we were meant to be together was a question that couldn’t be answered, at least not without a follow up conversation. I hoped she felt the same but wouldn’t know until we talked. If she didn’t, I would respect her decision and leave it at that. In the very least, our discussion would minimize any regret and provide closure to that chapter of my life. All I could do is hope and pray for a civil discourse.

The moment I noticed her walking towards me, my senses filled with the same lustful desires experienced months earlier. It was much more than wanting to whisk her away to a hotel room, though. Every part of me swelled with an overwhelming flood of emotions. When our eyes met, the smile inside my heart broadened to match the one on her lips. Her face was aglow with a contented gratification.

We entered the restaurant and followed the hostess to our table. Midway across the room, I noticed a friend eating lunch by himself. He was the one who introduced she and I.

“Kismet,” I thought.

He and I nodded in one another’s direction but never said a word. When we arrived at our table and my ex took off her coat, I noticed she was pregnant.

Uncertain what to say, I squinted my eyes and asked, “Congratulations?”

“Thank you.” Pointing her thumb towards the friend, she asked, “Isn’t that…?”

Without waiting for a response, she walked over to his table. When she motioned in my direction, he replied by shaking his head from side to side. After whispering something into his ear, she pecked him on the cheek and returned to where I sat.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“I asked him to join us. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be having a baby.”

“We? You mean…it…it’s mine?”

“Of course it is. I’m four months pregnant. Do the math.”

I did as suggested and tried to calculate the timeline in my head. Distracted by the bombshell, simple mathematics proved difficult to comprehend. The display on my internal calculator kept showing an error message. The longer I sat speechless, the more aggravated she became.

“I haven’t been with anybody else,” she snapped.

“Does that mean you’re keeping it?”

“That’s a stupid question. Of course I am.” Offended, she stood and prepared to leave. “I knew meeting you was a bad idea.”

“I didn’t mean it that way. I meant if you weren’t going to, or didn’t want…I mean, if you wanted to terminate it but didn’t have the money…” After looking across the table and seeing how incensed she was, I realized my comments were making the situation worse. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is…I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”

“You really mean that?”

“Yeah. Maybe…maybe we should get married?”

She returned to her seat but kept her gaze focused on the table that sat between us. Unable to look me in the eyes, she reached up to the collar of her shirt and fingered a pendant attached to her necklace. It was an engagement ring.

“When I told my boyfriend about the baby, he got down on one knee. I said yes.”

Although the initial shock of her pregnancy hadn’t worn off, I felt slapped once again by the rejection. This wasn’t the type of closure anticipated when our lunch date was set. Stunned, I looked towards our mutual friend without paying attention to anything specific. I didn’t know how to respond, just as I wasn’t sure how to feel about another man raising my child.

With a mechanical detachment, I replied, “Oh.”

“You can either be a part of our baby’s life or not. The choice is yours.”

“Your fiancé is okay with that?”

“He knows about you and hopes you stick around. More importantly, so do I.”

A lengthy pause filled the air until it reached a level of discomfort. I nodded a few times but said nothing. When she stood to leave, I got down on one knee and kissed her baby bump. I held the position and watched as she exited the restaurant. Hypnotized by her departure, I remained in a stupor until our friend walked over and sat down. It snapped me awake.

He asked, “She told me about the baby. Are you okay with it all?”

“I don’t know what I am other than a father.”

“I guess next time you’ll use contraception, huh?” A devilish grin appeared on his face. His comment was meant as a playful jab but I wasn’t in the mood. “Too soon to joke about it?”

“There’s not going to be a next time.”

“Good, ‘cuz I thought you Christians didn’t believe in premarital sex? I mean, you’re the one that wrote the Bible and you’re not even following it.”

“Satan, my friend, there’s only one thing that matters when it comes to the Bible. I’m the exception that proves the rule.”

“I don’t know what is more disturbing that there are yeti erotic romance novels or that the best rated one is using ratings from Great Expectations to boost its ratings or that an actual human gave Dickens three stars for being ‘dated,’” Robb said. “Why do you allow yourself to fall into these rabbit holes? Honestly read a book, take up a hobby, something anything else dude,” Dorcas answered. “So what earth shattering shenanigans are you up to?” Dorcas chuckled. “Come on Dorie, give.” “I’m doing an online quiz, Do You Need A Cat or A Boyfriend? Apparently I’m in desperate need of a Maine Coon,” Dorcas said. She sighed. The sound of a beer bottle being open in the background. Robb was quiet. Then he laughed with false brightness. “Is this a roundabout way of getting me back?” Dorcas took a long swallow. She clicked on pet finder.com and swiped through a handful of ginger toms. “Should I play hard to get? Take some hints from Frosty Alpha Fake Fiancé,” Robb asked. He jiggled the ice in his whiskey glass. “Robby, no. You promised.” Robb rearranged his Amazon cart. Softly his keyboard clicked. Then he banged his fist against his laptop. “You know I’m terrible at keeping my word, babe.” “Not funny. We’re back in the friend zone. We break up to make up. We don’t work as a couple.” A town apart, the two sat together in dimmed rooms lit by monitors. “You hungry?” Dorcas asked. “I’m ahead of you. I DoorDashed you tofu with veggies with spring rolls,” Robb said. “I sent you a sack of White Castle and gifted you a kindle of Frosty Embrace: Yeti’s Romantic Revenge. Maybe you can get some tips.” Over stir fry and steamed buns, Robb reads to Dorcas the secrets of monster shifter love.

David trudged along through the crowds on his way to work. He hadn’t been as involved lately as he should’ve been with his newest client. In all honestly, he’d been a shell of himself ever since….it didn’t matter. It was the past now. Nothing more than a forgotten memory. Yet, it wasn’t even close to forgotten. The emotions plagued him daily. Shock. Betrayal. Grief. Anger. Heartbreak. Emotions he’d rarely experienced. Ones he tried to push away no matter what happened. But what had happened, it was too much. He just didn’t have the energy to suppress these horrible feelings. He saw her in everything. Her auburn hair and bright green eyes, her pearly white teeth and loving gaze. In fact, he swore he could see her now, waving at him from across the street. David blinked to try and rid himself of this apparition. His mind occasionally played tricks like this, plunging him even further into the depths of despair. However, she was still there. He blinked again. Same result. That’s when he realized that this was no trick. That was her. Kendra. His ex. David didn’t know what to do. So, he just stopped to stare at the woman whom he’d once loved. Still loved. Would always love. He watched as she made her way across the street heading towards him step by step. Finally, she stood before him. For the first time in a year he’d be forced to speak to her.

“Hello”, Kendra breathed, somewhat sheepishly. David looked down. “Hi.”, he replied. There was an awkward beat of silence between the two before Kendra spoke again. “So, how have you been?”, she asked cheerfully. David clenched his fists lightly and looked back into her eyes. “Do you want the honest truth? How have I been? Well, I’ve been awful. Just terrible. Because of you. Thanks for asking.” With that, he shouldered her out of the way and tried to walk away. However, Kendra grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. He tried to pull back, but she tightened her grip. Tears glistened in David’s eyes. “Kendra, please. I can’t…it hurts too much.” But she didn’t let him go. “David listen…I’m sorry. I’m sorry I broke your heart. I’m sorry that you had to go through what you did, but I want you to know that it was for both of our sakes.” David sighed and closed his eyes. A single tear fell from his eye. “I just don’t understand. We were happy. Why did you leave?” Now Kendra was also in tears. “We were happy.” She smiled and spoke again, “But my visions-“ “Kendra was cut off. “I’ve told you before not to listen to those visions! All they do is stress you out and make you worry about things that you shouldn’t be worrying about!” Kendra looked down. “I know, but just listen. Please.” More tears slid down her face. David sighed again but nodded his head. “Okay.” His ex gave a small smile. “It all started one night. I had the strangest vision. A vision where—well—you and I weren’t…together. I was with someone else, actually. Someone I didn’t know. I didn’t pay attention to this vision at first, but then something happened. The next morning, I met the stranger who was in my dreams. He asked me for directions to Central Park and…” Kendra chuckled. “the rest is history.” David stared at her with grief-stricken eyes. “I just don’t understand how you could fall in love so quickly with someone else. We were set to be married! We were going to start a family for goodness sakes! I just can’t understand how you could throw all of that out the window to be with some guy from your visions!” Kendra looked at him and bit her lip. “David, I’m not asking you to understand. In truth, I don’t quite understand it myself. I just ask your forgiveness. I’m truly sorry I broke your heart and I want us to be on good terms. Ask anything of me, I’ll do it so long as we can remain friends!” David paused for a moment. This was the women he loved, willing to do anything for him, but all he could manage to ask was, “Are you happy?” The two stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. Then, Kendra nodded. “Very.” David smiled. “That’s good enough for me.” Finally, the two hugged and lived happily ever after.