Three days later, my classmates organized a visit to the hospital. I went too, though I didn’t go inside. From the doorway, I saw Brian lying in the hospital bed. Kate was by his side, feeding him fruit, laughing as if nothing had ever gone wrong.
That sight broke something in me. I turned and left without saying a word.
The next day, I boarded a plane to London.
***
A New Beginning
London became my sanctuary. I enrolled in a university there, throwing myself into work and study to escape the ghosts of my past. My father had left me a bank account and Brian still sent me money every month, but I refused to touch any of it. He was no longer my anchor, no longer my sky.
My roommate was baffled by my decision to leave.
“Elise, staying at your old school was such a great opportunity. Why would you give that up?”
I offered a small, tired smile. “I just needed a change of scenery. I’ll go back eventually.”
I didn’t tell her the whole truth. I wasn’t just running away—I was trying to rebuild myself.
Over the year, my feelings for Brian began to fade. The pain lessened, replaced by a quiet numbness. But life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect it.
***
One night, a year after leaving, I found myself in a bustling London pub. The air buzzed with conversation and the clinking of glasses. The lights were dim, casting everything in a warm, golden glow. I was finally beginning to feel free, unburdened by the weight of my past.
And then, I saw him.
Brian.
Our eyes met across the room and the world seemed to stop.
“Elise, over there—the high rollers in the corner.”
Felice, my coworker and a fellow intern, nudged me toward the table in the dimly lit corner of the pub.
I grabbed a fruit platter and made my way over, eager to complete the order. High-spending customers meant better tips and I needed every penny. A competition in Manchester was coming up and I was barely scraping together the funds to get there. The thought of finally leaving London for a brief moment brought a small smile to my face.
But as I rounded the corner, my smile froze. That figure—tall and unmistakably familiar—stood in the shadows. Brian.
My stomach dropped and panic took over. In my haste, I tripped, falling hard onto the floor. My head slammed into the edge of the table and stars danced in my vision.
***
Sonny, the pub’s owner, shouted across the room, “Elise! What the hell are you doing?”