Sarah never expected to see David Holloway again.
He had been the boy every girl in high school had a crush on—the charming athlete with an easy smile and eyes that held just the right amount of mischief. Back then, she had admired him from a distance, convinced that he was far out of her league.
She never thought he even knew her name.
But life had a strange way of bringing people back together.
---
It happened on an ordinary afternoon. Sarah was sitting in a café, stirring her coffee absentmindedly as she scrolled through work emails on her phone. She had come here to escape, to find a moment of peace in a world that still felt unbearably heavy.
"Sarah?"
The voice was familiar, yet distant—like an echo from another lifetime. She looked up, her heart skipping a beat as she met his gaze.
David.
She blinked, stunned. He looked different from how she remembered—older, of course, but still undeniably handsome. His once-boyish features had sharpened, his shoulders broader, his presence more commanding. But his smile? That hadn't changed.
"David?" she breathed, setting her phone down.
He grinned, sliding into the seat across from her without hesitation. "I thought that was you. Wow. It's been years."
She let out a soft, disbelieving laugh. "Yeah. More than a decade."
He leaned back in his chair, studying her with curiosity. "You look... great."
She smiled, though she wasn't sure she believed it. "So do you."
"What have you been up to?" he asked, signaling for a waiter.
Sarah hesitated. How did she even begin to answer that? Should she tell him about Lewis? About Nathan? About the years of pain and regret that still haunted her?
Instead, she settled for something simple. "Just working. Living. You?"
"Same," he said, shrugging. "I moved back to town last year. Started my own business. It's been hectic, but I can't complain."
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and for the first time in a long while, Sarah felt... normal.
They reminisced about high school, laughing at old memories. He told her about his business, how he had spent years traveling before finally deciding to settle down.
"Are you married?" she asked, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.
David smirked. "Not yet. What about you?"
Sarah swallowed hard. "No. I—" She hesitated. "I was engaged once, but it didn't work out."
He nodded, sensing the weight behind her words but not pressing. "Well, their loss."
She smiled, grateful for the ease of his company.
---
Over the next few weeks, they kept in touch.
He called. He texted. He asked her out for coffee, then dinner, then more.
At first, she kept her guard up.
But slowly, she let him in.
David was different from Lewis and Nathan. He had no connection to her past, no ghosts lingering between them. With him, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time—light.
For the first time since losing Lewis, she allowed herself to hope.
---
Then came the night that changed everything.
They were walking along the riverfront after dinner, the city lights shimmering against the water. The air was crisp, the scent of rain lingering from an earlier drizzle.
Sarah had been laughing at something David said when he suddenly stopped.
She turned, confused. "What's wrong?"
He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've been meaning to say this for a while, but... I didn't know if it was too soon."
Her heart pounded. "Say what?"
He met her gaze, his expression serious. "Sarah, I've always liked you. Even back in high school, I noticed you more than you probably realized. And seeing you again... it feels like fate."
She froze, caught off guard.
David reached for her hands, his touch warm and steady. "I don't want to waste any more time. I know what I want, and that's you."
Her breath hitched.
"I know your past wasn't easy. I don't expect you to forget it, and I'd never ask you to. But if you're willing... I want to be your future."
She stared at him, emotions warring inside her.
This was everything she had once dreamed of. A fresh start. A love untainted by pain and tragedy.
But was she ready?
Could she truly let go of the past?
---