Reunion

ZIAN

I stepped out of the car, ceasing at the barely visible crumples on my shirt. I cross the road, pocketing the key as I stood before the cafe where we decide to meet, My gaze wandered around the small yet cozy cafe that we so often visit together, for the familiar face of a man, I'd been waiting to see for the past two weeks.

There he is.

In a corner with a window, sitting the man. He wore a perfectly ironed maroon shirt tucked neatly into his pants, light brown hair falling over his faultlessly sculpted face as he looked down at his phone. I shuffled through the hall to the table for the two. Pressing the palm of my hand on the table with a 'hi'. He retracted his gaze from the phone to meet my eyes, Smiling up at me.

I missed this guy for sure. And from the look of it, I know he did the same.

"Hey, how have you been?" He asks to me, still grinning.

"Better, better than the last time you saw me." Last time? Last time was a mess, I was a mess.

"I—"

"Did you order already?" I don't wanna talk about the last time we met, before two weeks. I was totally out of it, the mere recollection of me curled on the floor of my bedroom makes me wanna dig my nails into my palms, which are already crammed with scratches.

"Huh? No, thought it would be nice to wait for you"

My throat made a sound of hum.

It was silence afterward, until the barista broke it for us.

"How's it going for you?" I ask. Levin looked at me with a hum, "Was worried about you, you know?". The tone he wielded had me squirming in my seat in guilt. I don't want to make anyone stress over me, not my best friend, he already did a lot.

"I'm sorry, lev. I- I, I didn't want to have you there at that moment, I was out of control and was stupid enough to throw you out. I'm so sorry, it wasn't intentional." I am rushing, I can hear it. Stuttering over the words which slip past my tongue, before I could register them in my brain.

Levin reaches out to hold my shoulder, squeezing it a bit "it's okay, I know, I know you Inn. That's why I didn't complain and let you be."

"And that's why I'm forever grateful for The Levin Edwards!" I said with all enthusiasm, lips cracking a smile.

"you better be, Vann!" he says with an awful grimace, the tip of his fingers tracing the rim of the glass of his smoothie absent mindedly.

"Well, how's Madam Sia doing?"

Levin chuckles at the phrase I use to mention his girlfriend. "She misses you. She told me to bring you home for dinner when you're unrestricted."

My nose scrunches as I said, "Awe mommy has already missed her baby." he wince at that, yanking his hand to whack at the back of my head.

"you punk, how many times do I have to tell you to don't call her that? Shithead!"

My head hurled back, hand drift to my stomach as I laugh at him.

"I'm- I'm sorry Lev—" I couldn't finalize as I let myself be taken away by another fit of laughter.

"I- I know she's only your mommy, eh." I fling a dirty wink at him.

He only muttered "this bastard". By the tone of it, I know he is nowhere near mad.

...

Soles of our shoes bonding with the footpath, chirping of birds being heard with the rustling of leaves. The sun is blazing bright precisely, giving a radiant glow to the people strolling over the street, leaves sprawl over the footpath. The two of us were too caught up in our drinks to converse with each other. We left the cafe a moment ago.

"You know, I think I took the worst decision back then." I let out, out of nowhere, taking Levin off guard.

"Pardon?"

"dropping out on the year of my graduation. What was I thinking?" his throat made an

understanding sound of oh.

"Oh, that, I actually have no idea. Just don't think about it, yea?"

I just hummed. There are a lot of shits running through the back of my mind, which I can't point out at the time because of its intensity. The only thing I can have a hold of is that, the reason. The reason for my dropping out. Even though years had already passed, I still can see the time I'd been locked in my room at my parent's home, away from the world.

Lonely and vulnerable.

Still can feel the darkness on my skin,

the painful cry of my own piercing through my ears.

The desperation to be held, held by him.

To have his breath on my skin. To say he's here with me—

"Zian? You okay?" Levin's worry-lacing voice was a reminder for me that I was not still in the darkness of my room. I flutter my eyes once before dragging my brows further above my forehead to make myself focus on the moment.

"I'm alright." I don't dare to meet his gaze.

"I'm afraid I have to take my leave now, see ya later, Lev."

"You're not coming with me?" I wince at his whisper, I hope he doesn't think something was off with me.

"Not today, I have to get some work done."

"Oh, it's fine, see you around."