Two Slices

I waited in the diner, checking my watch. It had been two years since the breakup...since she took my heart and shattered it in two. I closed my eyes; the pain has never subsided. Knowing I would see her and talk to her again...that was a lot to deal with. There were a lot of emotions to work through....a lot. As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard the door open and there she was, just as beautiful as I remembered.

Hannah Carson stole my heart five years ago, but it felt like yesterday. That smile and those big blue eyes would charm any man, but they particularly worked on me. After getting to know her, I fell hard...very hard. When I fell in love with her, I knew it would either be the best or worst thing to ever happen to me. In the end, it ended up being a little of both. Since then, I have moved forward, but I don’t know how to move on.

As she walked closer to me, I took in her appearance. Her hair had gotten shorter, and she had gotten new glasses, but she was mostly the same girl. At least, on the outside. As she sat down, I could sense the nervousness radiating off her. “Hey”, I said with a smile. She avoided my gaze, staring down at her lap. I sighed, unsure of how to say what I intended to say. What I needed to say.

Hannah twirled her hair with her finger, a nervous twitch of hers. “Listen,” I said, “I have few things I need to say, that’s why I asked to talk in the first place”. As I said that, she looked at me with her piercing blue eyes and breathed in deeply. Gosh, did she know how hard it was to concentrate when she did that? She must have. I took a deep breath, determined to focus. “I....forgive you. I want you to know that. And I am sorry. I know I hurt you in a lot of ways too. So, I’m sorry”. Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting that. She bit her lip, looking me in the eye.

Her gaze softened, causing my heart to flutter. “Do you miss me?”, she said with a soft smile. I felt overwhelmed. Here I was still in love with her, as she asked me if I missed her. It may seem like an innocent question, but it was not. It was a haunting question, one that brought a wave of emotion. I took a deep breath and said, “More than I should”. She looks down again, probably not sure how to take that. I inwardly berated myself, I was not supposed to get caught up in the emotion of this!

Before she could respond, the waitress walked over to our table and laid down two slices of chocolate cake. The waitress smiled, showing her teeth. “Will that be all for you two?”, I nodded and thanked her, my attention back to Hannah. Her bangs had fallen lower, hiding her eyes slightly. This always happened when she put her head down to avoid my gaze, so it was not an uncommon sight for me. It was quite cute, but I could not let myself be distracted by it.

She bit her lip, which was distracting. “Isaiah”, she said softly and took a deep breath. Her speech paused and she appeared to be struggling to find the words to say. “Do you still…”, she said in a gentle tone. Have you ever felt your heart break and flutter at the same time? That’s how it felt to hear those words. I knew what she was asking, and I knew the answer. I also knew that I should not give the answer. I should lie or at least avoid the question, but with that soft, angelic, expression on her face…I was powerless.

“You know you the answer to that”, I said. Hannah closed her eyes and looked at me sympathetically. She reached and grabbed my hand, her dainty hand grasping my large one. I stared at her, taking her in. I grasped her hand tightly, wanting to take in this special moment with her. Because after all, I knew it might be the last one the two of us would share.