Jack and Christina

Jack sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, the amber glow of the streetlights barely cutting through the thick curtain of night. His fingers traced the rim of an untouched glass of whiskey, the ice within it long since melted. It had been a year and a half, but Christina’s ghost still lingered in every quiet moment, in every song that played on the radio, in every faint trace of her lavender perfume that clung to the sweater she had left behind.

He told himself he was moving on. He went on dates, feigned laughter, filled his time with distractions. But love; true love in its purest form. It wasn’t a thing that could be replaced like furniture in a room; it was something that took root, that grew into the walls and the floorboards, into the very foundation of a life. And when it was gone, its absence left a silence that no noise could quite fill.

Jack found himself walking the same paths they used to tread together. The coffee shop where she would insist on tasting his drink, even though she always ordered the same caramel latte. The bookstore where she’d press a novel into his hands, eyes bright with excitement. The park bench where they’d sat on numerous occasions, hands entwined, making promises they had thought were unbreakable.

He remembered the way her laughter used to curl around him like a favorite melody, the way her fingers absentmindedly played with his when she was lost in thought. He missed the quiet moments the most; the ones that didn’t demand grand gestures or declarations, but simply felt like home. And home, to Jack, had always been Christina.

But life had pulled them apart. A mix of bad timing, unspoken words, and loss of their child. He had let her go, believing that if he truly loved her, he had to set her free. And now? Now he was drowning in the emptiness she left behind.

One evening, when hope felt like a distant memory, Jack found himself wandering the city streets, lost in thought. The night was crisp, the scent of rain lingering in the air. And then…

A flash of familiar auburn hair.

His heart lurched in his chest as his eyes followed the silhouette. She was standing just across the street, her arms wrapped around herself, as if warding off the chill. Time seemed to fold in on itself as Jack took in the sight of her; the same softness in her green eyes, the same curve of her lips that he had traced a thousand times in his memory.

Christina

The world around him blurred, and before he knew it, he was moving. The fear that she might disappear like a dream fueled every step. As he reached the sidewalk where she stood, she turned, her breath catching as their eyes met.

“Jack?”

His name on her lips was a whisper, but it sent a tremor through him. He searched her face, wondering if she felt it too; that familiar ache, that unshakable pull. And then, in the depths of her gaze, he saw it. The same longing, the same unspoken words that had kept him awake at night.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The city buzzed around them, but they stood still, caught in the storm of what had been and what could still be.

“Hi, Christina,” he finally said, his voice thick with emotion.

She smiled; a soft, hesitant thing, but real. And in that smile, Jack felt something shift, something long buried had stirred to life once more.

Hope

Christina exhaled a small laugh, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I…wow, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Neither did I." Jack let out a nervous chuckle. "But maybe it's not just coincidence."
She tilted her head, studying him. "How have you been?"

Jack wanted to tell her the truth; that he had missed her every single day, that no one had ever come close to filling the space she left behind. But instead, he swallowed the lump in his throat and said, "I've been…good. You?"

Christina hesitated before answering. "The same. Some days are easier than others."

A silence settled between them, not uncomfortable but heavy with things unsaid. Jack finally found the courage to take a step closer. "Would you…maybe want to get some coffee? Catch up?"

Christina glanced down, biting her lip, before looking back up at him with a glimmer of something that resembled the past. "I'd like that."

And just like that, the distance between them seemed a little smaller. Hope turned into something more tangible as they walked side by side, stepping into the warmth of a familiar café, where once upon a time, love had first sparked to life.


Written for: "Tales of Seduction ~ April Round OPEN" 
Prompt: Past Love: Write a story about a character still in love with their ex. Show me what longing feels like. Just when all hope is lost, they cross paths once again.
Word count: 800