Athena arrived first.
The little coffee shop off-campus was nearly empty, just the way she liked it. Rain tapped gently against the windows, softening the world outside. She sat in the corner booth, fingers wrapped around a warm mug she hadn't touched. Her heart was thudding so loudly she was sure the barista could hear it.
Then the door opened.
Mason stepped inside, his hoodie damp from the rain, eyes scanning the room until they landed on her. There was a flicker of something in his gaze—relief, maybe. Guilt. Longing.
He walked over slowly, like he was afraid one wrong step might send her running again.
"Hey," he said gently, sliding into the booth across from her.
Athena offered a small nod. "Hey."
For a moment, they just sat in the quiet hum of the coffee shop, the air thick with unspoken words.
"I thought about what I'd say a hundred times," Mason began, his voice low. "But none of it felt good enough."
"Then just say what's real," she whispered.
He looked at her—really looked at her—and the emotion behind his eyes nearly broke her.
"I miss us. Not just the fun parts. All of it. The late-night talks, the quiet mornings, even the dumb arguments about who used the last of the oat milk. I miss waking up next to you and knowing that, no matter how messy life got, you were my safe place."
Tears pricked Athena's eyes, but she blinked them away.
"You hurt me," she said softly. "The things you said... you made me feel like I wasn't enough. Like I was too much for you to handle."
"I know," he said quickly, his voice cracking. "I was scared. Of losing football. Of losing you. I was stretched so thin, and instead of asking you to help me carry it, I pushed you away."
Athena looked down at her hands. "I just wanted you to let me in."
"I know." He reached across the table, palm up. "Can I try now? Really try?"
She hesitated. Her heart was still bruised, still wary. But it was also still his.
Slowly, she placed her hand in his.
"Okay," she whispered. "But it can't be like before. We can't go back. We have to grow... together."
He smiled, fingers tightening gently around hers. "Then let's grow."
They sat like that for a while—two souls bruised, but not broken. The storm outside softened into a drizzle, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like spring might actually come.