you hadn’t heard from steve since the argument the night before, and the silence between you felt like a weight pressing down on your chest. it hadn’t been a huge fight, nothing earth, shattering, but the words exchanged had stung, and you knew it wasn’t something either of you could just brush off.

you sighed as you stared out your window, the evening light casting long shadows across your room. part of you wanted to call him, to smooth things over and move past it, but your stubbornness held you back. if he cared enough, he’d be the one to reach out.

and right on cue, you heard a knock at the door.

your heart skipped a beat, and you felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over you. you quickly made your way to the door, hoping that it was him but not wanting to get your hopes up too high.

when you opened it, there he was standing on your front porch, looking slightly nervous but determined. his hair was as perfectly tousled as ever, and in his hands, he held a bouquet of your favorite flowers. the sight of them made your heart soften, even though you were still a little upset.

“hey,” he said, his voice softer than usual, almost tentative. he glanced down at the flowers in his hands and then back up at you, his brown eyes searching your face for a sign of how you were feeling. “i, uh… i know we fought, and i didn’t want to let it fester. i'm sorry.”