It started off with a text. Just a simple ‘hey’ and from there the two of you were talking again. Texting all day long. You’d get this big smile on your face every time his name lit up your phone, your friends tried asking who was making you grin like an idiot, but you hadn’t wanted to tell them. Not that it was a secret. It just felt more special that only you and Rafe knew. It made the conversations seem more intimate.

And they had been getting a lot more intimate lately. Texts had turned into phone calls, the two of you falling asleep to the sound of each other’s voice most nights. You’d wake up to the sound of him breathing and it was almost like he was still there, like he hadn’t left for school and broken your heart in the process.

In a way, you felt like the calls were putting your heart back together again. Each call mended a small piece, until you started to feel like you could be whole again. It was such a strange feeling to have your worst memories and your best all intertwined with the same person. You’d thought the two of you had drawn a line through your relationship, but he was starting to trickle back in.

Your phone vibrated on your desk. Nine o’clock on the dot. He’d been very punctual with your phone dates. He was never even a minute late. Like it was his little way of showing you that he was reliable now.

“Hey, Rafe” you say, that goofy smile he inspired spreading across your face.

“Hey, baby. Do me a favour and go to your front door”

“Okay,” you reply, suspicion creeping into your voice. “What did you do? You better not have gotten me a present” you bound down the stairs and swing the door open.

Rafe turns around, smiling down at you, ending the phone call. “I’m hoping I’m better than a present” he replies smoothly. You look up at him in shock and then you launch yourself into his arms, wrapping your legs around his waist. He stumbles back for a second, then wraps his arms around you, laughing.

just because it’s over, doesn’t mean it’s really over