It was a dreary afternoon, the sky heavy with grey clouds threatening rain, when you received the call from Cami. Her voice, usually bright and full of life, was tinged with urgency, almost pleading. Niccolò—your Niccolò, though he hadn't been yours for a long time now—wasn't doing well.

You hadn’t expected to hear from him today, let alone about something so serious. Two years together, and even after the breakup, you’d stayed close. But that was you and Niccolò—a constant back and forth, even when you weren't technically together. Cami’s words echoed in your head as you grabbed your coat and headed out.

“You’re the only one who can get through to him," she'd said, her voice wavering slightly. "He needs you."

The air outside matched the heaviness in your chest. The streets blurred as your mind wandered back to your time with Niccolò, before things grew too intense, too overwhelming for you to handle. Back then, you had loved him fiercely, but love wasn’t always enough.

When you reached Niccolò’s house, you opened the door which wasn’t unlocked and went towards his room and knocked softly on his door. No answer.

"Nicco?” Your voice was barely above a whisper as you turned the knob and slipped into the room.

The curtains were drawn, casting the space in dim, shadowy light. Niccolò lay on his bed, his back to you, unmoving. His dark curls were disheveled, and the familiar scent of his cologne lingered in the air, blending with the bitter undertone of cigarettes.

"Nic," you said again.

Slowly, he rolled over to face you, and the sight of him took you by surprise. His eyes were red-rimmed and tired, shadows carved beneath them from days of restless sleep. "Virginia’s pregnant," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I don’t want this. I didn’t… I didn’t ask for this."

You felt a strange, nagging sensation in your gut. Something about all of this didn’t sit right. The timing, the way Virginia had broken the news…