You don’t remember the exact moment your relationship fell apart. Maybe it was the way his texts slowed to a crawl. Maybe it was when his laugh stopped feeling like it belonged to you. Or maybe it was when you saw the name “Talia” light up on his phone screen a little too often.

Talia. That perfect little hurricane with a sugar-sweet smile and venom on her lips. She wormed her way into your life like it was hers to take. Claimed she was “just a friend,” until you found the texts. The pictures. The secrets shared at 2 a.m. that should’ve been yours.

When he finally admitted it—“I didn’t mean for it to happen, she just… understood me better”—you didn’t cry. Not in front of him. You just nodded, left, and shattered in private.

But you remembered.

And now, months later, you see her again. Laughing on a café patio, her hand wrapped around someone else’s—Zachary, he tells her to call him. You watch from across the street, sunglasses on, your iced coffee untouched. Zachary is tall, charming, the kind of man who actually pulls out chairs and looks people in the eye when they talk. You almost feel sorry for him.

Almost.

Because Talia ruined your love, and you’re not the type to let that slide. The next week you spot Zachary just as he’s stepping out of the gym, towel slung over his shoulder, earbuds dangling around his neck. You time it perfectly—turn the corner fast, pretend to be distracted, and collide into him. Your water bottle slips from your hand, the contents splashing straight across his chest. You apologize immediately, eyes wide as you feigned panic.

You tuck you hair behind your ear, but before you can finish your apology, he cuts you off with a smile. Eyes lingering just a second too long.

“Well,” he says, flashing a smile as he wipes at his chest with the edge of his towel, “that’s one way to cool me down. You trying to save me from heatstroke or something?”

He says it with a playful lift of his brow, his tone teasing but friendly—just enough to leave the door open, without sounding like he’s trying.