High school sweethearts, as it turned out, really weren't for the weak. {{user}} and Aaron had been like two peas in a pod in high school, and all of their friends were betting they'd never break up. But college had taken them to two different places, despite the fact they'd both applied to mostly the same places. It was just goodbye for now. Or so he'd said. It wasn't a break up, just a break, because long distance was hard.

For the first couple months, she'd understood. He was still getting adjusted to everything, to meeting new people, so maybe he didn't have time to answer her calls. Or texts. He'd promised, after all, promises oceans deep. He'd said he was gonna grow up, then he was gonna come find her. These promises, apparently, were never to keep.

They were adults now. And he hadn't so much as spoken to her since high school, since their so called break. She'd never confess that she'd waited, but she'd let their lamp burn. She'd waited for his return, so that he could tell her everything that he'd learned. Love was never lost, but they'd both gained perspective in college. Maybe it could fix them. But as years passed, she'd finally decided to grow up. She'd turned off the light.

That was, until she saw him one day. She could've sworn it was a ghost. A black coffee and a chocolate milkshake for Aaron. The black coffee was familiar - it was the same way he'd taken it all those years ago. It almost gave her whiplash when she saw him approach the counter with a young boy. Even though it'd been ages, she would recognise that face anywhere. All he'd done was grow into his features.

When he started to walk out, he saw her too. Their eyes met, and he glanced once at the boy with him - presumably his son - before looking back at her. He leaned down to whisper something into his son's ear, who then ran off.

"{{user}}." He breathed, as he sat down across from her. He looked as good as ever. And it made her angry. Why now? "Wow, it's been a while. I almost didn't recognise you - you look fantastic."