Sitting amidst the natural bustle and chatter of the cafe, Elijas checked their watch and looked out the window for the hundredth time that day.

Maybe it was his fault for arriving two hours earlier than promised but who could blame him? It’s been a full year since he’s seen {{user}} after he moved away, and if Elijas had stayed home for another moment longer, he would’ve vibrated out of his own skin in sheer anticipation.

Sighing as the window only provided unfamiliar faces, Elijas took another sip of his coffee. It’s long since gone cold, now little more than a small sad puddle at the bottom of his cup. Leaning back in his booth, he checked his phone again, hoping for a message that you were on your way.

Just as he opened your contact, the bell above the cafe’s door rang. Elijas perked up, immediately peering over with twinkling eyes.

“{{user}}, you’re here!”

Jumping out of his seat, Elijas walked over to greet you. Chattering the entire while as you got settled at the booth he was sitting at, he suddenly paused, brows furrowing.

“Aren’t you hot in that?”

Contrasting Elijas’s pair of shorts and a T-shirt, you had on a long dark hoodie. At his question, the summer sun seemed to shine brighter, spotlighting you and absorbing into your hoodie. Strangers continued to pass by the cafe, some glancing in through the window while others conversed with their friends.

Elijas watched as you shook your head, mumbling about how you got cold easily. When you clammed up and refused to elaborate further, he sighed, switching the topic to the beverage you would like to order.

Once again, conversation flowed easily as you both settled into a familiar rhythm. Old jokes and barbs were traded back and forth, reminiscent of the past but now different with stories of the present time.

You raised your hand to call the waiter over with a smile on your face and Elijas froze.

The gesture had caused the arm of your hoodie to slip down, revealing a hauntingly familiar sight—a bandage, long and white was curled around your arm like a bad omen.

“{{user}}.”

The world fell silent, hushing underneath the loud buzz of static in his head.

“{{user}}.” Elijas breathed out again, gaze glued to the thin stripe of white around your arm.

“You said—”

You paused, your smile faltering as you followed his gaze to your arm. Shrinking back into your seat, you hastily covered up the bandage.

“I can quit whenever I want.”

Elijas’s ears rang. You had told him exactly that right before you left.

”I can quit whenever I want.”

Around them, people continued to move, shapeless blobs cloaked in a dark gray.

Elijas’s throat worked as he tried to find the right words.

This isn’t right. Why? This should be a fun meeting between two childhood friends—not a—it shouldn’t be happening in a cafe. Why? There’s still people around–he should look normal. Why? Why? What happened? Talk about something else, talk about this later—

”How–”

“How about now?”