He allowed the phone to ring once and twice, thrice, and even five times before hanging up. Maybe Nick did stand him up after all. After all, it was Theodore’s brilliant idea to go somewhere - outside the house - and discuss the details of their plan. He had to fill in every little detail concerning him and his life. The type of details that a life partner would know, and since Nick was up to play this part, he had to be aware of them. Collete was supposed to be the love of his life, a compatible partner. She should know about his childhood and teenage years. 

  Yet, Nick probably found something better to do than get deeper into this parent mess. So, Teo returned to the table, disappointed and looking anxiously at the bistro's front door. People were coming in and out, but the person of interest was nowhere. Carla was in a similar state of mind. Her fingers were playing with the cloth of her blouse, wrapping the edges around them and then stretching it. It was something that she would always do when she was feeling either worried or awkward. It would be funny if her boyfriend had stood her up as well. Maybe – just maybe – they would come closer and try things again. Perhaps, there was a reason behind the miserable weather, traffic, and constant rain. And even if that was true, even if there was a chance they both should grab, would he find the courage needed to make a move? He looked at her curiously for a good while before sitting down. She hadn't changed at all. Carla had remained as beautiful as back then when they were together. While her face was well-matured, he could still recognize her more childish side; the young, shy girl that captured his heart and his soul. He could still see the woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago, hidden behind Carla’s wild façade.

  Teo took a deep breath and paced confidently towards the table. He should put aside the negativity that had plagued him and return to his glory days when he would dare - when he would do stuff instead of running away from opportunities; opportunities like this one. The young man pulled the chair and sat beside Carla, his green eyes shimmering with hope while his heart was beating loudly. Suddenly there was not a single care in the world: his parents, how he would justify the presence of his new wife. None of those things mattered. That was his chance to return to the old days, and he would do anything for it.

"How are you?" he asked gently, stroking her shoulder.

"Tired," she admitted, and Teo slowly put his hand on her back, knowing that it would relax her.

"Talk to me. We would always tell each other everything, right? What happened to us? How did we lose this?" Teo wanted answers. The break-up left him with nothing but countless questions, and he dared not to seek the answers.

"Darling," her warm palm brushed against his cheek, and how he had missed that feeling. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand, sighing like a small child, "We lost nothing. It is still there, and it will be there forever."

He couldn't bear this anymore, and as Teo moved closer, he rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and trying to get his thoughts together, saying everything he needed to say for so long.

"They, why don't we try again? Why tear it all apart? Carla, what do you say? Shall we give our marriage another chance?" her kiss was intoxicating, leaving a hot sensation on his cheek, right where her lips touched.

"No one should return to the past, Teo, no one. Everything has happened for a reason, there's no need to dig it all up. We'll only hurt ourselves."

Then, why did it seem to Teo that only he was hurt in the end?

He held her hand tightly. He didn't want to let go. To hell with parents, partners, and plans. To hell with everyone. He never wanted to leave her in the first place.

 "You are finally here!" he heard her say as he felt her moving away from him again. His heart skipped several beats, and he avoided even looking at who it was. Not that he needed to. Her reaction alone was enough for him to understand.

"This is my ex-husband, Theodore. I have talked to you about him, right?"

A hand touched Teo's shoulder, and it wasn't hers. That one was rougher, more masculine, cold, and the weirdest thing? It felt familiar.