No frick fracking way.

No it can't be him.

Oh shit, did he see me?

I duck behind this elderly couple but I think  he saw me.

Fuuuuuu. Nnoooo. It's not him.

It's been centuries! Hell, centuries since I last saw him. Is he coming this way? Oh fudge cakes he is. I thought he was dead like all the other mortal humans.

I’ll just pretend to be looking at…condoms? Oh lord. And on a second note, what is this elderly couple doing looking at condoms?

No, no focus. He's  coming this way, ok just act normal. 

“Excuse me, but is your name Orinda?” he asks. 

“It..um it is my middle name. From one of my ancestors.”

Yes, play it off. You could be a descendent, yeah you look like the girl he used to date.

He then lifts up my left arm and kisses the birthmark that looks like an ink splat.

“Nicholas!” I screech, pulling away from him.

“I knew it was you,” he laughs. The elderly couple slowly moves away from us, giving us suspicious eyes.

“You were always terrible at lying.” 

“Ok, ok it's me, but how are YOU still HERE?” I whisper. 

“That's what I want to know too. I thought you died.” 

“Shhhhhh,” I cover his mouth because he is being too loud.

“This is not the place to talk about such things.”  

He pulls my hand away from his mouth, “Corona is still real in these streets,” he says.

True. I pull him out of the store and into the parking lot.

“So how are you still alive after 300 years?” he asks, following me to my car. 

“I’ll tell if you tell,” he smiles, walking a bit close.

I huff then tell him to meet me at the Starbucks. 

I get a dragon fruit lemonade and he gets a black coffee with two sugars. We sit in the corner away from any nosy people. 

“You first,” I whisper as I sip my drink. He laughs then does that thing where he taps his finger on the table. 

“My parents are…different. Well, my mother is.”

“Who’s your mother?” 

“She’s a goddess and my father is half nymph and human.” 

“So both of your parents are immortal?” 

“Yeeeaaahhh. Your turn.”

I let out a breath and looked him straight in the eyes. “I’m cursed.” 

“What?” 

“I’m cursed.” 

“By who?” 

“This witch who had it out for my father.” 

“How is being immortal a curse?” 

“Well, my father was very wealthy. He was married but had an affair with my mother who was obviously a slave but we are not going to get into that.” 

“Move on to the curse part.” 

“You need backstory. So, his wife tried to kill me.”

“Wait, what?” 

“Mhm, but the witch saved me and told my father what she tried to do. He told her I wasn't worth anything and that my death would mean nothing to him. So, to punish him and his family, she cursed them to lose everything and die slow, painful deaths. All of their generations will suffer. She also made sure that their family lasted generations with every offspring having at least two children.” 

“Where do you come into this?” 

“With every death in their family, I live longer. With every illness they contract, I become immune to that illness. Their financial troubles benefit me financially. The curse put so much strain on the witch that she died casting it.” 

“So their curse is your blessing…” 

“Basically.” 

“Do you keep track of the family?” 

“Yeah, some have been successful only to lose everything.” 

“That's one hell of a curse.”

“Yup,” we both drink. It was silent for a moment, kinda awkward. 

“Have you thought about our last talk?” 

“What last talk?” 

“I asked you to marry me and you said you had to think about it.” 

“Oh umm, we broke up.”

“What?”

“Well, you went away and I thought I heard you married someone else.”

“No, I went to check on my property in Venice and got caught up in the politics of the court. I wrote you letters.” 

“I traveled for a while after that and my house burned down so the letters were lost.” I shrug my shoulders. 

“Well?” 

“Well what?” 

“Will you marry me?” 

“No, we broke up.” 

“We did not.” 

 “Yes, we did. We had an argument that night and you left.” 

“I went on a trip to Venice. I was coming back.”

“You slept with Georgina!” 

“I was sleep and drunk and she was just on top of me.” 

“Oh, so she just jumped on your dick.” 

“Probably.” 

“Really Nicholas, this is why I said I would think about the marriage.”

“I didn't think that was the reason you said that.”

“Well, how would you have felt if you caught me with Henry.”

“Henry was an asshole so I would know you did that out of spite.” 

“Well, I’m not marrying you and we are not together.” 

“Technically, we still are because we didn't end it.” 

“Technically, we aren't because you thought I was dead.” 

“You thought I was dead too.” 

“We're not together, Nick.”

“Well, let’s start over. Hi, I’m Nicholas and I would love to take you to dinner.”

“Hi, I’m Orinda and no,” he laughs. 

“You look good, Rin.” 

“Thank you,” I blush, “You're a bit tanner now. You really are tall, dark and handsome now.”

He laughs, “I was living the pampered life back then.” 

“And now?” 

“Still pampered but I love camping.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, fishing, hiking, all of that. And you?”

“I’m still working behind the scenes. Influencing greatness.” 

“Like who?” 

“Almost every actor and musician all over the world. I have the largest investments in each entertainment company.” 

“Wow, you’re rich rich.” 

I laugh. 

We talk for hours. Catching up after all these years takes time. We move our conversation to a restaurant, then to my house. We talk all night like we used to. I’ve missed him, I didn't know how much I missed him.

“No children?” I asked. 

“Three but they all died over time. Their descendants are doing well. You?” 

“You knew about my triplets with my ex husband at that point in time. After them, only four more. Some of my children’s lines have ended but two are still good.”

We just stare at each other. No awkward silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Peaceful.