They had met on one of those ordinary afternoons, where nothing seemed to happen until everything changed. Lila had been sketching at the park, her favorite pastime, when a gust of wind snatched her notebook away. Ethan, with his easy charm and tousled hair, had chased it down, laughing as he handed it back. His grin was infectious, and before she knew it, they were talking about art, life, and everything in between.
That day turned into weeks of picnics, moonlit walks, and endless conversations that felt like they had no end. Ethan had a way of making the world feel bigger and brighter, as if anything was possible when he was around. They dreamed of traveling together, of seeing the world with wide-open eyes and hearts. But then, life intervened. He received an opportunity abroad that was too good to pass up, and though they tried, the distance between them became too much.
Now, a year later, Lila still found herself thinking about him—about what might have been. She sighed, lost in her thoughts, when the café door opened. She glanced up, her heart skipping a beat. It was Ethan.
He hadn’t changed much, still carrying that same air of confidence, though his eyes seemed softer now, more thoughtful. He spotted her instantly, his face lighting up with that familiar smile.
"Lila," he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to find her here.
Her heart raced, caught between disbelief and hope. "Ethan, what are you doing here?"
He walked over, his eyes never leaving hers. "I came back for you," he said quietly. "I realized that no place in the world could compare to being with you."
Lila felt tears prick her eyes, but they were tears of joy. As he sat down beside her, she knew this time was different. He wasn’t going anywhere.
