Crossing Paths Again

Julian POV:

“Dinner first,” I thought. There was a nice restaurant just a short walk from my office. 

It was one of those fancy places where the food was good, and the ambiance was even better. Perfect for unwinding after a long day. 

When I arrived, the warm lights and soft hum of conversation wrapped around me like a cocoon. 

I requested a table near the window, one that allowed me to watch the world pass by outside. 

The waiter came over promptly, pouring me a glass of water before asking for my order. 

I glanced at the menu, my eyes scanning the options. “I’ll take the grilled salmon with roasted vegetables,” I said. “And a side of garlic mashed potatoes.” 

The waiter nodded with a polite smile and left. I sipped on my water, leaning back in my chair as I watched the city lights blur through the glass. 

The rhythmic pulse of people coming and going outside seemed oddly soothing. 

As I waited for my meal, I noticed a couple seated a few tables away. They were laughing, their heads close together, sharing some private joke. 

The sight tugged at something deep within me, a pang of longing that I quickly brushed aside. 

I pulled out my phone, scrolling aimlessly through emails and news headlines, but my mind kept drifting. 

To Samantha. To Fred’s words. To the small sliver of hope I’d crumpled and then carefully smoothed out earlier.

“What would she even be doing right now?” I wondered. Probably enjoying her evening with friends or doing something incredible. 

She didn’t strike me as someone who wasted time, not like me, wallowing in regrets and solitude. 

The waiter returned with my food, snapping me out of my thoughts. The aroma was inviting, and for the first time that day, I felt genuinely hungry. I picked up my fork and knife, ready to dive in. 

But before I could take a bite, I saw her. The woman who had been occupying my thoughts ever since that disastrous date Samantha. 

She was here, in the same restaurant as me. My chest tightened, though I quickly realized she wasn’t alone. 

She was with someone, a man. From where I was sitting, I couldn’t get a clear look at him, but one thing was obvious: she wasn’t enjoying herself.

I noticed her checking her phone repeatedly, and despite myself, a chuckle escaped. 

“I guess she can’t wait for the date to end,” I muttered under my breath. 

Then, suddenly, her expression shifted. Her face, once bored, now burned with anger. 

In an instant, she stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor, and walked out on the man, leaving him sitting there in shock. It was almost exactly how she’d walked out on me. 

“What could the guy have said to set her off?” I wondered. 

Curiosity swirled within me, refusing to let go. I didn’t know what came over me, but I found myself standing. 

I gestured to the waiter, indicating that I’d left payment on the table, and quickly made my way out the door. 

Outside, the crisp night air greeted me as I scanned the street. It didn’t take long to spot her, standing at the curb, trying to flag down a cab. 

She looked annoyed, muttering something under her breath as she glanced up and down the street. 

I paused, my heart beating. 

“Should I say hi? Should I let her know I’m here? What would she even say to me?”

A war raged in my head as I stood frozen, unable to make a decision. But before I could fully weigh the consequences, my legs moved on their own, and my voice followed.