She had decided, against better judgement, to reconnect with Mel. She didn't really trust him, but feeling sorry for him sort of over-rode that emotion. They met for sushi, and she was embarrassed to say that she had completely forgotten his beginning order, save for one roll. It had only been a few months since they had seen each other, but she guessed it wasn't important enough to her to retain that information. They did do a fair amount of catching up, and he made fun of her for breaking it off with him and now she had started actually doing edibles.
She apologized about how she was in a bad place and ended it through a text message. He forgave her, said that it happened, and asked how she was doing now. Better, she decided. She was just overwhelmed with emotion and felt like she would never get anything more than what she had with him, that they just weren't meant to be and it was silly to continue to waste each other's time. Her feelings hadn't changed, but the situation hadn't changed either.
They ended the evening on a good note.
She awoke one morning and started off to an annual autumn event that she had gone to with Mel the year before. It had been both their first times doing the event last year, and it had been so long since she did a "couple-y" thing that it was thrilling in the moment.
At the last moment she decided it was too hot for what she was wearing and changed into a t-shirt, then realized that it was the shirt Mel had gotten her from the time they went to see his favorite band. On the way out of town, their song played, from another concert they'd attended. She decided it was a sign, and brought the spoils of the trip to his workplace that night and explained what happened.
"I was just thinking about you this morning too." He confided. "Yeah? What were you thinking about?" She prodded.
"Just you, and when we went to dinner, and how it was nice to spend time with you." She smiled. He said she made his "stoner kid heart swell" with the treats she had brought to him. He was clearly already a bit stoned, but they had a good conversation with the other people he had been talking to, and he said he'd walk her to her car.
They hugged goodbye, and she noticed that he had taken a wider stance, This was something he used to do so that it was easier for them to kiss, and he hugged her longer than usual. So long in fact that she asked him if he was okay, and he said it had just been awhile since they had hugged. A look crossed his eyes briefly, then he straightened up and said goodbye.
She was slightly disappointed that he hadn't tried to kiss her, but also very impressed that he didn't. It was incredibly respectful, while still feeling out the situation. Even in his incredibly state of stoned he'd managed to still respect her. It almost made her like him more than she had before.
