starlit skies | ✓

cliff of nebula

TWO

What led to our demise was neither of us noticing how little we knew about each other. Before you left for Florida we sat down at an over-the-top coffee shop and I boldly proclaimed that I was the girl of the past. As I think of this I wonder if I was fated to be the girl of the future as well.

By me telling you things you wished not to hear, I consequently offended you and lost you for the third of many attempts.

Of course, you suggested talking to me civilly, in public where I couldn't just lash out at you. But for some reason talking in public made things worse. We first find each other for the first time in over five years in the same old place that we used to go to. It was a starry cliff that had the best place to view the sunsets. It was wittingly coined the cliff of nebula by myself, though the phrase was so horrendously grammatically wrong, I couldn't have been bothered to change it to the "cliff of nebulae".

I accidentally made myself look nineteen years young, by swapping out my light earthy tones for yellow sweatshirts and messy buns. I looked like myself for an eternity ago. We tried to talk, to work it out. I half expected a cardigan-clad boy to appear from behind the bushes but instead, I saw you take a selfie of our spot.

I hadn't visited the cliff of nebula in years specifically for this reason.

We tried talking about our current situation, and I accidentally revealed that I was writing a book and publishers far and wide wanted me to sign with them.

Somehow, you coerced me into reading one of my limited lines from the book, and you complimented me and said that my writing has improved immensely since I was writing fanfiction on obscure orange websites.

Your phone rang and I saw the name Phil light up. I didn't want you to see me cry, and I politely let myself out.

You wanted to go after me, but your future was cemented in this one very viable phone call.