She Will Be Loved- Ben Tyler Cook

Chapter 27

Kasey's POV

May 1, 2018

After a peaceful morning with yoga in the Boston Commons, I decided to go to my favorite cafe for some coffee. Sundays were my favorite, because it was basically my only day to relax. Ballet season was winding down, and our last show of the season, Sleeping Beauty, was ending in just a week. It was hard to believe I'd already survived a full season of professional dancing. A full season at the company I'd always dreamed of being a part of- it still felt unreal. I was becoming more well-known, through all the magazine interviews, photoshoots, and simply just because I was the youngest dancer. I'd gotten used to seeing fansies and being recognized by broadway fans, but now a whole new crowd of people recognized me. I was enjoying it all, the experiences I'd gotten out of just one season were incredible. I got my coffee and was about to leave until I heard someone calling my name.

"Kasey?" I turned my head, and my stomach dropped. And, my coffee, because I was so shocked. It was Dylan. My ex-boyfriend who I hadn't seen since our breakup. He was smiling kindly, but a million thoughts ran through my head. He's still living in Boston? Doesn't he go to college out of state or something? Why did he stop me? He could have easily ignored me. This is weird. Dylan and I hadn't really ended well- to put it bluntly, he broke up with me because of the family and mental health issues I had been going through. The breakup had made everything worse for me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." I stared at the coffee I'd just spilled on the ground. Kasey, you have to say something.

"Um, you're fine," I stammered.

"It's been ages! I'd say we should go get coffee, but it looks like you already have some. Or... had," he chuckles. "How about I buy you a new one and we can talk or something?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Great! What's your order?"

"Iced oat milk latte," I said, and he walked back into the coffee shop, leaving me to process what had just happened. 5 years, I calculated. It's been 5 years since I'd seen him. All the feelings I'd once felt came bubbling back as I thought about our breakup and how it had impacted me. When I had needed someone the most, he left. I had needed someone to comfort me and tell me everything was going to be okay. Instead, he'd left me. It had practically destroyed me, I hadn't understood why. I got sad thinking about the nights I'd cried myself to sleep, wondering why I hadn't been good enough and why I wasn't even worthy enough to have someone there for me as I went through the hardest times of my life. All the nights when I needed someone to talk to, and I was alone instead. I hadn't expected to still be hurt after all these years, but seeing him really hit me and was forcing me to think about the past. He'd destroyed my trust and self worth, which I had already had so little of. And now here he is, getting me coffee for whatever reason.

"Here you go," he handed me a new coffee, and I quietly thanked him He suggested we go find somewhere to sit in the commons, and we started walking towards there, in silence.

"So... What are you doing here, in Boston?" I finally broke the tension.

"Oh, I just finished up my semester so I'm back visiting my family for awhile," he explained. We found a bench and we both sat down, silent again. I didn't really want to talk. Dylan cleared his throat.

"So, uh. How long's it been?"

"5 years."

"Wow, 5 years."

"Yup."

We're both old now. You look good Kasey," he said cheerfully, and I forced a smile. Why was he being so nice? I'm sure he's nice now. But he couldn't just ignore our ugly past and act like we were old buddies.