Chapter 4: Some Things don't stay buried

I stayed longer than I should have.

Long after Daniel left.

Long after my coffee had gone cold.

Long after the café started to empty out.

Just sitting there.

Staring at my phone.

“We need to talk. You can’t keep ignoring me forever.”

The message hadn’t changed.

But something in me had.

Before today, ignoring it would have been easy.

I’ve done it before.

Blocked numbers. Deleted messages. Walked away without explanations.

Clean cuts.

That’s how I survive.

But now…

Now there was a crack in that control.

And I knew exactly when it happened.

When his hand touched mine.

I exhaled sharply, leaning back in my chair.

“This is stupid,” I muttered to myself.

One stranger shouldn’t be enough to shake me like this.

One conversation shouldn’t make me question things I had already decided.

But it wasn’t just the conversation.

It was the way he looked at me.

Like he wasn’t trying to figure me out…

Like he already understood something.

I didn’t like that.

Not at all.

My phone buzzed again.

Another message.

I didn’t want to open it.

But my fingers moved anyway.

“I know you saw my call.”

My jaw tightened.

Of course you do.

“Stop running.”

That one hit harder.

Because it wasn’t just a message.

It was an accusation.

And the worst part?

It wasn’t entirely wrong.

I stood up abruptly, grabbing my bag.

I needed air.

I needed distance.

I needed—

“Leaving already?”

My steps stopped.

I knew that voice.

Slowly, I turned around.

Daniel.

Standing near the door like he hadn’t really left.

Like he had just stepped out… and come back.

“You forgot something?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He shook his head slightly. “No.”

“Then why are you here?”

He took a step closer.

Not too close.

But closer than before.

“I wasn’t sure I should leave like that,” he said.

My chest tightened.

“Like what?”

“Like you were fine when you’re clearly not.”

I let out a small breath.

Half frustration.

Half something else I didn’t want to name.

“I told you, I’m fine.”

“You keep saying that.”

“And you keep not believing me.”

“Because you don’t believe it either.”

The words landed quietly.

But they stayed.

I looked away.

Because I didn’t have the energy to argue.

Because I was tired of pretending.

“Why did you come back?” I asked softly.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Just watched me for a second.

“Because I didn’t like how you looked when I left,” he said.

That did something to me.

Something small.

But noticeable.

“You barely know me,” I replied.

“I know enough.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t have to.”

I shook my head slightly, letting out a quiet laugh.

“You’re confusing.”

“And you’re complicated.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation in his voice.

No doubt.

I folded my arms, leaning slightly against the table behind me.

“Then maybe you should stop trying to figure me out.”

“Maybe,” he said.

“But I don’t think I want to.”

My breath caught.

Just for a second.

This was dangerous.

I could feel it now.

Clearer than before.

Not because of him.

But because of me.

Because I wasn’t walking away.

And I should have been.

My phone buzzed again.

Louder this time.

More persistent.

Daniel’s eyes dropped briefly to my hand.

Then back to my face.

“Same person?” he asked.

I nodded.

“You’re still not going to answer?”

I hesitated.

Then shook my head.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because if I do…” I paused, exhaling slowly, “…things get messy.”

He stepped closer.

Not rushing.

Not forcing.

Just closing the space between us little by little.

“Maybe they’re already messy,” he said.

I looked up at him.

And suddenly…

He was closer than I realized.

Too close.

“Daniel—”

“I’m not trying to push you,” he said quietly.

“But you look like you’re standing in the middle of something you don’t want to face.”

My chest tightened.

“You don’t know what it is,” I said.

“Then tell me.”

I shook my head immediately.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t need to know.”

“Maybe I don’t,” he said. “But maybe you need to say it.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Close.

“I left someone,” I said finally.

He didn’t interrupt.

“I didn’t explain. I didn’t give them a chance to respond. I just… walked away.”

“Why?” he asked gently.

I swallowed.

“Because staying would have hurt more.”

That was the truth.

The simplest version of it.

“And now they’re back,” he said.

“Yes.”

“And you’re scared.”

I shook my head.

But it wasn’t convincing.

“I’m not scared,” I said.

“I just don’t want to go back.”

“Then don’t.”

I looked at him.

“It’s not that easy.”

“It can be,” he replied. “If you decide it is.”

I let out a quiet breath.

“You make everything sound simple.”

“No,” he said. “I just don’t complicate things that already have clear answers.”

“And what’s the clear answer here?” I asked.

He held my gaze.

Steady.

Certain.

“You already left.”

The words settled into me.

Slowly.

And for a moment…

Everything went quiet.

Because he was right.

I had already made my choice.

So why did it still feel unfinished?

Before I could think too much about it—

My phone rang again.

This time…

It didn’t stop.

I stared at it.

My heart beating faster now.

Daniel didn’t say anything.

Didn’t move.

Just stood there.

Waiting.

The screen lit up.

The name flashing again.

And for the first time…

My hand moved toward it.

Slowly.

Carefully.

“Are you going to answer?” he asked softly.

I didn’t look at him.

“…I think I have to.”

My fingers hovered over the screen.

My chest tight.

My thoughts racing.

Because I knew one thing.

The moment I picked up that call—

Everything would change.