I had until Friday to groom myself decently enough for the date with William Rossi. It means I was able to go shopping and ran on the treadmill twice a day. It wasn't just the anxiety of not looking good that gets to me. I have resurfacing insecurities eating me alive. There wasn't any certainty that I'd achieve the "body goal" by Friday though. It was more of an emotional and mental kind of workout. I was merely setting up the mindset.

I look at myself in the mirror, satisfied that my black turtleneck dress was just the right amount of "tight" on certain places.

My phone rings, snapping me out of my self-congratulatory thoughts. I grabbed it from my nightstand.

It was William.

"Hi," I answered.

"Chassie, I'm really sorry. Something came up and I need to attend to a family emergency." He sounded so agitated that I almost didn't feel a little disappointed. Almost.

"Oh. It's okay. I understand."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Don't worry. It's a good thing you've given me a heads-up."

"Crap. I'm really sorry."

I laugh. "Don't be weird. It's cool."

"Okay."

I put my phone back on my nightstand, slumping on the side of the bed. I regard myself on the mirror. This is not a comeback, is it? William is not cancelling on me on purpose just like I did on him all those years ago. Also, I know for a fact that William Rossi wouldn't stoop this low just to give me a taste of my own medicine. He's simply not built for that.

Surprisingly, I wasn't upset. Sure, I was a little disappointed, but I wasn't devastated. In fact, I'm more disappointed that I don't get to show off the dress.

A soft knock came from my door.

"It's open."

"Are you decent though?" Nathan shyly peeks behind the tiny opening of the door.

I giggled softly. "Yes. Come on in."

He takes a step in, blue eyes doing a downward perusal on me.

"How's movie night?"

"Bearable." He shoves a hand to his pocket and leaned on the door as if taking his time. "Actually, I'm lying. We both know your mother's choices are cheesy. Your dad and Ethan seemed to be enjoying though."

"She and Kathie always had the same taste." I wink.

Nathan strolls over to my bed. "You're going on a date with William Rossi?"

My mouth parted a little, half-baffled and half-dazed. "How did you know?"

"I saw you exchanging numbers with him back at Sydney's restaurant." He lowered himself next to me.

I gaped at him. "You're threateningly observant." I seemed to remember him talking to Sydney the whole time. Or if he did catch a glimpse, it was days ago to even remember an unimportant detail.

He shrugged then nailed his gaze on the floor. "I heard he's a good guy. I think your dad will like him a little."

I nudge him playfully with my elbow. "I told you I just had a rough start. I'm getting myself a man after all."

Nathan fell silent.

I didn't know what else to say.

Then my room is eerily quiet.

Nathan clears his throat, the sound suddenly too loud. "So, what time is he picking you up?" His voice came out small, and his gaze stayed on the floor.

"He canceled."

His head whipped toward me. "He what?"

"He had some sort of emergency."

A crease formed between his brows.

"It's okay. I was just really looking forward to going out tonight." I sighed and looked down to my dress.

His fingers brush the side of my palm then his thumb rested on the long sleeve of my dress. "Chassie, do you remember that old outdoor movie park?"

My eyes widened. "Is it not abandoned yet?"

"Nope." He chuckles. "Do you wanna watch a movie? Let's not put that pretty dress to waste."

Nathan and I pulled into the outdoor movie park. The sight of occupied benches and cleared ground didn't disappoint me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember they were always packed with movie-goers. And that Nathan and I always had our own place.

He opened the car door for me. I scanned the area while he disappeared behind the trunk. I walked toward him to lend a hand. The trunk popped open and he handed me the thick blankets. He then carried the basket along with a radio.

"I really hope no one's taken our spot yet," I went on ahead, knowing he will be right behind me.

"I'm highly doubtful about that." I hear him say.

Our spot was a clearing by the oak tree at the hilltop away from the crowd. The audio wasn't our concern. The privacy was. We had the great view, the sky full of stars and most importantly, we had the moonlight.

Nathan took one of the blankets from me and spread it on the very same grassy spot that surprisingly never changed. I immediately flopped on the blanketed ground and took the basket from him. "The movie is starting." I urged him to tune the radio on the right station.

He chuckles and sits next to me. "On tuned. I wonder what this movie is."

"It's Complicated."

"Really? How so?" He sinks next to me, genuinely confused.

I stifle a laugh. "No. It's what the movie is called."

"Oh." He chuckles, rubbing his neck with his palm. "That was embarrassing."

"It's okay. I understand that this is not your field," I tease. I unloaded the basket, laying the bottle of wine and a couple of glasses in front of us. "You brought cookies. Did you ask my mom?"

"Of course, I did. That would practically be stealing food."

I giggled.

He filled our glasses with wine. "I brought some chocolates too."

The familiarity came sneaking in. Then came the flutters that I realized I only had with him. I wrap the blanket around me, willing myself to pour my attention to the movie. Anywhere else other than the looming visit of the stormy past.

Nathan scoots closer and tugged at the warm fabric of the blanket. I gave him the other end. Before I knew it, we were sharing the blanket like we used to. Although, this time we're not together. We're back to being friends.

It never had an unpleasant force to it until now. Yet now that I let it settle in my mind, a weight rests in my chest.

We stayed in each other's orbits for years.

He stares straight ahead as he sips on his glass of wine. The moonlight grew a tad sharper over him, emphasizing every detail I've known by heart. The face I used to touch. The lips I used to kiss. The arms I used to lay next to.

The "jolts" come unsolicited.

So crystal clear.

I remember the "jolt" when I had the first up-front encounter of my feelings toward him. I remember the "jolt" when he finally told me he loves me. I remember the "jolt" when he kissed me for the very first time.

The sweet firsts.

My sweet firsts.

My chest weighed a lot heavier. I forced myself to watch the movie which is not much of a consolation.

The heroine fell back in love with her ex-husband but realized love the second time around will only lead to another heartbreak. They had closure and she went on with her life with a hint of a new love interest.

I frowned at the rolling credits, the ending not sitting right with me. Despite parting rationally. Despite the closure. I wanted nothing more but for them to end back together again.

We were both quiet when the enormous screen blink into darkness. We drove home, our thoughts separating us like glass partition. I look over to him, his face seemingly lost.

My hand extends over to his that was resting on his knee to interrupt his thoughts – faltered midway through. I took it back to my lap, scowling at myself. I'm not supposed to place my hand in there.

Not anymore.

Even if I used to.

It was past midnight when we pulled up in our driveway. I unbuckled my seat belt, pushing the car door open. I needed the air to clear my head. I started walking ahead of him. I hear the cobblestones crunching behind me – the gigantic reminders that he was still there, lurking like our beautiful trail of the past.

We can't go to bed with something I'm not ready to name yet between us.

I suck in a breath and turned around, armed for a banter – only to find him following so close behind that we brush noses. My chest pressed up against his. Too close he might feel my heart pounding through the fabric of my dress.

We stayed rock solid on the ground.

His fingers closed around my wrist, watching me wordlessly. He holds my gaze, and then his fingers graze up to my elbow, pausing briefly, then continues upward.

My breath hitches at the rightness of his touch.

Nathan smelled of wine and chocolate. And all things sweet and perfect.

My palm sets on his chest – the most wrong response because from the way his eyes rounded in alarm, he's mistaken it for an act of pushing him away. Misreading it, he takes a step back.

I blink, reeling from the fast-paced turn of events. One second, there wasn't room for light or air between us, then we were strangers miles apart from each other the next.

Like complete strangers.

Not even close to acquaintances.

"Chassie, I—"

"No. I'm sorry." I shove the corners of my mouth upward in attempt for a smile. A simple curve will freaking do. I fumble for my keys in my purse, turning my back on him. "Good night, Nathan."

A bubbly socialite has threatened to spread colors in Cade Parkinson's monochromatic life. The brightest ray of sunshine whose boyfriend just gone MIA. However hard he tried to fend her off, she's just too stubborn as his sweet tooth. He has weakness for sweets. And then inevitably, a weakness for Kathie Jane Lewis. Funny how his own sweet tooth put his heart on the line.