Page 19 of Holy Hearts
He nods slowly, his throat bobbing as he swallows. “That’s great,” he says, voice soft, almost hesitant. “And you… go to this gym?”
“I do. I’ve been a few times a week since we moved here.”
“I see.”
The words hang there between us, and for a moment, I wonder if he’s waiting for me to say something more. Maybe ask himwhyhe left. Maybe confront him with the hurt I buried a long time ago. But I won’t. That door was closed, locked, and I’m not opening it again. I hold his gaze, searching his face for any sign of the boy I once loved, but all I see is a stranger standing in front of me, soaked and silent.
“I should go. See you around,” I say quietly, stepping around him, our shoulders brushing for just a moment as I pass.
I begin to walk away without looking back, leaving Malakai standing there with whatever weight he’s carrying. It’s not my burden to bear anymore. But even as I get to my locker, the sting of it all still lingers, a dull ache that time hasn’t quite erased. And maybe it never will.
“Wait,” Malakai calls, and I hear him come after me.
I turn back to face him, clenching my teeth to stop myself from saying something I might regret. Malakai’s standing there, a little unsure, but there’s something in his eyes—maybe hope or desperation, I’m not sure. And part of me wonders what he could possibly want after all this time.
He shifts awkwardly before he finally speaks. “I have an hour before I have to be somewhere. Want to grab a coffee and catch up?”
I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. Do I have an hour? Not really. But I could make the time if I wanted to. The question is,doI want to? Should I give him the satisfaction of sitting down with him like nothing happened, like we’re just two old friends reconnecting? I’m not sure if I’m ready for that—or if I even want to be.
What does he think a coffee is going to fix?
And yet, before I can stop myself, the word comes out. “Sure.” The word leaves my mouth before I can snatch it back. I’m not sure if I said it because I want closure or because I’m still the same clown who can’t say no to him.
Malakai’s eyes light up, a small glimmer of triumph flashing across his face before he clears his throat, trying to play it cool. “Cool. Meet you out front in five?”
I nod, and we part ways without another word. As I walk off, towel still slung over my shoulder, I can’t shake the feeling that this is a really, really bad idea.
The ache in my chest, the one I thought time had dulled, flares up again. Seeing him after all these years has kicked up dust I thought had long settled. And now I’m about to sit down with him, have coffee, and pretend like none of it ever happened?
What the hell am I doing?
I text Sophie so that she doesn’t worry.
Ran into Malakai at the gym. Going for a quick coffee, so I’ll be home a bit later.
Her response comes in immediately.
Sophie Love <3
Okay, babe. Love you.
I stare at her response for a moment, the warmth of her words tugging at me, grounding me.Love you. Simple. Steady. Safe. It’s everything I have with Sophie—everything I should be focusing on right now. But instead, I’m about to sit down with the one person who once shattered all of that before I even had the chance to know what it felt like.
CHAPTER THREE
THE CLASH
Malakai
I thumb my nose as I lean against the exterior wall of the gym. My workout bag is between my boots, and when I see Julian walk out of the gym a few feet away, I take a single, steadying breath.
Julian Ashford.
The one person I never expected to see again.
The one person I never expected tospeakto me again—not after what I did.
But that’s neither here nor there, because there’s only one thing from our brief conversation earlier that keeps circling around in my mind.
