Chapter 9 – Unfinished Business

The rest of my shift passed in a blur.

Brandon didn’t stay long. After our brief conversation, he ordered a black coffee, sat at a corner table for a few minutes, and then left without another word.

Good.

I didn’t need his pity or whatever reason he had for coming here.

But even as I wiped down tables and took orders, my mind kept replaying the way he looked at me. Like he wasn’t expecting to see me here. Like he still had something to say.

It didn’t matter.

When my shift finally ended, I changed back into my regular clothes and stepped outside. The sun had already begun to set, casting golden hues across the city.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. I had too much on my plate to be thinking about Brandon.

"Clarisse!"

I turned to see Mia jogging toward me. "Want to grab some street food before heading home?"

I hesitated. Home.

That word didn’t feel right anymore. Not when my family barely acknowledged my existence.

"Sure," I said, forcing a smile. "I could use a break."

We walked down the street, stopping at a stall selling fish balls and kikiam. The smell of sizzling oil filled the air as we picked up skewers and dipped them into the sweet and spicy sauce.

Mia took a bite and grinned. "You know, I admire you."

I raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For standing up for yourself." Her tone softened. "I know it’s not easy, leaving everything behind."

I swallowed hard. "I didn’t have a choice."

Mia nudged me playfully. "Maybe not. But you’re surviving. That’s more than most people can say."

I smiled, but deep down, I wasn’t sure if I believed her.

Surviving was one thing.

But truly living?

I still had a long way to go.

The street was alive with the usual city noise—cars honking, people chatting, vendors calling out to customers. It was chaotic, but in a way, it was comforting.

I dipped another fish ball into the sauce, trying to focus on the present. But no matter how much I tried to push it aside, my mind kept circling back to Brandon.

Why now?

Why show up after all this time?

Mia must have noticed my expression because she nudged me. "You okay? You look deep in thought."

I hesitated before sighing. "Brandon came by the café today."

Her eyes widened. "Brandon? The Brandon? As in, your ex-fiancé-who-dumped-you-for-your-stepsister Brandon?"

"Yep. That one."

Mia groaned. "Ugh. What did he want?"

"He said he just wanted to see me," I muttered, staring at my food. "I don’t know if I believe him."

"Of course not," she scoffed. "Guys like that always come back when they realize what they lost."

I wanted to believe that, but deep down, something felt… off.

Brandon wasn’t the type to waste time on things that didn’t benefit him. He had walked away from me without hesitation before, so why did it seem like he suddenly cared?

Before I could dwell on it further, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out and felt my stomach drop.

A message from an unknown number.

"We need to talk. It’s important. – Brandon"

I stared at the screen, my pulse quickening.

Mia leaned over, reading it. "Oh, hell no. You’re not replying, right?"

I swallowed hard, debating.

No. I shouldn’t.

But something told me that whatever he wanted to say…

It wasn’t over yet.

-----

I stared at my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen.

I knew I should ignore it.

I should block his number and move on like he never existed.

But a part of me—one I hated—was still curious. What was so important that he had to reach out after all this time?

Mia watched me carefully, then sighed. "You’re thinking about replying, aren’t you?"

I clenched my jaw. "I don’t know. Maybe."

She groaned. "Clarisse, no. He’s your past for a reason. You don’t owe him anything."

"I know," I said, gripping my phone tighter. "But what if it’s something serious?"

Mia crossed her arms. "Like what? He realized he made a mistake? He suddenly wants you back?" She scoffed. "He made his choice, Clarisse. Don’t let him drag you back into his mess."

She was right.

I knew she was right.

But something deep inside me whispered that this wasn’t just about regret. Brandon wasn’t the type to chase after something unless there was a bigger reason.

Taking a deep breath, I locked my phone without replying.

"Fine," I said, shoving it into my pocket. "I won’t reply."

Mia grinned. "Good girl. Now let’s get some milk tea to celebrate your self-control."

I laughed, letting her drag me toward a nearby stall.

But even as we ordered our drinks and talked about random things, my mind kept drifting back to my phone.

And to the message that remained unanswered.

Because no matter how much I wanted to leave the past behind…

I had a sinking feeling that it was about to catch up to me.

-----

That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

I hadn't replied to Brandon's message. I told myself I wouldn’t. But despite my best efforts, my thoughts kept circling back to him.

What if it really was something important?

What if it wasn’t just about regret?

I turned on my side, squeezing my eyes shut. It doesn’t matter. He’s part of my past. I don’t need to get involved.

But deep down, I knew I wasn’t the type to just ignore things forever.

With a frustrated sigh, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. The message was still there, unread.

Before I could stop myself, I typed out a response.

"What do you want?"

I hovered over the send button. My heart pounded in my chest.

Mia would kill me if she found out.

But I needed to know.

With a deep breath, I hit send.

A few seconds passed. Then a minute.

Nothing.

I sighed, tossing my phone aside. Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe this was a mistake.

I turned off the bedside lamp and pulled the blanket over me. Forget it, Clarisse. It’s over.

But just as I started to drift off, my phone vibrated.

I sat up immediately, my hands shaking as I unlocked the screen.

Brandon: "Meet me tomorrow. Same place as before."

Same place?

He meant our place.

The rooftop of the old library—where we used to escape from everything.

My heart pounded. Why there?

What was so important that he had to see me in person?

I swallowed hard, gripping my phone.

Tomorrow… I would find out.

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