Summer kills

How long had it been since they had shared such moments of simple happiness? He wondered, a wave of melancholy washing over him. He remembered the smell of her hair, the sound of her laughter echoing in their apartment, the curve of her body against his in the bed they used to share. These memories were treasures he held dear, preserved in the vault of his heart.

Ethan's gaze finally fell on Olivia, who was standing by the door, her arms uncrossed and palms open in a gesture that was as much an invitation as it was a plea. It was this woman, this beautifully flawed human being, who had once held his heart in her hands that he couldn't forget.

"Ethan?" Her voice wavered with uncertainty. His name fell from her lips like a feather drifting down from a bird's wing-soft, weightless but carrying enough emotion to tilt the world's axis ever so slightly.

"You're sure?" He asked finally, his voice barely surpassing a whisper. The silence that followed was heavy with anticipation, the atmosphere thick with unspoken words and emotions that hung in the balance. "Yes," Olivia replied, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "You should stay."

It was a simple sentence but it carried the weight of their shared past, and more importantly, a hope for their shared future. Each word was like an outstretched hand, inviting him back into a world that they had once built together. Cautiously, Ethan stepped over the threshold and into the apartment. The door closed behind him with a soft click, encasing them both within the familiar walls of their past. His gaze darted around the room, taking in her presence amidst all the remnants of their history. It was surreal, like stepping into a time capsule that had preserved everything but had also altered everything ever so subtly.

A soft sigh escaped from Olivia's lips as she moved towards the kitchen to make some tea. Ethan watched her silhouette against

the soft kitchen light, the simple intimacy of the scene tugging at his heartstrings. He watched as she moved with practiced ease, her slender fingers reaching for the tea leaves and honey, her hands moving delicately to fill the kettle - a dance she had performed countless times before.

Being back in the apartment was like stepping into a forgotten dream, one he had pushed far into the recesses of his mind. Yet here he was, standing amidst a cluster of memories that were slowly stirring back to life.

With the kettle on the stove and its gentle humming filling the silence, Olivia turned to face Ethan. The soft glow from the kitchen light illuminated her features, casting a halo around her and lending an ethereal quality to her presence. In that moment, Ethan saw not just the woman he had loved but also the friend he had lost.

As they stood there, their shared history hanging in the balance, Olivia's words echoed through his thoughts: "You should stay." The finality in her

voice, the underlying plea for his presence - everything indicated a shift in their relationship. He realized that perhaps they were now stepping into uncharted territory, a place where they could forget past transgressions and focus instead on rebuilding what had been lost.

The kettle whistled softly, breaking the momentum of Ethan's thoughts. Olivia gave him a small, reassuring smile, her eyes filled with a warmth he hadn't seen in ages. With that singular expression, she communicated volumes more than any words ever could. This was her home, their home, and she was welcoming him back with open arms.

As Ethan followed her towards the kitchen, his heart pounded in anticipation of what might come next. They had shared this space countless times before - discussing their dreams over breakfast, washing dishes as they shared stories about their day - but tonight carried an entirely different energy. it was tinged with apprehension and anticipation but above all else a hint of hope.

Olivia poured the hot water over the tea leaves

in the pot, the scent of chamomile wafting through the air, a scent so familiar to him that it was like a punch to the stomach. He watched as she added in two spoons of honey, stirring gently before she took a seat at the kitchen table. "Ethan," she invited, her voice gentle, "sit with me."

He hesitated briefly before taking the chair across from her. The weathered oak table that sat between them was etched with years of shared meals and conversations, of heated debates and tender moments. He traced his fingers over an old coffee stain, his mind awash with memories.

She slid a mug of tea across the table to him, her fingers brushing against his for just a second longer than necessary. Her touch was electric, sending jolts up his arm and straight to his heart. He took a sip of the tea, its warmth spreading through him like liquid comfort.

"Thank you," he said quietly. His gaze

met hers, holding it steady. It was a thank you for the tea, but also a thank you for the invitation, for her welcoming him back into this shared space.

"Of course," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper. She held his gaze as she took a sip from her own mug. The silence between them was now punctuated by the soft clinks of their mugs against the table and the quiet hum of the city outside their window.

Ethan frowned slightly as he tasted the sweet honey in his tea. "You remembered." It was more of a statement than a question. Olivia had always known how he liked his tea - strong with two spoons of honey - even when everything else appeared to be falling apart.

"Yes," she admitted softly, reaching across the table to lightly touch his hand. "Some things are hard to forget."

She was right. Some things were hard to forget: her smile that could light up even the dreariest of days, the

way her laughter would echo through their apartment, the feeling of her hand fitting perfectly into his. Some things were hard to forget, and he was slowly realizing that perhaps he didn't want to forget them at all.

"Olivia?" He broke the silence, his voice a raw whisper in the quiet room. The intensity of his gaze made her look up from her tea, her heart-shaped face illuminated by the soft glow of the kitchen light.

"Yes?" Her response was just as quiet, her eyes searching his for some hint of what was about to come.

"Do you remember...?" He trailed off, struggling to put into words the tidal wave of emotions surging within him. He remembered so many moments, so many shared laughs and whispers, so many mornings waking up next to her. He remembered a time when they used to be inseparable, two halves of a whole.

"I remember everything," she replied gently, her gaze never wavering from his. The weight of her words hung in the

air, creating a tension that was thick enough to cut through. But there was also a sense of acceptance in her voice, an understanding that the past couldn't be changed, but it could be learnt from.

Ethan's gaze softened, and he found himself reaching out across the table, his hand mirroring hers. Their fingers brushed against each other, just like old times. The intimacy of the touch sent a shiver down his spine.

He missed this. He missed her. He missed them.

"I miss this," he confessed, voice barely louder than a whisper. "I miss you."

For a moment, she didn't respond, her gaze captivated by their linked fingers. Then she looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I've missed you too," she said softly, her words caressing his heart in a way no touch ever could.

The silence wasn't as oppressive now. It was almost comforting as they sat there, hands entwined

across the table, the softly humming city outside their window offering a gentle soundtrack to their reunion. Their tea slowly cooled, forgotten in favour of the connection they were tentatively reestablishing.

Ethan finally broke the silence. "Do you think we can... start again? Can we go back to being us?" He asked, his voice shaking with vulnerability. His eyes bore into hers, anxious and hopeful.

Olivia was quiet for what felt like an eternity. Then, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and a small yet genuine smile played on her lips. "I think...we can't go back, Ethan. But that doesn't mean we can't move forward."

In that moment, he understood what she was saying. They could never relive their past or erase the mistakes they had made. But they could build something new from what remained: a love and friendship that had not died despite the distance and time away from each other.