Page 78 of Five Years

“You’re not that person.” Ariana said, confidently.

“No, but love does crazy things to a person.”

“I’d be willing to try.”

“You would risk me hating you?”

“The risk of you not forgiving me and growing to hate me isn’t scarier than the idea of never loving you again.” Ariana’s voice was fragile, but determined. Her eyes cast down at her hands.

“I never stopped loving you.” Leah whispered, she pressed her forehead to Ariana’s, the weight of her own emotions made her fatigued.

“Me neither.”

It had been five years since they last stood in front of each other like this, their hearts heavy, trying to part ways despite everything they still felt for one another. Now, they were in a different place, a different time, older, but undeniably still the same people.

Leah’s throat tightened. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

She lifted her eyes, meeting Ariana’s gaze, the vulnerability was raw. Leah closed her eyes as a memory flickered––the night Ariana packed her things, the coldness in her eyes that felt so unlike the person she had known. It broke her in ways she had never been able to acknowledge until now. She felt the knot inher chest tighten, realising the weight of the pain Ariana had caused in full.

“Let me make it up to you––” Ariana whispered.

The door to the pizzeria opened. Leah didn’t notice at first; her attention was fixed entirely on Ariana. Her hand was still in hers. But then Leah felt a shift, she looked up, her eyes drawn to the door as it shut behind a familiar figure.

Her heart stopped.

Hannah.

“Well, isn’t this sweet.”

SEVENTEEN

Hannah, Ariana’s current fiancé, the woman she left Leah for, the woman she moved to New York for, the woman she had broken up with as recently as yesterday.

Her face was unreadable. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Leah and Ariana. The sinister smile she’d had when she first walked in faltered for a moment, a subtle crack in her steely composure.

The scene screamed intimacy, the way their hands were still touching.

Leah pulled away.

“Hannah,” Ariana cleared her throat.

“It all makes sense now,” she said, her tone neutral, though it couldn’t mask the hurt beneath.

“Hannah, I can explain,” Ariana shifted back in her chair.

Leah felt her heart drop into her stomach. The sudden surge of guilt and confusion clouding her thoughts. She didn’t expect to be exposed. Not like this.

“How long has this been going on, Ariana?” The question was quiet, but sharp.

Ariana looked towards Hannah with a weary glance. “Hannah...” her voice faltered. “It isn’t what it looks like, okay?”

It isn’t? Leah thought. She wasn’t sure what that meant exactly, but now wasn’t the time.

“I’m not stupid, Ariana.”

Leah swallowed, her throat tight.

“And you...you finally got what you wanted, to destroy our relationship so you could worm your way back in, congratulations, I’m impressed.”