#realignedstars

after this date was over he'd blame it on late night loneliness and the glass of whiskey he'd indulged in after tucking oli in. it didn't help that his phone had entered a hostage situation and a dating app had been downloaded onto it the other night, complete with a hand-made profile by his so-called closest friends. so maybe he should be blaming them for this lapse in judgement instead. but he'd sworn that he'd delete the damn thing, before exhaustion had crept in, and by the time the next day had rolled around curiosity had gotten the better of him. regret had been almost instantaneous, and after a disappointing array of swipe lefts - be it for major red flags or small, probably forgivable, quirks, he'd very nearly resigned himself with following through with removing it - with the ability to claim he'd tried, at the very least. but then he'd swiped one last time, and caleb had been struck by dimples and a kind smile. caroline, 34, teacher, looking for something casual - that should have been the end of it. he'd swiped left for less major of hang ups. but her bio had been charming, interlaced with just the right amount of humor, and the attraction was there almost instantaneously as he'd swept through her profile looking for another reason to write her off. in the end, the combination was strong enough to convince himself that he could attempt casual, maybe it'd even be good for him. so he'd swiped right, certain that there was no chance that it'd end up in a match. even from the goofiest of pictures she'd uploaded, it was clear she was stunning - what horrendous attempts at polishing up his profile and choosing halfway decent pictures his friends had attempted, he could only guess, but caleb doubted it'd be enough to tempt her. so how he found himself here, less than twenty-four hours later, was beyond him. but maybe he was just unused to the speed that online dating offered. a match had found it's way into his notifications in the morning, and after an afternoon of his attempts at flirtation, rusty at best, that she'd thankfully humored, he'd nearly worked up the courage to ask her to dinner ( was that acceptable for casual? fuck if he knew - but people had to eat, right? ) when she'd suggested a bar instead. it wasn't anything he'd pick for a first date, but maybe that was the point - that there wouldn't be a second one, or that there wasn't a point in keeping track if they couldn't really be classified as dates. he was early, an attempt at grounding himself, so he slid into a chair at the bar and ordered a shot of liquid courage as he waited. his eyes stayed on the door, anxious anticipation building in his veins as he tried to quell the idea that he should have brought her flowers and insisted on something nicer - because maybe this was exactly what she wanted.

it was strange coming back home, the house they'd bought together and where he'd once pictured his future in still exactly the same as when he'd left it. memories lingering in the hallway, some that were probably sweeter in retrospect, others that still stung with the reminder that things were beyond salvaging. why she'd asked him back here, adem didn't know, surely it would be easier to settle the pieces of their relationship like they'd started doing - with messages and e-mails. words tinged with a formality that seemed utterly devoid of the passion, of the love - that they'd once shared. but at least they were free of the anger and resentment too - and he didn't see how a conversation would do them any good. once the divorce papers were signed, everything divided away until there wasn't a trace of the life they'd once been building together - they'd be able to move on. and wasn't that what they wanted? he'd assumed as much, at least until his phone had lit up with a call from her - the voice that greeted him tinged with a panic that had crumbled his reservations and he'd driven over before he could think better of it. but she seemed fine, still as beautiful as she'd always been, and he couldn't place what it was she wanted. "what's going on? i thought we wanted to handle everything else in writing." ( @realignedstars )

unsurprisingly, it had been missy who'd convinced him to show up at charlotte's door. he'd been stubborn, as he so often was inclined to be, the hurt he hadn't wanted to acknowledge too acute right after the wedding. but she'd been persistent, insisting that whatever friendship that was left between them was worth salvaging even as his bruised ego wanted to claim otherwise. the truth was that he'd missed her, even the stretches of time that so often passed when he was off galavanting across the globe didn't feel the same - her absence lingering like an open wound. it didn't help that crescent cove felt haunted, the knowledge that he might run into her at any random moment lingering in the back of his mind whenever he went out. if charlotte thought about them too, missy hadn't said, not that he could blame her. he knew that there were certain things she'd claim to be girl-code protected and he hadn't asked, not wanting to know if he'd been destructive with his admission of wondering if there could have been more to them if they'd ever allowed each other to explore it. it felt like things had been clear enough from her perspective, that she'd rather settle for stable and reliable than whatever might become of them if they pushed the limits. but missy had purposefully dropped enough hints that charlotte would be home alone with monty and would be craving coffee that he'd finally relented, picking up her usual order from dahlia's and a sweet treat to aid his attempt at groveling. still, despite the absence of any foreign cars in the driveway leading up to the cottage, he hesitated - funny how he would rather jump out of an airplane with only a parachute to catch him than follow through with this conversation. but he mustered up the courage to knock all the same, feet shuffling on weathered wood as he tried to ignore the unsteady beat of his heart.

it'd started as something to fill the void, a much needed distraction after catastrophe. inez drunk out of her mind at some bar, a handsome stranger, shameless flirting turning into touches and they hadn't even made it into a bed that first time. it'd felt good, feeling wanted after being discarded, numbing the pain that had threatened to consume her. while she'd never claimed to understand why men rushed into bed with someone else after ending things, inez could see the appeal now. it was easier to settle into the rush of endorphins rather than try and sit with the pain. maybe it wasn't fair, even a little bit selfish, but every time she felt the temptation to text her ex inez had called him instead - and maybe there was a part of her that had hoped, that in one of the crowded bars or while pressed against each other on the dance floor, he might see just how much fun she was having without a relationship tying her down. it's become a habit to stay after sex, something she desperately tried not to read into. but it's comfortable - sometimes even nice, to talk until tiredness takes over and sleep claims her. it doesn't have to mean anything. although his question takes her aback, an incredulous laugh escaping before she has the ability to tamper it down. "a date? ...with me?" she should be flattered, but mostly she just feels an anxious pit in her stomach. "what would we even do? aren't we having plenty of fun just like this?" ( @realignedstars )

a swear falls from his lips as the car stutters, emitting first a traitorous groan before the engine dies completely. rain splatters against the windshield - a sunny day wrecked by the downfall that had started shortly after they'd set off on the road, back around when the first jab had been uttered. why they're fighting he's not quite sure anymore - it was supposed to be a fun roadtrip - a trip to his parents with a couple of stops on the way back to take in the sights instead of taking a much shorter flight. only he'd been tense ever since they'd stepped into his parents house and things had spiraled from there - the detour they'd taken for what was supposed to be a scenic spot only leading them down back roads into the middle of nowhere. "i'll check the engine, do you have reception? we might have to call a tow truck if i can't fix it." it's muttered curtly, breaking through the silence that had fallen. at first he's grateful for the excuse to be out of the car, the tension inside had been thick enough to cut, but as rain soaks through his clothes and the cold seeps into his bones - he has to admit defeat. he doesn't know what the hell he's doing - would probably make it worse even if he tried, and as much as he wants to get the hell out of here, it seems like an impossibility now. his expression is grim as he slides back into the driver's seat, eyes squeezing shut as he runs a hand through rain-slicked hair. "if you want to go out and check, be my guest - but i think we need a fucking miracle at this point." ( @realignedstars )