Hey, listen to thisit’s a bit of a love story, but not your typical one.
Anton texted Natalie: *»Hey, what are you up to? Fancy meeting at our usual café?»* He slipped his phone back into his pocket, still smiling.
Theyd known each other since school. Natalie was stunningtall, graceful, the kind of girl who turned heads. Anton? Well, he was just an ordinary bloke, hopelessly in love with her. He knew he wasnt exactly Prince Charmingaverage height, nothing specialbut loves not just about looks, is it? If shed given him a chance, shed have seen how much he adored her.
He followed her around like a lost puppy. Natalie was kind enough, but she never returned his feelings. He watched her date other lads, burning with jealousy. To spite her, hed go out with other girls, but his heart never wavered.
*»Hey!»* Natalie slid into the seat across from him. Anton had been so lost in thought he hadnt even noticed her arrive.
*»Hi,»* he managed, unable to hide the desperate joy in his voice.
*»Earth to Anton!»* She laughed, bright and teasing. He looked away, chest aching with the urge to hold her. A man at the next table was staring at Natalie, and Anton barely stopped himself from snapping, *»Eyes offshes mine!»* Except she never had been.
*»Could you grab us some coffee?»* Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Anton jumped up, returning with two steaming mugs and Natalies favourite chocolate tart. He dumped sugar into his coffee, stirring absently.
*»Everything alright?»* Natalie studied him, her playful grin fading.
*»Yeah, just wanted to see you.»* He slid a fridge magnet across the table.
*»Thanks!»* She turned it over in her hands.
This cafétheir cafésmelled permanently of coffee beans. Ten years ago, right here, Anton had confessed his love. Natalie had said he was sweet, but they could only ever be friends.
*»Look aroundthere are so many lovely girls here. You could make any of them happy.»*
*»Just not you?»* he asked.
*»Sorry.»*
Hed been so angry they nearly fell out. Natalie warned him thenif he kept pushing, shed cut ties. Terrified, Anton backed off. At least this way, he could still see her. Maybe one day
Years passed. He tried forgetting herdated, even married, thinking it would kill his feelings. Natalie congratulated him online when she saw his wedding photos. He ignored her. Later, he posted honeymoon snaps from the Maldives, waiting for her reaction. It took ages. When she finally liked them, commenting on how happy he and his wife looked, he seethed. *»That couldve been you.»*
He invited her to the café again. Same routinebirthday flowers, souvenirs from Spain or France. Shed gush over his tan, listen to his travel stories, but the second he tried hinting at deeper feelings, shed tuck the trinket away, claim she was busy, and leave.
More years. He divorcedhis wife couldnt have children, and he wanted kids. But Natalie had her own life. Then she married someone else.
The agony was unbearable. He drowned himself in flings, trying to erase her. Nothing worked.
One day, he saw a photo on her profilea tiny hand with a hospital bracelet. *»Natalie & [date].»* He congratulated her, screaming inside. *»That shouldve been my child.»*
He married again. When his wife, Emily, gave birth to their daughter, Lucy, he almost believed he could be happy without Natalie. He posted photos, calling them his *»two favourite girls.»* He avoided Natalies profile.
Then he left his phone at home. Emily snooped, found old messages with Natalienothing scandalous, but enough. She blew up, accusing him of emotional cheating, threatening to *»ruin that pretty face»* of Natalies.
*»You wouldnt.»*
*»Try me,»* Emily spat. The look in her eyes chilled him. He promised to cut contact.
Their marriage turned icy. Then Natalie calledout of the blue.
He raced to the café. She looked differentstill beautiful, but worn down. Her husband was cheating; she wanted a divorce. Anton offered to *»have a word»* with the bloke. Natalie refused, asking about his own life.
*»Messed up again. Emily and I are barely speaking.»*
*»But youve got Lucy!»*
*»Yeah, well, your husband didnt care about your son, did he?»*
Natalie frowned. *»Youre still hung up on me? After all these years?»*
*»You decided we were friends. I just played along to keep seeing you.»* His voice cracked. *»You only call when youre hurting. I married out of spite. Youre like some obsession I cant shake. Like that line from TwilightIm branded by you. Pathetic, right?»*
He threw cash on the table and left.
Driving aimlessly, he cursed himself, Natalie, the whole unfair world. *»Whats so special about her? Shes beautiful and cold. One day shell be alone and regret it.»*
He stopped calling, liking, commenting. From her posts, he saw shed divorced.
Thena chance encounter at Tesco. She was with her son. Older, softer, but still Natalie.
*»Hey! Long time. Whereve you been?»*
*»Nowhere. Still in the same flat. You? Not remarried?»*
*»God, no. Still recovering.»* She squeezed her sons hand. *»Were good, arent we?»*
The boy nodded. Anton wanted to say he still loved her, but the kid was watching.
*»Need a lift home?»*
*»Drove here,»* Natalie said.
*»Ill walk you to the car.»*
At her Audi, she smiled. *»Good seeing you.»*
*»You too.»*
As she drove off, Anton memorised her number plate, then followed, honking, flashing his lights like a teenager. She laughed, beeping back until she turned into her estate. He drove home, grinning.
*»Whereve you been? Wheres the shopping?»* Emily glared.
Hed forgotten everything the moment he saw Natalie.
*»Met her again, didnt you? Shes free nowwhy dont you just leave?»*
The divorce was brutal. Emily fought him on Lucys visits. He gave her the flat, barely secured weekends. His mum piled on, calling him a fool.
Thenanother accident. At a soft-play centre with Lucy, they ran into Natalie and her son. The kids played while Antons chest tightened.
*»Anton? Someone call an ambulance!»* Natalies voice cut through the fog.
Darkness.
He woke as paramedics loaded him into the ambulance. Natalies face hovered. *»Dont worryIll take Lucy home.»*
At the hospital, Natalie visited. *»Scared me to death. Thought it was a heart attack.»*
*»Just stress,»* he croaked.
*»I should go. Dont want to run into Emilyshe said some awful things when I dropped Lucy off.»*
*»She wont come. Nat will you visit tomorrow?»*
A week later, discharged, they sat in their café.
*»Should you be drinking coffee?»* she asked.
*»One wont kill me.»*
*»When you collapsed»* Natalies voice wavered. *»I kept thinking of school, your souvenirs, our café dates. If youd gone Weve known each other so long, its like a marriage without the romance. Passion fadeswhats left matters more. Maybe we could try?»*
Antons breath caught. All these years, and it took a near-death scare for her to say yes.
The next day, he dragged her to the registry office.
*»We dont have to rush,»* she said.
*»No. What if you change your mind?»*
They married quietly, just a café meal. Honeymoon in the Canarieswarm sands, ocean waves, yellow dust clouds from the Sahara.
One night, her son asleep, they lay tangled together, listening to the sea.
*»Nat, Im so happy,»* Anton whispered.
*»Me too. All that wasted time.»*
*»Well make up for it. Weve got forever.»*
