Summary: What if your past comes back? The sweetest part of your past is right in front of you and you have to face it head on. You have to analyze your past in order to grow into your future. Hadley missed him for years and now he's right in front of her. Will the spark remain the same? Looking back on their relationship may give them the push to go forward.

Disclaimer: The first chapter is the only chapter in present times. The rest of the story will be taking place in the past. These events have never happened, nor am I claiming they are real.


I never thought I'd get a chance at love again. It's been four years since he left my life after multiple years together. The man I thought I would marry, left me with one word, "goodbye." I remember that day clearly. I was younger and felt it too. He always managed to make me feel like a teenager in love. His infectious love of life rubbed off on me, his never grow old attitude gave me purpose. We took walks, clearing our heads of all the bad thoughts we accumulated. It would be an adventure. The walks weren't boring, they were hikes in our favorite mountains. The drive was long to the nearest rural area and we would be silent. Classic rock would blast from the radio. His life wasn't an easy one, and I guess I saved him from that. Anyway, that day I hadn't heard from him which was odd. Whenever we weren't together, we were on the phone with each other.
That cold night, November 15, 2014 I called him. It was a quarter to midnight. 'Babe where have you been?' I asked.
No answer.
I nodded to myself and mumbled into the phone, not even a real word. After a few seconds of silence I heard a large sigh from his end. It was an uncomfortable feeling, a feeling I had never known between us. "Goodbye" he let out another sigh.
Silence.
I didn't know how long after I kept the phone up to my ear. All I know is it was until the dial tone rung loudly. I dropped the phone to my side and let tears flow down my cheeks. Goodbye meant, it's been nice, but I will never see you again. And that scared me. I'm Hadley and the man I loved is back in my life.


Vegas clubs weren't my thing, but tonight it felt right. My stomach was trembling as I laid eyes on him. I looked to my friend and roommate of two years, Roxy, a dancer in the club. She and I are complete opposites. Roxy is wild, always has been. She was living with her aunt since she was 16 and that stirred the rebel inside her. One thing that we have in common is our will and determination to get what we want. She looked at me, concerned. Her caramel skin turned almost pale at the sight of me. "Are you okay?" She started to go back to her normal self as I nodded my head.
"Sure?" she wrapped her arm around my shoulders.
"Not.. not really" I said so softly I didn't think she'd hear me.
"What are you even looking at?" She turned her head to look where I was. I couldn't get any words out. At first there was squeaky noises that turned into a soft grunt. I lifted my arm and pointed, "J-Jon."
There he was, standing there. The man I met in high school, my ex boyfriend of six long years, was right in front of my eyes. His blue eyes sparkled from the dance floor lights. They were once a pale blue, now brighter. I couldn't believe it. What are the odds of us both being in Vegas after living in Ohio all our lives, no intentions of leaving. We broke that promise. Well it wasn't a promise anymore since we broke up. If we were going to be together, we'd stay in Ohio. After all his bad memories, he says. I was the best one, a slice of home he didn't think he needed. That was four years ago. Now we are mere strangers.

"Are you going to go talk to him?" Roxy asked. I snapped my head toward her looking like she was crazy. "Um I'll take that as a no" she laughed. "You need to talk to him, ignite the flame" she nudged me with her elbow.
"His last word to me was goodbye" I scoffed. "I don't think he wants to see me."
Roxy thought for a moment. I was about to gloat and tell her that I knew she wouldn't have anything to say, but she answered. "You never know unless you try."
"I-I can't."
"I will help you." And before I could protest, she walked over to him. Her natural confident sway as she made her way over. I wanted to chase after her, but it was like I was mounted to the ground. Did I even want to follow? That would mean having to talk to him.

Roxy casually started dancing next to him. That was her job, but something inside me wanted to explode. Seeing him touch another woman boiled her blood. He grabbed her hips and started swaying. Jon wasn't dancing at all before Roxy went over to him. He was standing in the middle of the floor with some friends whom were dancing with their significant others. Jon never danced, except that one time I forced him.

My favorite song played on the radio in the car, we were on a desolate road. Barely any cars passed on this warm night. "I love this song" Piano Man came on the classic rock radio. "I just want to dance." I turned to him and placed my hand on his forearm. "Ooh we should."
He glanced at me then back at the road. "Right now?"
"Yes, now come on and stop the car before the song ends" I begged. He took a hefty breath and stopped the car. The smile on my face was prominent. I turned up the volume and stepped out of the car. Jon was already out and came over to my side.
"I don't even know how to do this" he complained.
"Shh and I'll show you." I placed one of his hands on my hip, feeling the bone that stuck out a few inches. The other hand I grabbed and held out, our arms bent at the elbow. I moved in closer so my chest was up against his torso. His 6'2 muscular frame was significant near my 5'5 thin frame. "Now we just sway side to side." I guided him at first until he took the lead. I looked up at him and smiled. "Just like that" I whispered. He smiled back and with that I leaned my head on his chest. The music played as we danced on the side of the road.

My faint smile disappeared into a frown. I was taking steps that I didn't realize I was taking. As soon as I knew it, I was right next to Jon and Roxy. She noticed me first and smiled. Roxy turned to Jon and said, "have you met my friend Hadley?" He looked down and past Roxy. I twirled my shoulder length dark hair between my fingers, something I did when I was nervous. His light eyes met my dark ones. I couldn't tell if he was happy or mad. "Hadley?" he said my name as if he never heard it before. My lips quivered and my throat started tingling like I was about to cry.
"Hadley Sorento" he said like he just discovered who I was.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear that only came undone as I tilted my head forward. "Yeah" I said shyly. Jon pulled me into a hug, a warm one, like he used to do. It was like those four years were rolled up into a half hour. I blurred out the years of missing him. "You look great" he said as we pulled away. New curves had formed on my body since we last seen each other. "We should step outside" he said over the music.
I complied. Roxy smiled and pulled her thumbs up.

Jon held the door open for me as we walked into the warm air. Even at night it was scorching hot here. "What the hell are you doing here?" he laughed. I smiled and looked to the floor. "I moved" I pulled my head back up to look at him.
"When?" he asked, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. Some things never change.
"Two years ago. I needed a change."
"I've been here for six months." He closed his lips around the skinny white stump. Once he did that, he pulled the lighter up and lit his cigarette. After the first puff I stepped back. The smell always made me sick when he smoked next to me. "Oh sorry" he took a few steps back. "I forgot, you hate this" he smiled. "You remember a lot about me" I joked in a sarcastic way.
"I remembered your last name so that should count for something" he tapped the cigarette with his ring finger, ashes falling to the ground next to him. I didn't find it funny and he didn't eve try to laugh.
"Why'd you leave?" That was the million dollar question I've been searching years to answer. Hopefully he would give me that. Jon paused for a long while, finishing his last exhale and throwing the butt to the ground. "Jon, answer me" I whined.
He took a deep breath. "I was scared. I wanted to marry you and that thought scared the fuck out of me."
My breath hitched in my throat. That explanation was the last thing I thought of. I wanted to marry him, I really did. It's what could have been and I thought I knew that was not what he wanted. He was my first love, my high school sweetheart.
"Do you still want that?" I asked. That question lingered in the air.