Hi loves! Wow. I almost forgot to post a chapter today! I don't know why I didn't post this earlier during lunch. I had time. Oh well. Better late than never, right? Anyway, hope you enjoy this one.

"Here you go miss. And have a good day." The young blonde barista says as the brunette woman standing at the counter smiles, grabs her drink from the barista and then turns to leave. She begins walking away towards the door of the coffee shop, when something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye. She turns her head to get a better look and realizes what it is. A case. For a ukulele. It's covered in stickers; ones that she designed herself but never gave to anyone, except for one person. She takes a few steps towards the case sitting on the end of one of the tables. She notices the person it belongs to. A man. He has short, semi-curly, black hair. He is wearing a pair of crimson red skinny jeans, combat boots, a grey v-neck t-shirt, a black zip up hoodie that is halfway unzipped, and a black leather jacket.

"Zander?" she asks cautiously, taking another step forward. The figure in the booth turns around to look at her. The moment of truth. He turns around as much as he can and she smiles. He does as well.

"Hey Stevie. Wanna sit down?" She nods her head and moves to sit across from him.

"You look good," she says.

"Thanks. So do you." He replies, taking in her appearance. She is wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a long sleeved white sweater shirt, a pair of combat boots, a gray slouch beanie and a red scarf wrapped around her neck.

She smiles at him and then decides to strike up a conversation, "So, how have you been?"

"I've been good. How about you?"

"Good." She says followed by an awkward silence. They just sit for a moment. Stevie taps her fingers on her drink cup and then lifts it to her lips, taking a sip. Zander reaches for his cup with one hand and takes a drink as well.
"What are you drinking?" Stevie asks him.

"Hot chocolate." He replies simply.

"Hot chocolate? What happened to the coffee addict I once knew?" She teases.

"He's still here. But he decided that it's wintertime now and that it's a time for hot cocoa instead of coffee. What are you drinking?"

She puts her head down and looks at him through her hair, "Hot cocoa."

He just raises an eyebrow. "You, Stevie "coffee lovin" Baskara, are drinking cocoa? And then have the audacity to judge me for drinking it as well?" He teases back.

"Audacity? What have you been doing since high school to learn such a big word?"

"I went to college. And started taking a writing course at WSU."

"You started taking a writing course?"

"Top of my class." He says proudly.
"Wow. I expected you to take a music class or something."
"I am. But after high school, I was getting stuck on new songs. This creative writing class really helped me get my mojo back."

"Creative writing? Nice choice."

"Thanks. So what have you been up to?"

"Not much. I'm taking the music composition class over at NYU. It's really helped me a lot. Other than that, not much else."

"That's cool. So do you like it here in New York?"

"Yeah. It's nice. Cold during the winter. But it's nice."

"Yeah, it can get pretty cold in Washington too."

"Speaking of that. If you go to school in Washington, why are you in New York?"

"Oh. We're on break for the holidays and I decided to come and check out New York with my sister because we've both never been here before for Christmas."

"Mel's here too?" Stevie asks in surprise.

"Yeah. She's probably at the hotel or something. Her boyfriend came too. Which was definitely not in the plans. So I sometimes like to get out of there. Found this little shop one day and it reminded me of when we used to go on our coffee runs before school. So I come here and get a cup of cocoa, sit down and write music."

"Wait. You came in here because it reminded you of me?" She asks in shock.

He looks away and blushes slightly, "Yeah. I did. Because I miss you Steves."

"I miss you too Z."

"I also miss what we used to have."

She sighs, "So do I Z. But we live on opposite sides of the country. It'd be impossible to keep what we had from so far away. There'd have been too many complications."

"Don't tell me that you didn't lie on the bed in your dorm room at night and think about us. How we used to be."

"I won't deny that. But we can't start something again. Because when the holiday is over, you're gonna go back to Washington, and I'm gonna stay here. I can't deal with the thought of starting something again when I know it is going to have to end pretty quickly."

"But it doesn't have to be like that Stevie."

"What are you talking about?" She asks, furrowing her eyebrows together the way she does when she's confused.

He reaches over the table and grabs her hands in his, "Come to Washington with me."

"What?" She asks in utter shock once more.

"WSU has a pretty good music program. We could both study there and we wouldn't have to say goodbye."

She pulls her hands away from his and puts them in her lap, "I can't Zander. My life is here now. I can't just pack up and leave."

"Then I'll move to New York."

"No Zander," she says shaking her head, "Stay in Washington. That is where your life is now."

He sighs and throws his hands up, "Don't you get it Stevie?!"
"Get what?"

"Ever since high school. Ever since we met. My life, has been wherever you are."

She just looks at him, "But, you're writing course."

"I lied. Well, partially lied. I am taking a creative writing course at WSU. But I'm not at the top of my class. I'm barely passing. I haven't been able to write anything good. For the class or for my music. Because I realized that all the inspiration I've had to write songs, was because of you. You were the muse I never realized I had until you were on the other side of the country. I've always loved you Stevie. And I regret not saying it to you enough before you left. Which is why I'm saying it now, and I'll keep on saying it. I love you Stevie."

"This is a lot to process right now," she says.

"I'm sorry. I'll just go." He goes to get up and leave when she reaches across and puts her hand on his arm to get him to stay.

"Wait," he stops and sits back down across from her, "You didn't let me finish."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"This is a lot to process right now. But, if you think that this," she motions between the two of them with one of her hands, "will be a good idea. Then I'm willing to give it a go again."

He grows a huge smile on his face again, "Awesome. And before you say anything, I already know that NYU has a great writing program if I want to continue to pursue writing. So that won't be an issue. And maybe I'll get my mojo back, now that I have my muse again." He smiles at her.

She smiles back at him and stands from the booth. He gives her a look, "Where are you going?"

She turns and smiles at him, "Don't you want to explore where you'll be living?"

He smiles back and puts his uke back into its case, picking it up along with his cocoa cup. He stands from the booth and moves to stand next to her. "Let's go."

She nods her head and then the two walk out of the coffee shop and into the cool winter breeze of New York. Who ever knew that something so special, could be rekindled over something as simple as just a little cocoa?

So? You like? Let me know what you think in a review!

Also, I'm still looking for super fans of Max who want to help me with a special project! PM me if you're interested!

Jellybean96 out!