Whenever Their Eyes Meet

The First Glance

Ava stood wedged among the jostling crowd on the subway platform, the stale underground air heavy with the smells of steel and damp concrete. It was just another Thursday evening, and yet her heart fluttered with inexplicable unease. Neon-orange station lights flickered overhead as a train rumbled toward the station, stirring a warm gust that carried the faint scent of rain-soaked pavement from the streets above. She pulled her coat tighter around herself and exhaled slowly, eager to retreat to the solitude of her small apartment after a long day. The crowd surged forward when the train’s headlights burst into view. Out of habit, Ava glanced across the tracks to the opposite platform. And then she saw him.

Her world narrowed to a single figure across the gap; a tall, familiar silhouette in a navy peacoat. At first she thought it was a cruel trick of her imagination, but as the train screeched into the station and his face came into focus, there was no mistaking him. Ethan. Five years had passed since she last saw him, yet Ava would have known him anywhere. Her heart lurched painfully. She stood frozen on the platform, oblivious to the commuters brushing past.

Ethan’s gaze lifted and met hers across the tracks as the train doors opened. In that split second, the clamor of the station fell away. Ava’s breath caught in her throat. The look in Ethan’s dark eyes was unmistakable even from a distance—recognition, shock, and a sadness that echoed the ache blooming in her own chest. It felt like every unspoken word between them crystallized in the air between their eyes. Her hand gripped the strap of her bag to steady herself, knuckles white.

The surge of boarding passengers jostled her forward. Ava craned her neck, desperate not to lose sight of him through the shifting crowd. He stepped closer to the edge of his platform, as if he might call out to her. For an instant their eyes met again, and a hot tear slipped down Ava’s cheek. She tried to speak, his name was right there on her tongue, but the words never came.

The next thing she knew, she was swept into the train by the crowd. The doors slid shut, and through the window she had one last glimpse of Ethan standing there. His hand hovered in the air as if reaching for something just out of grasp. Then the train lurched into motion, carrying Ava away into the dark tunnel and leaving him behind.

Ava sank into an empty seat, numb to the jolt of the speeding train. In the window’s reflection, her own wide eyes stared back, stunned. Had that really been Ethan, or just a fragment of memory conjured by her loneliness? She pressed a trembling hand to her cheek. It was cold. Old images flooded her mind; the way he used to smile at her under the arch in Washington Square Park, the warmth of his hand in hers on lazy Sunday mornings. And then the final image: the day she let him go, her heart breaking as she watched him walk away. Ava squeezed her eyes shut, willing the memories to stop.

By the time she emerged onto the rainy sidewalk, her legs felt unsteady. She barely registered the neon reflections dancing in puddles as she hurried home beneath her umbrella. All she could see were Ethan’s eyes and that haunting sorrow in them. Why now? she wondered bitterly. After years of painstakingly learning to live with the emptiness he left behind, why did fate choose tonight to throw him back into her life? There were no answers, only the steady drum of rain on her umbrella as she walked on with a heart heavier than it had been in years.

The Coffee Shop

The days after that encounter passed in a fog. Ava floated through work and wedding plans unable to concentrate, her mind always drifting back to Ethan on that subway platform. She told no one about it, not even her fiancé. How could she explain that a single fleeting glance at an old love had shaken the foundations of her world?

One week later, on an overcast afternoon, Ava wandered to the West Village, drawn by a force she couldn't name. She found herself standing outside a little coffee shop they used to frequent. She hadn’t set foot inside since before he left for London, but now her hand pushed the door open on impulse. A bell chimed softly above her. The rich scent of espresso and vanilla welcomed her like an old embrace as she stepped in.

It was late afternoon and the café was nearly empty. Rain tapped lightly against the front window as she carried her latte to a corner table — their table, once upon a time. Her heart thudded in her chest as she sat down. Staring at the creamy swirls in her cup, Ava let the memories seep in. She could almost hear Ethan’s laughter echoing in the cozy space, teasing her about the hipster music playing overhead or sneaking sips of her drink. For a moment, she closed her eyes, remembering the last time they'd been here together, the day they'd said goodbye.

“Ava.”

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her name. That voice -low, gentle, and achingly familiar- was not a memory. Ethan stood a few feet away, rainwater glistening on his dark hair and coat. He looked unsure, almost fragile, as if one wrong word might shatter the moment. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then Ava abruptly scraped back her chair and stood.

She hesitated only a second before closing the distance and wrapping her arms around him. Ethan exhaled a breath she didn’t realize he’d been holding and folded her into his embrace. He was warm and real, and the solid weight of him against her felt like home. Ava’s eyes brimmed with tears. She buried her face in his shoulder, a half-sob catching in her throat. After a long moment, they pulled back, both wiping their eyes and exchanging timid, breathless laughs at their own emotional display.

They sat down across from each other. Up close, Ethan was as handsome as she remembered. Older, a bit more tired around the eyes, but unmistakably himself. “I can’t believe it’s you,” he murmured, searching her face as if to confirm she was real. His gaze dropped to her left hand, which was curled around her coffee cup. The modest sapphire engagement ring caught the light, and Ethan’s expression faltered. He quickly averted his eyes.

Ava’s stomach clenched. She withdrew her hand from the table, hiding it in her lap. “Ethan... how have you been?” she asked softly. It was a simple question, but her voice trembled with the weight of everything she wanted to say. Are you happy? Did you miss me? She bit back all those other questions and forced a polite smile.

He gave a small shrug, attempting a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ve been... okay,” Ethan said. “Back in New York for a couple months. I got a job in Midtown.” He paused, rubbing the back of his neck the way he always did when he was nervous. “I almost reached out to you, but I wasn’t sure if I should. I didn’t know if you’d moved on.” His eyes flicked briefly to her hand again, and Ava knew he meant the ring.

“I’m engaged,” she said, the words coming out quieter than she intended. “His name is Daniel.” Ava tried to keep her voice steady. “He’s a good man.” She immediately felt silly for adding that last part, as if justifying her life to Ethan. The truth was Daniel was good and kind, and she did love him in a comfortable sort of way. But sitting here now, across from the man who once held her entire heart, she felt the stark difference between a love that was safe and a love that consumed her.

Ethan nodded slowly. “I’m happy for you, Ava,” he said, though his voice was strained. They fell into a heavy silence, the patter of rain filling the quiet. Ava studied his face, and ghosts of the past seemed to flicker between them. In this very café years ago, she had told him she couldn’t go with him, that she wouldn’t do long distance. She had watched the light in his eyes extinguish as she broke both their hearts. Now here they were, strangers with familiar souls, unsure what to say.

Ava’s eyes burned. She took a shaky breath. “Ethan, I’m so sorry,” she whispered at last. Her voice broke. “Letting you go... it was a mistake. The worst mistake I ever made.” A tear slipped down her cheek. She didn’t bother wiping it away this time.

Ethan reached across the table and took her hand gently. His touch ignited a warmth inside her that she had forgotten. “I missed you,” he said, his own eyes shining. “Not a day went by that I didn’t think about you.” His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles. “I tried to move on, but… part of me never stopped loving you.”

A soft sob escaped Ava’s lips. They were both crying openly now, unaware of anyone else around. Outside, the rain fell harder, streaking the windows; it felt as though the city itself wept with them. Looking into Ethan’s face through her tears, Ava felt again that overwhelming sorrow whenever their eyes met. A sorrow born of regret and deep, enduring love. It hurt, but it was also beautiful in its own broken way.

She squeezed his hand, holding on as if he might vanish. “What do we do now?” she asked in a small voice, even though she feared the answer.

Ethan inhaled unsteadily and gently pulled his hand back, wiping at his eyes. “Now,” he said, voice rough, “we finish our coffee.” He managed a sad smile. “Then I’ll walk you to the station... and we say goodbye.” The finality of that word hung in the air.

Ava’s chin trembled. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. Fate had brought him back only to remind her of what she couldn’t have. She wanted to protest, to beg for another chance, but she knew reality would not bend for them. She had made a promise to another, and breaking it would only cause more pain. So she nodded, swallowing the grief that threatened to choke her.

They lingered a few minutes more, forcing small talk about his job and people they both once knew, trying to savor the last moments. But soon dusk settled and the café staff began putting chairs up on tables. Their time was up. With hearts weighed down by everything left unspoken, Ava and Ethan stood and silently agreed it was time to go.

The Last Goodbye

Ethan insisted on walking her to the subway. Under the shelter of his black umbrella, they moved side by side through the misty night. They didn’t touch, but Ava could feel the warmth of him mere inches away. She stole glances up at his face in the glow of streetlights, trying to etch every detail into memory. It felt surreal; the city skyline in the distance, the hush of rain, and Ethan by her side one last time.

All too soon, they reached the station entrance. They stopped on the sidewalk as water dripped steadily off the edges of the umbrella. Ethan closed it and set it aside, letting the light rain fall on them. Ava’s heart pounded as she searched his eyes in the dim light. She was already crying, though she couldn’t say when the tears had begun.

Ethan lifted a hand and gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “You’re going to be okay,” he murmured, as if trying to convince them both.

Ava let out a shaky breath. Her fingers caught his wrist, holding it for a moment against her wet cheek. She wanted to tell him that life without him could never be the same, but the words tangled in her throat. Instead she whispered, “You too... please be happy, Ethan.”

He drew her into his arms then. Ava sank against him, clutching the back of his coat. The rain fell in soft patters around them as he pressed a tender kiss to her temple. She breathed him in, committing the scent of rain and the feel of his embrace to memory. They held each other as the city hurried by, two souls momentarily finding refuge in the midst of heartache.

When they finally pulled apart, the emptiness rushed in between them. Ethan brushed a damp lock of hair away from Ava’s face. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then simply shook his head with a sad smile. No words could change what was already decided.

With a heavy sigh, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded coffee sleeve. The same one from the café. He pressed it into her hand. “Goodbye, Ava,” he said softly. “Take care.” Before she could respond, Ethan turned and descended the steps into the station, vanishing from sight.

Ava stood there in the drizzle, arm wrapped around herself, the cardboard sleeve clutched tightly in her fingers. She unfolded it under the hazy glow of the streetlamp. Scrawled in Ethan’s familiar handwriting were five words: I will always wonder what if. A broken sob escaped her lips. She pressed the little note to her chest as if trying to hold on to a piece of him.

At last, she forced her legs to move and descended into the subway. On the ride home, Ava stared through her faint reflection in the train’s window, her mind replaying every second of those final moments with Ethan. She wondered if somewhere across the city, he was doing the same, heart just as shattered.

By the time she reached her apartment, the rain had stopped. She stood outside the door, keys in hand. Inside, Daniel slept peacefully, unaware of the storm that had just torn through her heart. Ava closed her eyes and saw Ethan’s face one last time, the love and anguish entwined in his expression as he said goodbye.

Whenever their eyes met — on that crowded platform, in the warm glow of the café, beneath the rainy streetlight — it was always there: an overwhelming sorrow, born from love lost and years apart. It would ease someday, she hoped. Life would move forward. She would put on her dress, say her vows, and try to be happy with the path she had chosen. Yet she also knew that some loves leave a permanent mark. No matter how many seasons turned, a part of her would forever remain on that rainy sidewalk, looking into Ethan’s eyes and wondering, what if.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This story is based on the prompt: “An overwhelming sorrow whenever their eyes meet.” You can find more free prompts here.

I’ve also published Elara’s Pocket Prompts #1 – May Edition, featuring 30 prompts to spark your imagination. Check it out here.