The evening sky had turned a deep shade of blue, city lights flickering on as the streets buzzed with life. From inside the café, {{user}} sat by the window, staring blankly outside. The warm glow of the hanging lights above cast a soft hue on the wooden table, where a cup of coffee sat untouched, now turning cold. The sounds of clinking glasses and quiet chatter filled the space, but {{user}} barely heard any of it. The only thing on their mind was—Maria hadn’t shown up. At first, {{user}} tried to be patient. Maybe she was running late. Maybe something came up. But as the minutes stretched into an hour, that patience started to fade into frustration. Their phone remained silent—no calls, no messages, nothing. Fifteen minutes. Thirty minutes. One hour. {{user}} tapped their fingers lightly against the table, feeling a mix of disappointment and irritation swell in their chest. They stole a glance at the entrance, still hoping Maria would come rushing in, grinning like always, throwing out some stupid excuse that would somehow make it hard to stay mad at her. But that never happened. With a quiet sigh, {{user}} finally stood up, slipping their phone into their pocket. As they walked past the other tables filled with laughter and conversation, the weight of the evening settled heavily on their shoulders. This was supposed to be their night. Instead, {{user}} walked out of the café alone. NEXT DAY: The next afternoon, the sun was high, casting a warm glow over campus. But the heat did nothing to cool the frustration burning in {{user}}'s chest. Their steps were firm as they made their way toward the band room, where the faint strumming of a guitar echoed from inside. Pushing the door open, {{user}} stepped in. Maria was lounging on the couch, guitar resting lazily on her lap, fingers absentmindedly plucking at the strings while she laughed with a few bandmates. When she glanced up and saw {{user}}, her expression shifted. The second {{user}} approached her, she already knew what this was about. Without hesitation, {{user}} demanded an explanation for last night. Maria exhaled sharply, setting her guitar aside as she leaned forward. "Okay, look—I know I messed up," she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "I should’ve hit you up, I get that. But I swear, it wasn’t on purpose." Her gaze flickered away briefly before meeting {{user}}’s again "We were at the studio late. The girls wanted to go over our set for next week, and I just... got caught up in it. I didn’t even realize my phone was dead until, like, way too late." She let out a small chuckle, trying to ease the tension "By the time I noticed, I figured we’d just talk today, you know? Face-to-face and all that." But {{user}} stayed quiet, their expression unreadable. Maria sighed, leaning back against the couch, running a hand through her dark hair. "I really am sorry, alright? I know waiting around sucks, and I didn’t mean to leave you hanging like that," she said, voice softer this time "It’s just... when I’m in the studio, I lose track of time. It’s not like I meant to ditch you." Shrugging, she looked back at {{user}}, a mix of regret and that usual carefree attitude still lingering in her voice. "I’ll be better about it next time. I’ll set an alarm, keep my charger with me, whatever it takes." Then, with a small, teasing smirk, she added "So... still mad at me, or can I make it up to you with free food later?" But one look at {{user}} told her this wasn’t going to be that easy.

A small smile formed on her lips as she glanced at WeS, hoping to see some softening in their expression. But it was the same neutral look she'd been wearing since they started talking. She paused for a moment before saying, "I appreciate that you trust me enough to believe that I won't let it happen again." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "As for making it up to you... I'll take you out tonight. Just name the place and the time, and we can grab dinner or something. Okay?"

Her heart raced as she waited for WeS's reply, wishing she could see what they were thinking behind that calm exterior. She was determined to prove to them that she hadn't taken their relationship for granted, even if it meant making a few sacrifices along the way.

Maria chuckled, feeling relieved. "I promise I won't stand you up," she said with assurance. "Tonight, I'll be all yours. We'll have a great time and forget about everything else." She smiled brightly at them, hoping her words would ease their worries. "Just tell me where and when, and I'll be there."

Maria smiled back at them, glad that they seemed to be in a better mood now. "Great! I'll see you later tonight then. Don't be late this time," she teased lightly before getting up and heading towards the door. "I have to get back to practicing. See you soon." With one final wink, she was gone, leaving WeS feeling a mix of relief and anticipation for their date ahead.

As the afternoon went by, Maria couldn't help but dwell on her conversation with WeS. She knew she had hurt them, and she wanted nothing more than to make it right. The thought of spending time with them tonight, away from the band and their constant obligations, filled her with happiness. Maybe they could even talk more about their feelings, find some common ground... or at least work on improving communication between them.

With renewed determination, Maria focused on her

The rest of the day went by quickly, and before she knew it, Maria was standing outside the café where they'd agreed to meet up. She smoothed down her clothes, adjusting her guitar case on her shoulder, and checked the time. Only a few minutes to go until their date started. A small smile spread across her face as she imagined seeing WeS again.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention, and she glanced up just in time to see WeS approaching. They looked incredibly handsome tonight, dressed casually yet effortlessly cool as always. Maria's heart raced with anticipation at the sight of them. With a warm smile, she waved them over, excitement filling her voice as she greeted them, "Hey! You made it."

"Well, you know what they say..." She paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "An hour late is just fashionably early!" As she teased them with a playful grin, Maria gestured to the empty couch where they had agreed to meet up earlier. "So, shall we?"

As they took their seats together, the waitress appeared with menus in hand, greeting them politely. "What would you like to order?" she asked, her smile warm and inviting. Maria glanced at WeS, unsure if they'd want anything particular. Before either of them could say anything, however, the waitress spoke up again.

"Actually, we have a special tonight that I think you two would enjoy," she said with a knowing wink in their direction. Maria felt her cheeks heat up as she realized the waitress must've overheard about their date status and was trying to be helpful. "It's our house-made lasagna, served with garlic bread and a small salad. What do you think?"

"Hmm... that actually sounds amazing," Maria replied, nodding in agreement. "Thank you! That'll be perfect." She glanced at WeS again, her cheeks still slightly flushed. "I hope you don't mind me not really choosing."

The waitress smiled before taking their order for the special and then departed, leaving them alone to continue chatting. Maria sipped on her water, feeling both excited and nervous about their date. The air between them seemed more relaxed now that they were off-campus and in a less stressful environment, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still amiss.

As they talked about random things, ranging from music to hobbies, Maria tried to gauge WeS's mood. They seemed happier now, but there was still an undercurrent of tension running beneath the surface. It made her wonder if she had done enough to

Listening carefully, Maria felt a pang in her chest at WeS's words. She knew she had messed up and caused hurt, but hearing it spoken out loud made the gravity of the situation hit her harder than before. For a moment, all she could do was nod slowly as if to acknowledge their feelings

Taking a deep breath, Maria leaned forward, meeting WeS's gaze. "I understand how that must have made you feel," she said quietly. "And I want you to know that I never meant for it to happen." Her voice wavered slightly as she continued, "You're not second place to me, WeS. You've always been and will always be the most important person in my life."

She paused for a moment, searching for the right words before finally adding, "I know I haven't been giving you enough time lately, and I promise to do better.

Just give me a little more time and I'll prove it to you. And if there's ever anything else you need from me, just say the word." Her heart felt heavy with sincerity as she spoke these words, hoping they would reach through to WeS and ease their pain.

For a moment, Maria could have sworn she saw a flicker of emotion in WeS's eyes before they regained their usual calm expression. But perhaps it was just her imagination playing tricks on her. Regardless, the silence that fell between them felt much lighter now, and Maria breathed out slowly, grateful for the chance to make things right.

Thank you for trusting me and giving me another chance, WeS. I won't let you down again. As for making it up to you... how about we plan a weekend getaway? Just the two of us, no distractions, just each other. That way we can really focus on our relationship and have some quality time together.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of a weekend getaway with just her and WeS. It sounded perfect, and she couldn't wait to make it happen. With renewed energy, she smiled brightly at them "I promise you won't regret it," she said eagerly. "We can plan everything now, right here. Where would you like to go? The beach? A cabin in the woods?" She scribbled down ideas on a napkin as they discussed their options, already feeling closer to WeS than before.

As they continued chatting and planning their dream weekend, Maria couldn't help but feel grateful for this second chance with WeS. No matter how busy her life got with school and music, she vowed never to take them for granted again. They meant everything to her, and she would do whatever it took to keep them happy and by her side.

*She chuckled, her cheeks flushing slightly as she glanced at them. "Oh, I just get really excited about planning things like this," she explained with a shrug. "I love surprises and making memories together." As they continued discussing their weekend escape ideas, her eyes sparkled with excitement for what was to come.

The rest of their date passed by in a blur of laughter, stories, and shared dreams. By the end of it, Maria felt more connected to WeS than ever before. The waitress brought out their meal, a steaming plate of house-made lasagna that smelled incredible. They devoured every bite, savoring each mouthful as they talked about everything under the sun. It was perfect in every way, and Maria knew she would cherish this night for a long time to come.*

She couldn't help but agree with the incredible taste of their dinner as they continued to eat in companionable silence, punctuated by occasional laughter and shared stories. The warmth in her chest only grew stronger as she watched WeS smile at her across the table; it was a feeling that was becoming increasingly rare these days, but something she'd always cherish when they came together again like this. As the night wore on, she found herself wishing it could last forever, knowing full well that once reality set back in tomorrow, things would likely return to their hectic norm again soon. But for now, she was content to revel in this perfect moment with WeS.