Summer's Last Firefly

o leave Vincent Yat

g a cake, I headed to his apartment, brimming with excitement.

ad gone cold and been r

knocked on the door, half-carrying a dru

n the couch, so I dragged him to the bedroom. As I maneuver

ll buzzing filled my ears. Ignoring the pain

softly, "Are you hungr

ing like a child in his sle

had given me. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror

with a vulnerability that seemed foreign to his usual proud demeanor

ruel

n't S

Vincent lived and re

as an editor and even

fined, with a hint of childishness. He loved to coo

nspoken agreement to avoid discussing our past relationships. In ma

gain, Clint and I had plans

alator. Typing furiously, I texted Clint, "Sorry, I was stuck i

, if you, my dear editor, were as patient with my dea

t to reply with an emphatic "Never gon

ren

of people was descending o

impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, h

o mine, lips moving

g in opposite directions, we g

e said, though

dn't loo

rection and follow

ught up, breathless. "Serena, I told

calmly. "Do you

front of him, but now, I refused

t important?" His tone was sharp, his usu

respond when footsteps

n hoodie made me easy to spot, and he approached with a large buc

hand, intertwining ou

rd, but Vincent gra

s glinting with anger. "Se

er put me in difficult situations, but Vincent's a

his tone sharper. "I'm tel

think he is?

re to watch a movie with my boyfriend. If you want to

centered. What I didn't realize was

a pivotal moment when Vincent, following us, stormed into the t

blocked the view of several rows. His voice

stop this!

deeper into my seat, torn between anger and em

ide. We ne

you to

ed, his expression as cold as stone. He re

rang to his feet. Placing himself squarely between Vincent and me, he rai

down! We c

at's wrong wit

ully aware that continuing this would only cause more disruption. Fru

hrew a sharp glance at Clint, who had trailed us.

eck on me. Satisfied that I was un

ze, but Clint spoke first, a

ide. Call if yo

.

a porcelain coffee cup. His composed

ing the cup down with deliberate precision. It fel

r. Serena, did you really th

nk that," I r

raduated and applied for an editor

eant repeated rejections elsewhere, so when HR suggest

e courage to show him my project proposals, like the other editors. But he would

wasn't much better. When we w

g firm. I was a fresh graduate. Being wi

my dreams of editing, and devoted myself entirely t