“I’m so sorry. Things are blowing up back at the concert hall. Do you mind if we cut this short?”
My shoulders slumped in disappointment. Was this how it was going to be? Always fighting to make time to see each other and being interrupted in the few small pockets of time when we did? I eyed Neil. He looked disappointed, too, but not enough to stay and finish the date.
“Neil…” I started, trailing off.
“Yeah?”
“Look, it’s fine if you can’t make time for me. Your work is important. You just need to come out and tell me and not string me along.”
“Ailey, that’s not—”
I looked down at my glass. “Maybe it’s better if you don’t have any distractions.”
Neil froze. “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying that maybe things were better when we were just flirting over messages.”
“…Do you want to break up?”
I gave him a sad smile. “You can’t break up with someone if you weren’t together in the first place.”
Neil looked pained.
“We tried, Neil, but maybe it’s for the best. We’re both busy people. We’re here to work, after all. Maybe a relationship is just too much to ask for.”
“When I first asked you out, before we even met in person, I meant it. I really did. I’m sorry if it seems like I don’t want this.”
“Neil, it’s okay. We never made any promises. We just wanted to see if there was any chemistry between us, remember?”
“Are you telling me there’s no chemistry?” He took my hand and slowly stroked my palm, running his fingers up and down the skin of my wrist, sending shivers through my spine. I pulled my hand away.
“Sometimes chemistry isn’t enough.”
Neil opened his mouth as if he wanted to protest, but no words came out. He looked frustrated, like he was looking for the perfect words to make me stay.
I stood up and gave his hand a squeeze. “It’s fine, Neil. We can still be friends. I guess we just weren’t meant to be anything more.”
He looked up at me as I laid down a bill to pay for my drink. I thought he wanted to stand up and tell me not to go, but he knew the words I’d spoken were true.
“See you around, Neil.”
