The Reason She Came Back
I thought about Vanessa longer than I wanted to.
Not because I was planning anything.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
There was something about seeing someone from your past after months of silence. You suddenly remember little things you’d forgotten—the jokes, the arguments, the way they used to look at you when they already knew what you were thinking.
By Saturday evening, I had almost convinced myself to leave it alone.
Missed the last story? Discover where Vanessa comes to the Picture
Then my phone buzzed.
Vanessa.
You didn’t ask me what happened.
I smiled.
You told me not to.
A few seconds later:
I know.
That was Vanessa.
Always leaving just enough space for me to ask the question myself.
I called her.
“What’s going on?”
She was quiet for a moment.
“I just needed someone who already knew me.”
That answer caught me off guard.
“You have friends.”
“I know.”
“Then why me?”
She laughed softly.
“Because you already know the messy version.”
I smiled.
That was probably true.
We met later at a small café, nothing fancy. Just somewhere we could talk without shouting over music.
She told me about the man she was seeing.
He was decent. Responsible. He treated her well.
There was no dramatic cheating story. No obvious villain.
That almost made it harder.
“So what’s wrong?” I asked.
She looked at her coffee.
“I don’t know.”
“You just said he’s good to you.”
“He is.”
“Then?”
She sighed.
“Sometimes knowing something isn’t right doesn’t mean you’re ready to leave it.”
I leaned back.
For once, I didn’t have a clever response.
Maybe because I understood what she meant.
People don’t always stay because they’re happy.
Sometimes they stay because leaving is harder.
We talked for a while after that. Old stories. Work. Bikes. The things we’d both been doing since we stopped seeing each other.
It felt strangely easy.
Like the months between us hadn’t happened.
Then she said something that changed the mood.
“He knows about you.”
I looked at her.
“Who?”
She gave me that look.
“You know who.”
I laughed.
“Why does he know about me?”
“I mentioned you.”
“Mentioned me how?”
She shrugged.
“Just as someone from my past.”
“That’s all?”
She smiled.
“I didn’t tell him everything.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Everything?”
“Relax, Max.”
I laughed.
“Now you’re making me curious.”
“I know.”
She finished her coffee and stood up.
“I’ll see you around.”
“That sounds suspiciously like you’re disappearing again.”
“Maybe.”
She smiled and walked away.
I watched her leave, wondering what exactly she had told this guy about me.
I didn’t have to wonder for long.
Later that evening, my phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
Max? We haven’t met, but I think we should.
I stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
It’s about Vanessa.
I leaned back on the couch.
Well…
Apparently, Vanessa wasn’t the only one who had come back.
Catchup with the latest on Nanjala’s Naughty: Diary I Knew Better.I Went Anyway.