The breeze from the Thames carried the faint scent of rain as Emily tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“We never did go to that cinema that time, did we?” James blurted out, all his rehearsed words forgotten.
They sat on the riverside bench, laughing about how they’d go to university, get degrees, buy a flat in London someday—
“I’ll get a posh car, the fastest one. We’ll make it, Em,” James said, skimming a pebble across the water.
“We’ll go on holiday to Spain or France,” Emily added, watching the ripples fade. Then her smile dimmed. “Though first, we have to actually get into uni. God, I’m sick of studying already.”
“We will.” James wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
It felt like no one had ever loved like they did, that nothing could ever pull them apart.
“Let’s head back. Mum’ll be worrying, and it’s getting cold.” Emily stood, wincing as her new shoes pinched. She kicked them off and walked barefoot over the cool pavement.
“Fancy the cinema tomorrow? There’s a brilliant film on,” James said, strolling beside her as they talked about nothing and everything.
“See you tomorrow,” Emily said outside her house, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek before darting inside.
“So, should I book the tickets?” he called after her.
She didn’t answer, just smiled at the door.
The city still slept, but the short June night was ending, dawn smothering the stars. Their first day as proper adults.
James crept into the flat, careful not to wake his mum, and fell asleep instantly—happy, certain of tomorrow. By afternoon, he was under Emily’s window. She peered out, then rushed outside.
“Got the tickets,” James said, waving them.
“Sorry, Jamie, I can’t. Mum’s sister’s here—she’s moving to Germany and leaving us her London flat. We have to go tomorrow to sort it out… I’m moving there.”
“When are you coming back?” James asked, still not quite processing.
“Dunno. I’ll study there.”
“What about me? What about us? We were supposed to—”
“Jamie, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. It’s not the moon—you can visit! Or—why don’t you apply to a London uni too?” Her eyes lit up. “Seriously, come with me!”
“And live where? What would your parents say? I don’t have rich aunts handing me flats. How do I tell my mum? She’s on her own—”
“We’ll figure it out,” Emily said breezily.
“When are you leaving?” His voice cracked.
“Tomorrow morning. I’ve got to pack. It’s all so sudden… Jamie, if you love me, you’ll find a way.”
James didn’t answer. He turned and walked away.
Emily called after him, but he didn’t look back. As soon as she was out of sight, his pace slowed to a shuffle. His chest ached. “She’ll forget me,” he thought bitterly. “Who am I? Just some nobody from the Midlands.”
“Fine, go then. I’ll be just fine. You’ll regret it,” he muttered all the way home.
For two days, he lay facedown in bed. His mum nearly called an ambulance.
“You’d better start revising, Jamie. If you fail, they’ll ship you off to the army. Emily won’t want you then—just another failure.”
Her words jolted him. He forced himself to study, Emily’s face swimming in his mind. Between books, he punished himself on the pull-up bar outside, too exhausted to think of her. He’d achieve everything they’d dreamed of—then show up in London and— But first, he had to get into uni.
He did, to his mum’s delight. Every day, he waited for a letter from Emily. He’d have written, but he never asked for her address. Stupid. He could’ve visited—but how do you find one girl in London?
He held onto hope all through uni. As graduation neared, recruiters came. James applied to a new factory outside London—closer to Emily, maybe.
His mum approved. Six months later, he got a flat. A year after that, he married Lucy from accounting—cheerful, brown-eyed, quick to laugh. Their daughter was named Amelia.
“I hate that name. So old-fashioned,” Lucy pouted.
“Timeless, more like. Amy. It’s perfect,” James insisted.
A decade later, James was deputy director. A big house, a luxury car. His mum sold her flat to help and moved in to watch Amy.
Business trips took him to China, Italy, Germany…
One night, he dreamed of Emily. She stood by the river, just like after graduation. “We never did go to that cinema,” she said sadly.
He rarely thought of her—when he did, it was like flipping through an old photo album. But after that dream, she wouldn’t leave his mind. Where was she? Married, likely. The thought stung. He needed her to see his success—the life he’d built without her.
One lunch break, he searched her name on social media, adding their hometown. Hundreds of Emilys—but none were his. Until he spotted her.
She looked different—posh house, swimming pool, playing with a Rottweiler. Then a photo with a little boy…
Her bio was sparse: lives in Germany, married, one son… He remembered her “once-in-a-lifetime chance.” Well, she’d done better than she’d dreamed. So had he. So why did his chest hurt?
He messaged her—short, polite. No reply. Then he noticed: she hadn’t logged in for two years.
Maybe she’d made the account just so he’d find her. The thought warmed him—she’d been looking for him too.
He called an old schoolmate, now a detective. “Help me find her parents’ address.”
“In London? You’re joking,” came the reply.
Two days later: “They sold the flat, but I’ve got their ID details.”
James spent evenings at the computer. Lucy noticed. While he was out, she checked his laptop—found Emily’s profile.
“That her?” she asked when he got home, pointing at the screen.
“Just an old schoolmate. Random find.”
“Right.” Lucy’s fingers trembled. “Mum said you were hung up on someone. That why Amy’s named Amelia? You built all this to show her? Proved you’re not just some Midlands lad?”
James flushed.
“You need to see her,” Lucy said, voice breaking. “The past won’t let go until you do.”
He swore he loved Lucy now, that his family was everything—but the address gnawed at him.
One day, he went.
Emily’s mum didn’t recognise him. Then Emily appeared—pale, thinner, but still her.
“James?” Her voice was disbelief, joy, guilt.
“We never did go to that cinema,” he said, all prepared words gone.
Over tea, she told him: divorced, lost custody, fled Germany broke.
“I made it, though,” he said. “Trips, a good job, a family… I’d trade it all to go back.”
“What would you do?” she whispered.
“Not let you go.”
Her arms wrapped around him from behind. He almost turned—almost. But this wasn’t love. Just pity.
He left his number. “Call if you need anything.”
Outside, her voice chased him down the stairs, but he didn’t stop.
Time had frozen inside that flat. Now it rushed forward, back to Lucy and Amy, waiting for him.
Lucy was right. Seeing Emily had set him free. No use dwelling—time to move on.
