Protocol

The truth is, she never really thought of him as 'the type'.

But for one magical week it seemed like all the stars aligned.

And then, just as quickly, they crumbled to dust. Not once. Not twice. But over and over again. For a year.

She imagined often how it will be to run into him again. Because running into him is inevitable. She wonders if she should tell him that she will finish all matters. Or that she is thinking of moving to another country in the next ten years? She had read online that one must always sound cheerful and upbeat when you strike a conversation with an ex. They can both agree that he wasn't her boyfriend. So, she didn't owe him cheers and optimism. But she certainly didn't want to appear like she's devastated. One must manage the right amount of happiness and hint only vaguely at the remorse.

She could tell him that she didn't think of him. But that would be too childish. She could tell him that she never thought of their week together. That would be the truth, but unnecessary, don't you think? She could ask about the new developments in his life. But that might seem like she cared. And really, she didn't. See. This is why she had to strategize the inevitable running into him. She liked to being prepared for all possibilities.

And then today, she saw him at the cafe. He asked how she was and she told him that everything was just grand. He raised a quizzical eyebrow. They laughed. She told him how protocol required her to sound cheerful and this was her sounding cheerful. He said something about things not really being over between them. She said flippantly, that all her friends believed that. He said, she must be some special person if no one wants to leave you. How wrong he was. And then while he stared into his coffee, he said softly that she was special. She didn't skip a beat, she said that he was such a liar. He raised his hands up and said, guilty as charged. They laughed again. He said she must remembered him as such a jerk. She said no, she remembered that they were lucky to get away when they did or they might have killed each other. They both looked out of the window at the falling rain and laughed again while they agreed. They then mumbled something about a long day and rush out the door promising to call each other soon.

It was perverse consolation that he believes in protocol as well.