Page 142 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

And Andre held my gaze like he wasn’t going to let me look away from it.

I exhaled.

There was no easy way to say it, so I didn’t try to find one.

“Victor and I…” I paused, “…we’re back together.”

“WHAT?” all four of them said in unison, eyes bulging in disbelief.

“How?” Honey asked, leaning back, her brows pulling together.

“When?” Andi added, setting her coffee down a little too hard.

“Why?” Mel said, her hands flying to her head like she was trying to hold something together.

Andre didn’t say anything else—but the disbelief on his face hit me harder than anything.

“Victor,” I repeated, hoping it would land softer this time. “We ran into each other on New Year’s. And we’ve been talking again… Seeing each other…”

“Seeing each other,” Andre echoed, the words didn’t sit right in his mouth. “You mean dating?”

I shrugged lightly. “Something like that.”

“Something like that?” Andi let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “James⁠—”

“He hurt you,” Mel cut in hard, her voice trembling.

“I know,” I said quickly. “But we’re past that.”

“James,” Andi said, firmer this time. “He literally traumatized you.”

“Guys—”

“Did he apologize?” Honey asked.

“No, but⁠—”

“No?” Honey repeated, her frown seemingly eternal now. “How about some grand gesture? Something to sweep you off your feet?”

I shook my head. “No, he didn’t need to⁠—”

“Then what changed?” Andre asked, leaning forward. “What’s different now from before?”

That question stopped me. My tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth. Words suddenly harder to reach.

“Guys,” I finally said, trying to keep it light, trying to keep it from turning into something bigger than I was ready for. “You don’t understand.”

“And do you?” Andi shot back, hurt and confusion visible in her eyes. “Because from where we’re sitting, it looks like you just opened the door and let him walk right back in… just like that. Like you didn’t lose your sanity, cry for months, and disappear on everyone.”

“It wasn’t like that,” I insisted. “It just… happened.”

“Things don’t just happen, James,” Andre said. “You make choices.”

I let out a desperate breath, shaking my head. “It… feels… different now. And I can’t deny anymore. I still want him. I still love him. I wanna spend the rest of my life with him.”

Silence followed.

But their expressions didn’t change.