One Year.

Regardless of age, humans went through growth. We could be at the ripe age of eighty, and still, be learning things about ourselves. A year ago, I was a caterpillar hidden in my cocoon, terrified to face the realities of the world. I couldn't get the girl I thought I loved and gave up on the whole world because of it.

In hindsight, it's funny to think about how obsessed I came off. Lana ripped the skin of my cocoon by entering me into the competition. The last thing I expected was to fall back in love with cooking and meet the love of my life. As months passed by, hanging around with Davina, my cocoon shred and shred.

But at the end of it, I clung onto the last piece of my skin, scared to go on without it. So, I ruined everything before it could go full circle. If I wanted to be a better man, I had to shred my skin and transform into a butterfly. Maybe I had plenty of things to work on, but I had grown into someone I almost didn't recognize.

Hammering the last nail, I stepped down from the letter and admired the sign sporting the words 'Birria BSD restaurant'. The scorching sun boiled my exposed skin from the heatwave hitting us this week. Signs for special deals on opening day hung around the cream-white walls. Shimmery Harmony had been thrown into another dimension, reflecting my dream comfort place.

Circular pendant lights and chandeliers hung over the tables and booths. Whitewash backless bar stools surrounded the wooden surface of the bar with a white granite top. Paintings dangled around the restaurant. A few of my own creations and others were polaroids of the most important people in my life. If I had to count who was in every inch of the restaurant, Davina would be the winner.

The bell chimed from the door, swinging open. With a full-scale smile, Lana sauntered through, her eyes widening at the wonders of the restaurant. Of course, she came two hours before opening. Her body was devoured by a sky-blue baby doll dress resting at the knees. I hope she brought her uniform or it would be a shame to work in that dress.

"Oh, my God!" she shrieked. "I know you showed me all the designs before going through with it, but it's even better seeing it in person. This is going to be a hit, Ambrose."

I laughed. "I hope so."

A ding came from Lana's phone, capturing her attention. "Catalina is running a bit late, but she's going to be here. Mikel was being a little brat, so he made them take an extra stop."

An agitated knot clenched in my forehead. "For how evil Mikel acts, you would think it's Meadow's baby instead. I swear, it's just like her."

Lana giggled. "Catalina and Cameron spoil him too much. He's only going to get worse with age. I'm going to have to talk with Mrs. Novak about keeping the gifts to a minimum whenever Declan and I decide to have one."

Suddenly, the door swung open with a thud, almost knocking down the painting on my walls. "The bitch Queen has arrived," Meadow announced, her arm tangled with her boyfriend Nate, who's carrying a gift basket.

"Meadow!" Lana jumped into her arms. "I love what you have done with your hair! Hot pink looks incredible on you! Maybe I should get adventurous with haircuts." She flicked her hair around her finger.

"You could work a Jack Skeleton vibe," Nate chimed in.

"So, she can look like an old lady?" Meadow scoffed, arching her brows. "Thanks for the terrible suggestion."

Nate pinched the bridge of his nose. "You always like to act so tough in front of your friends."

"That's because I am tough!"

He rolled his eyes. "Ambrose, where should I put the basket?" He swerved in both directions, stepping back and forth. "We have a few more in the car."

"Over there." I pointed to the break room. "Why do you have so many?"

"The business company I work for is funded by these chocolate companies or some shit, so they give their customers tons and tons of products," Nate replied, his voice faintly heard from the bar.

"I gave you all the chocolates I hate." Meadow stuck her tongue out.

My lips curled to grimace. "I wouldn't expect anything else from you, Meadow."

"Lana!" Declan's dull voice stormed through the room as he poked his head in. "You forgot your apron. I asked you if you were leaving anything behind."

Lana wore a worried expression as she roamed closer to her husband. "I could've sworn I brought it with me."

A faint smile reached his black irises. "Yeah. You did. But you forgot to give me my goodbye kiss." His eyes evoked an incredible amount of love as Lana went onto her tippy toes to give her husband a smooch.

"I thought you didn't like PDA." Meadow swirled around in the barstool, keeping her gaze away from the disturbingly adorable couple.

Laughter rippled through Declan. "I guess Lana just knows how to bring out that side of me." Declan's softened gaze hardened when it met mine. "Sorry I can't join you guys for the grand opening. I'll be around later for the afterparty."

I sent a thumps-up. "Don't stress about it. School comes first."

"Alright." The bell jingled as Declan closed the door behind him.

With the competition for Lana's love out of the picture, I recognized Declan wasn't half bad as he seemed. Four years with Lana did a work on him. The asshole persona he sported in high school had molded into a condensed, sweeter version.

As I struggled to keep up with my apartment payments, Declan's parents offered to live in their newly brought apartment complex where I could alternate the cost of every month. Without a doubt, I took them up on their offer and had the ability to focus more on my restaurant. I wondered how they received the information of my current living situation until I heard Declan having a conversation with his parents.

It really changed my perspective of him.

Our friendship might've been rocky from the start. We might still bump heads, but he was good in my books.

"I'm going to go start the grills!" I announced, kicking the kitchen door.

The grand opening was a success. Catalina popped the bottle of champagne, causing the fuzz to tumble to the floor. Naturally, my popularity from Competition of the Century brought a roar of customers to the restaurant, and if that wasn't enough, Catalina tweeted about it to her five-hundred thousand followers. My entire body ached like a bad sunburn, and I would do anything for a massage, but I wouldn't want any other way. During peak hours, I felt my passion flow through my fingers as I instructed my own staff and checked around at the smiling customers.

"I've been waiting for this all day." Catalina's eyes widened with amusement as she filled her champagne glass. "I love Mikel, but I missed drinking my brains away."

Cameron smirked. "That's probably how he was made."

My nose crinkled in disgust. "We don't need the details on how baby Mikel was conceived."

"If you think my sex stories are bad, you should listen to Meadow's." Catalina nudged her pink-haired friend, who sported a scowl. "You and Nate are pretty adventurous, right? Like into that bondage shit."

Nate's eyes grew with alarm. "Is there anything you keep a secret?"

Meadow rose her hands up in defensive. "I told Cata in confidences, besides she was asking about how to spice up the bedroom."

Lana rose her hand with a clueless expression on her face. "What's bondage again?"

Meadow stifled a laugh, giving a long, dreadful glance at Declan. "Seems like Declan is into that vanilla shit. You would think with all that pent-up anger, he would be tying Lana up and shit."

Hiccups passed through Lana's lips. "Declan doesn't like vanilla. He's more of a coffee type of guy." To end everyone's misery, I crept over to her ear and whispered what Meadow was implying. She gasped. "Ew. Ew. Ew. Now, I'm never going to view Nate the same again."

"Me too," Declan deadpanned.

"What about me?" Meadow exclaimed, accidentally spilling her drink as she shook her hand.

"Well, you're a masochist," I chimed in with pouty lips.

Lana nodded. "True..."

Disbelief passed across Meadow's features as a modest snicker left her lips. "Okay, Mr. Bright. What about your sexual relations with Davina? I heard she's into some freaky shit. Or maybe you don't know since you dumped her."

The lighthearted, playful tension switched into a silent one at the mention of her name. These days, Davina's name was like Lord Voldemort. Forbid to be said by anyone. Everyone knew the relationship hadn't fully ended, that feelings lingered on. It took a leg and an arm to be okay with my decision.

For weeks after Davina left, I was a completely hollow shell, just going along with what the world threw at me. I had begun working on my restaurant, but something was always missing. Someone. So, to ease the pain, I deleted my social media accounts that were swamped with Davbrose shippers and found new outlets to express my distress. From that day forward, no one mentioned Davina's name unless I brought it up.

Expect for Meadow.

She has the tendencies to be a brat sometimes. Especially if you call her out on the bullshit she does.

Pain shot through my chest.

"Meadow!" Lana reprimanded, elbowing her in the ribcage.

The damage was done. I wasn't exactly in the party mood anymore. Everyone knew how badly I wanted to experience this with Davina. It's my own fucking fault. I hadn't grown enough courage to go after her. What happened if she didn't want me anymore? If our ship left the dock for good? I missed her so fucking much.

With an unamused scowl, I said in a low, muffled tone, "Now, I'm going to go check the back room. I think I might've left something there." As I trudged to the back room, Lana and Catalina weren't afraid to chastise Meadow.

"Gosh, you're such a bitch!" Catalina snorted a light bitterness in it. "Is every bone in your body so fucking insensitive?"

"Meadow..." Lana muttered. "That's so cruel."

Meadow sighed. "It just slipped out."

Guilt nipped at my heart like a hummingbird pecking at tree bark. I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere of the celebration, but I couldn't act like her comments didn't hurt a wounded place. All I needed was a few minutes alone, then I'll be handy dandy.

Hopefully.

Their voices grew faint as I strode through the backroom to the stairwell which led to the rooftop. My comfy dollar-tree chair rested by the edge of the building with a rundown telescope. I found it at a thrift shop, and it seemed to work just fine. On days when the heaviness in my chest became too much, I liked to admire the stars and think maybe she was looking on the other side of the world.

The chair creaked as if dragged against the concrete ground. Settling myself in the chair, I stuffed my eye in the telescopes, twisting around to cherish the full scope of tonight's sky. I wondered what's Davina was doing... It's the afternoon her time. She could've been doing a million various things. Does she spend her days thinking about me? My soul was torn at either response because I wanted to live as if hadn't bothered her, but I wanted to see she still cared.

Two soft palms thrust my back forward, slamming my head against the telescope. "Boo!"

Lana's brutal ambush left me feeling tender at my forehead. "You didn't have to leave the others to check up on me. I'm doing okay."

"Ambrose..." Lana exhaled a breath. "If you're up here, then you aren't doing okay. You only come when everything becomes too much."

"That must be pretty often then," I countered with a teeny grin.

Silence inched over us like a calming presence. Lana rested her elbows at the edge of the rooftop, admiring the view of the cars zipping past us. It's enchanting and easy to get lost in. I returned my attention to the telescope, fixating on twinkling white pixels in the sky.

"Ambrose..." Lana's voice died down as if she was contemplating what to say next. "Don't you think it's time to reach out? It's been a year since she left. You have grown a lot since that day, and I'm not just talking about the stubble you're sporting."

I chafed my stubble chin with a charming grin. "I'm thinking about growing a full-on beard."

Lana gritted her teeth in disapproval. "Maybe rethink that choice."

"Okay."

"Now, stop avoiding the question." She playfully narrowed her eyes.

My knee shook rigorously. "You're right. I've grown a lot this year. I achieved things I couldn't even imagine, but I'm burdened with guilt. It's one of those days in which I regret not following her to France." I cracked my knuckles as my thoughts gathered into sentences. "I can't lie... that I fear maybe she moved on. What happened if I called to hear her hanging out with another guy? I couldn't blame her. I basically left her in the dust at the airport. But it would break me."

Lana nodded, intently. "Life is full of taking leaps. You should know that. It's possible she could've moved on, but why live with the unknown? Then you will know the truth and can move on, too. But from my knowledge, she hasn't been with anyone. In the end, you love her, so go after her. You will live with regrets if you don't."

College has changed Lana into a philosopher. Her words pulled on the right strings, and I threw caution at the wind. I regretted not going after her a year ago. If I wait any longer, I'm going to meet my demise. I needed the truth.

I needed to know if Davina and I stood a chance.

As Lana's footsteps shuffled to the door, I pulled out my phone and called someone who would give me the information I needed.

One ring.

Two.

Three.

"Hello?"

I scratched the nape of my neck. "Wesley? How's everything in France? Am I calling in a bad time?"

He chuckled. "Nah! I getting ready to go out tonight."

"That's cool."

"Yup."

Nothing made the tension grow awkward without a sprinkle of silence.

"So, are you going to ask about Davina, or we're going to keep this small talk going?" Wesley asked, I could see his geeky grin.

I bit my lip. "How's she doing?"

Wesley drew in a large breath. "Pretty good. Her sister flew out with Darius, so they've been hanging out a lot. Umm... she seems pretty happy."

My heart lurched with unease. "Is she seeing anyone new?"

"Straight to the point. I like it." Wesley chuckled, a sizzling sound came from his line. "The only guy she hangs out with is me, and we are not dating. She's fragile since she's been waiting around for someone who doesn't seem to make a peep."

The guilt was overwhelming me. "I want to, Wes. So badly. Do you think I stand a fighting chance?"

"Would my answer stop you?"

Laughter riffled through me. "Probably not."

"Then I'll leave you in the unknown."

One question hovered over me. "Did she like it?"

"She did. She wears it every day," he responded.

A wave of tenderness almost drew out the tears that have been building up. The fact that she hadn't opened it meant she was truly waiting for the day she was happy again. The nerves in my veins overpowered me, but I was taking a leap of faith.

"Wesley... I'm going to need your help."

Aww it's soo sad! Even with all the success Ambrose had, a piece is still missing. He needs Davina 🥺🥺❤️❤️ do you guys think she will forgive him? What do you think he has planned?

We're about to reach the final chapter.... Are you guys ready to cry with me? Love ya❤️❤️❤️❤️💜💜💜❤️❤️❤️❤️