It had been a long time since she had been back there. Her old town remained eerily the same, even after such an absence. It was as if time stood still there, lending the place eternal youth.

She drew in a deep breath as she opened her car door and got out. Ahead of her lay the thing she had been dreading, the reason she had fled as far from that town as she could, but also what made her return.

*

A ghost. It had to be a ghost. He blinked repeatedly, but the apparition still stood not twenty feet away. He stood completely still, somewhat afraid that if he moved she would vanish. His breath was caught in his throat as she hesitantly walked toward him.

*

There was something about this town, and about him, that made her act completely out of character. As she reached him neither spoke a word to the other. It wasn't like either to stay silent. They acted as complete strangers.

*

He just let her walk past him. Even he didn't understand why. He owed her at least a few angry words and tension filled moments, but he didn't know if he was upset with her anymore. Actually he was unsure he felt anything for her anymore.

*

She let out a breath that she was unaware she was holding. This was all too much. She was having doubts about ever setting foot in this place again. It was too hard to relive it all. Too hard to face her past. Did he even recognize her? No, that was beside the point. What was she expecting? To be welcomed back with open arms?

*

He walked into the coffee shop, a sure place to find most anyone in the town. He took a seat at the counter, with an expression that mirrored a blank slate. "She's back.", he told his best friend simply. He got a curious look from his friend behind the counter, who understood but didn't believe what his friend had just told him.

*

She braced herself for a meeting with her family, or the remnants of which. Her mother and brother were the only two that still remained in that god forsaken town. Her brother stayed only because the seventeen year old wasn't quite ready to fend for himself. Her father had been dead for a few years now and her sister managed to get out and stay out. She knocked on the door to the moderately sized brick house and stepped back in anticipation.

*

He was indifferent to whether or not anyone believed him. He, of all people, would recognize her on the street. He sat there, feigning interest in his friends speech. Honestly, he couldn't care less about what was on TV the other night or the comings and goings of the people around town. All he could do was wonder, 'What made her come back?'.

*

They had to be kidding. How could no one be home? It seemed impossible, usually at least one person would be there, but there she was, standing on the door step for fifteen minutes with no answer. This day was just starting out perfectly, wasn't it? Ha, she should have known. Nothing ever went well for her in this town.

*

He was startled out of his reverie when he heard some sit down beside him and felt a hand on his shoulder. For a split second he was thought it was her, but he knew better. He turned to the smiling girl. Well to be more specific, his smiling girlfriend. Right now that smile was particularly nauseating, but he had already slipped into autopilot. Greeting her with a kiss and wrapping his arm around her waist, he inhaled his coffee and tried to forget the days previous events.

*

She meandered through the roads, simply taking in the familiar sights and pausing every now and then at the memories they invoked. She sighed as she realized where her feet had lead her. That famous little coffee shop. It was a wonder to her that Starbucks hadn't taken over yet. She stalked over and peeked discreetly into the window. Inside, she saw him sitting with some girl, undoubtedly a girlfriend or at the very least his latest fling. To anyone else the pair appeared to be blissfully happy or something to that extent, but she knew how to read him. She knew that look well, she could tell he wanted to get away.

*

He sighed, taking another sip of his coffee. At that moment he felt the air of the room change, and he heard some whispers coming from a few of the patrons. Turning around, he realized why there was such a sudden shift within the room. She had just walked in. He glance in her direction as she confidently walked toward the counter. His friend asked her, with a slightly stunned expression, what she would like and she ordered her traditional black coffee. It was nice to see something's never change.

*

All eyes were on her when she entered, that she expected considering how unceremoniously she left these people. She had already determined just to walk in and make her presence known, avoiding the mess of explaining to everyone why she was there. She wasn't positive why, and didn't feel like making excuses. She felt his eyes on her as she ordered and then walked over to a secluded table. She would be lying if she said she remained unaffected by the blonde at his side, but she'd be out of line voicing her thoughts. She wasn't so naive to think the moment she returned he'd be waiting to have her back.

*

He turned back to his coffee and looked almost mockingly towards his disbelieving friend. The girl beside him seemed oblivious to what had just occurred. He rolled his eyes, but wondered why she had just walked past him twice that day. Well perhaps he knew her well enough to understand that much. She seemed to be too afraid to talk to anyone, but then bold enough to make her presence known so openly. A singular question still haunted his mind, 'Why?'.

*

She had enough. Enough coffee and enough 'people watching'. She stood and exited the little cafe quietly. She walked 'home' to see if anyone had returned. No one was there yet, figures. A neighbor, who was outside completing some yard work, looked at her curiously and then informed her that her mother went on vacation and her brother was supposedly staying with a friend. She thanked the old woman and managed a weak smile. So much for family, huh? She wondered if they still kept the spare key in the same place. She instantly spotted the fake rock and removed the key with a wry laugh. Something's were so obvious they defeated their purpose.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Starbucks, although it'd be nice to have so much coffee.