They hadn’t seen each other in five years.

Lena stood under the café awning, watching the rain fall — the same café where she and Mark had their last fight.

He showed up, right on time. Still had that nervous smile.

“Hey,” he said. “You look the same.”

She laughed. “Cut to the chase. Why now?”

Mark took a deep breath. “Because I never really moved on. And I heard you were back in town.”

Lena looked away. “That’s a blast from the past.”

They sat down, awkward silence between them.

Mark finally spoke. “I know I messed up.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You think?”

“I didn’t know how to love you right back then. I was just a kid trying to play it cool.”

Lena sipped her coffee. “You always ran when things got real.”

“I’m not running now.”

She looked at him.

“Then say what you came to say.”

He reached across the table. “I still love you.”

She stared at his hand.
“You’re five years late, Mark. But… I still think about you too.”

Outside, the rain kept falling.

Maybe some feelings don’t go away overnight.

Idioms Used in the Story

1. Cut to the chase

Meaning: Get to the point; skip unnecessary details.
Examples:

• Let’s cut to the chase — are you firing me?
• She cut to the chase and asked him why he left.

2. Blast from the past

Meaning: Something or someone from a long time ago.
Examples:

• Seeing my old crush was a total blast from the past.
• That song is a blast from the past!

3. Play it cool

Meaning: Act calm, not show emotions, especially in romantic or tense situations.
Examples:

• He tried to play it cool when she walked in.
• Don’t freak out — just play it cool.

4. Go away overnight

Meaning: Disappear quickly or suddenly (usually used for feelings/emotions).
Examples:

• Love like that doesn’t go away overnight.
• His anger didn’t go away overnight.

5. Mess up

Meaning: Make a mistake; do something wrong.
Examples:

• I messed up and forgot our anniversary.
• He knows he messed up but wants to fix it.