Love triangles • 13min read

Rekindling Old Flames: A Love Triangle Story

The Reappearance

Claire sat at her desk, staring at the computer screen. She had been working on a proposal for the last hour and was getting nowhere. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with an incoming message. She picked it up to see that it was from Alex.

The name brought back a flood of memories - some good, some bad. They had dated for two years in college before breaking up right before graduation. Claire hadn’t heard from him since then and wondered why he was reaching out now.

She hesitated for a moment before opening the message:

“Hey Claire, it’s been so long! How are you doing?”

Claire bit her lip as she thought about how to respond. A part of her wanted to ignore him and move on with her day, but another part was curious about what he had to say.

In the end, curiosity won out and she typed back:

“I’m good, thanks for asking! What brings you back into my life after all these years?”

A few seconds later, his reply came through:

“I saw your engagement announcement online and wanted to congratulate you! It got me thinking about old times.”

Claire’s heart skipped a beat as she read the words. She knew where this conversation was heading - towards memories of their past together.

Despite herself, she felt a twinge of excitement at the prospect of catching up with Alex again after all these years…

The Unexpected Message

Claire was sitting at her desk, staring blankly at her computer screen. She had been working on the same spreadsheet for hours, and her eyes were starting to blur. She rubbed them wearily and glanced down at her phone. The screen lit up with a new message notification.

She picked it up eagerly, hoping for some distraction from work. But when she read the message, she froze.

It was from Alex - her ex-boyfriend whom she hadn’t spoken to in years. Her heart started racing as memories of their time together flooded back into her mind. They had broken up on good terms but lost touch over time.

Claire’s fingers hovered over the keyboard as she tried to think of what to say back. Should she ignore him or reply? She didn’t want to be rude, but neither did she want Mark to misunderstand anything.

In the end, curiosity won out over caution and Claire decided to respond:

“Hey Alex! Long time no talk! How have you been?”

As soon as the message sent, Claire felt a flutter in her stomach - a mix of excitement and apprehension about what this could mean for her future with Mark.

Old Flames

Claire couldn’t believe she was sitting across from Alex again. It had been years since they last saw each other and so much had changed. Yet, as they sipped their lattes at the corner café, it felt like no time had passed at all.

She studied him while he chatted away about his job and recent travels. He looked good – better than ever, actually. The scruffy beard he used to sport was gone, replaced by a clean-shaven face that showed off his sharp jawline. His hair was styled in a trendy cut that made him look younger than his thirty-five years.

As Claire listened to him speak, memories of their past flooded back into her mind. She remembered their first date – a picnic in Central Park where they fed each other grapes and watched the sun set over Manhattan’s skyline. She remembered the way he made her laugh with his silly jokes and how safe she felt in his arms.

But those happy thoughts were quickly followed by darker ones - arguments over petty things, jealousy-fueled fights when one of them got too close to another person…and then there was the ultimate betrayal that caused them to split up for good.

Alex seemed to sense her shift in mood because he stopped talking mid-sentence and reached across the table to take her hand. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, looking into her eyes with an intensity that sent shivers down Claire’s spine. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

Claire pulled away slightly but didn’t let go of Alex’s hand completely. “It’s okay,” she said with a small smile, trying not to show how affected she was by his touch. “We can’t just talk about work all day.”

Coffee and Memories

Claire sat nervously at the small coffee shop, her heart racing with anticipation. It had been years since she last saw Alex, and now he was on his way to meet her for coffee. As she waited, she couldn’t help but think about their past.

She remembered how they met in college and how quickly they fell in love. They spent countless nights talking about their dreams and aspirations; it was a time of pure bliss. But as soon as they graduated, life got in the way, and they slowly drifted apart.

As Claire’s thoughts drifted back to reality, Alex walked through the door. He looked just like she remembered - tall with piercing blue eyes that could make anyone weak at the knees. As he approached her table, Claire felt a wave of emotions flood over her.

They started by catching up on what happened after graduation: where they lived, what kind of jobs they have now, etcetera. It didn’t take long before their conversation turned more personal.

“Remember when we used to sit here for hours just talking?” Alex said with a smile.

Claire nodded in agreement as memories flooded back into her mind: late-night talks about everything from politics to superhero movies; sharing ice cream cones while sitting on park benches; laughing until their stomachs hurt.

“I miss those days,” Claire admitted softly.

“Me too,” Alex replied wistfully. “And I know this might sound crazy… but I still have feelings for you.”

Claire’s heart skipped a beat at his confession. She hadn’t expected him to say something like that out loud but deep down inside knew that she felt the same way too — though whether she would acknowledge it is another matter altogether.

Second Thoughts

Claire thought that something was not right. She had been going over it for days, and still, her mind was foggy with doubt. Her thoughts were consumed by Alex and their time together.

Mark noticed the change in her demeanor; she was distant and preoccupied. He tried to talk to her about it, but Claire shut down every time he brought up the subject.

One day, as they were walking in a nearby park, Claire finally opened up to him. “I don’t know if I’m ready,” she said softly.

“Ready for what?” Mark asked in confusion.

“For us,” Claire replied hesitantly. “For marriage.”

Mark’s face fell at his fiancée’s words. “What changed?” he asked with disappointment.

“I don’t know,” Claire said with tears rolling down her cheeks. “I just feel like I need more time.”

Mark sighed heavily and looked into Claire’s eyes. “Okay,” he said calmly after a moment of contemplation. “Take all the time you need.”

Claire felt guilty for hurting Mark, but she knew that she had to be true to herself before making any hasty decisions.

As they walked back home hand-in-hand, Claire thought about Alex again and wondered where he was now and how different things would have been if they had stayed together all those years ago.

Claire’s Doubts

Claire sat at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her. She had been trying to focus on work all morning, but her mind kept wandering back to Alex. It had been weeks since they met up for coffee, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something unfinished between them.

She thought about Mark, her fiancé. He was kind and caring, always doing little things to make her feel loved. But lately, she couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.

As much as she tried to push it aside and convince herself that everything was fine, the doubts kept creeping in. Was Mark really the one for her? Or did she let go of someone special when she ended things with Alex?

The Unspoken Unease

Mark noticed that something was off with Claire - he just wasn’t sure what it was. She seemed distant and preoccupied lately, often lost in thought during their conversations.

He tried to ask her about it a few times but each time he brought it up, Claire brushed it off or changed the subject. He didn’t want to push too hard and risk upsetting her further, so he decided to give her space.

But deep down, he knew that something wasn’t right. Was there someone else? Had he done something wrong? Mark felt helpless and frustrated by his inability to figure out what was going on with Claire.

As days turned into weeks without any resolution or explanation from Claire’s part , Mark began questioning if they were really meant for each other after all this time together

The Confession

Claire knew she had to tell Mark about her feelings for Alex. She couldn’t keep it a secret any longer, and she didn’t want to hurt him anymore by hiding the truth. She asked to meet him at their favorite café, hoping that the familiarity of the place would make it easier for them to talk.

When Mark arrived, Claire could see the worry etched on his face. He asked her what was going on, and she took a deep breath before starting to explain everything. She told him how Alex had contacted her after all these years and how they had met up for coffee. She talked about how they reminisced about their past and how those memories made her realize that she still had feelings for him.

Mark listened in silence as Claire spoke, his eyes focused on hers but not saying anything until she finished talking. Then he leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” he said finally, looking down at his hands clasped tightly together on the table between them.

Claire felt tears prickling behind her eyes as she reached across the table and took one of Mark’s hands in hers.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Mark squeezed her hand gently before pulling away from her grasp.

“I need some time to think,” he said firmly, standing up from the table. “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

With that, he walked out of the café without looking back, leaving Claire alone with her thoughts and regrets.

The Confession

Claire felt a sense of relief wash over her as she sat across from Mark, ready to confess everything. She took a deep breath and began to speak, “Mark, there is something that has been bothering me for weeks now.”

He looked up from his coffee cup and eyed her with curiosity. “What is it?” he asked gently.

“It’s about Alex,” she said hesitantly. “I’ve been feeling conflicted about my feelings for him.”

Mark’s expression changed immediately. He put down his cup and leaned forwards. “What do you mean? Do you still have feelings for him?”

Claire nodded slowly, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew this would be hard for Mark to hear but it was necessary.

Mark was quiet for a long moment before finally speaking up, “I understand that you need time to figure things out.” He reached across the table and took Claire’s hand in his own.

She felt guilty for hurting him but also relieved that he wasn’t angry or lashing out at her like she had feared.

Meanwhile, Alex couldn’t stop thinking about Claire after their meeting at the cafe. He knew that he needed to make his move soon if he wanted any chance of winning her back.

He sent text messages and called Claire constantly until finally one day she agreed to meet with him again.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we last saw each other,” Alex admitted when they met up at another cafe in town.

Claire couldn’t help but feel drawn towards him despite everything else going on in her life. She knew it was wrong but there was something magnetic between them that never quite went away.

The Ultimatum

The tension was palpable in the air as Claire sat across from Mark, her stomach churning with anxiety. She knew what was coming; she could see it in his eyes. He had always been a man of conviction, and he wasn’t one to shy away from difficult decisions.

“Look, Claire,” Mark began, his voice low and serious. “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know what’s been going on between you and Alex.”

Claire flinched at the mention of Alex’s name but remained silent, knowing that Mark needed to say his piece.

“I love you more than anything,” Mark continued. “But I can’t keep living like this - wondering if you’re going to leave me for him.”

Claire felt a pang of guilt shoot through her chest. She had never wanted to hurt Mark, but she couldn’t deny the feelings she still had for Alex.

“What are you saying?” Claire asked quietly.

Mark took a deep breath before answering. “I’m saying that you need to make a choice - me or him. And once you’ve made that choice, there’s no turning back.”

Claire felt tears sting her eyes as she realized the gravity of the situation. This was it - the moment she had been dreading ever since Alex reappeared in her life.

“You deserve someone who loves you completely,” Mark said softly, taking her hand in his own. “And if that person isn’t me…well then I’ll have to accept it.”

As much as it pained her to admit it, Claire knew deep down that he was right. She couldn’t keep stringing both men along forever; eventually something would have to give.

“But how can I choose?” Claire whispered brokenly.

Mark squeezed her hand gently before releasing it and standing up from the table. “You’ll find a way,” he said simply before walking away, leaving Claire alone with her thoughts.

The Final Showdown

The day of the wedding rehearsal has arrived, and everyone is on edge. Claire can sense that something big is about to happen. She’s been avoiding Mark since their last conversation, but she knows she can’t put off making a decision any longer.

As they go through the motions of the ceremony, Claire’s mind is elsewhere. She keeps replaying her conversations with Alex over and over again in her head. She remembers how he made her feel alive and passionate in a way that Mark never had.

After the rehearsal dinner, Mark pulls Claire aside for a private conversation. She can tell from his expression that it won’t be an easy one.

“Look,” he says, taking hold of both her hands. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything, but I need to know where your head is at right now.”

Claire takes a deep breath before responding. “Mark…I love you,” she starts tentatively. “But I also have feelings for Alex.”

Mark looks stricken by her admission. “It’s not fair to me or to him if you keep dragging this out,” he says firmly.

“I know,” replies Claire softly.

“Then what do you want?” demands Mark desperately.

“I-I don’t know,” admits Claire tearfully.

Mark steps back as if physically wounded by her words. “If you don’t know by now then I guess there’s nothing left to say.”

With those final words, Mark turns around and walks away from Claire without looking back once.

Claire stands there stunned, unable to move or even breathe properly for several moments until someone touches her arm gently from behind: it’s Alex who has witnessed everything.

“Claire please let me take care of you”, pleads Alex gently while holding up his hand toward hers trying not be intrusive on such difficult moment.

Claire looks up into his eyes - searching them for any sign of hesitation or doubt. She doesn’t find any.

In that moment, Claire knows what she has to do.