Conflicting Hearts

Ryle had been trying to talk to her, to explain things, but each time she saw him, her mind would wander back to Atlas.

And Atlas, he wasn’t making it easy either. He hadn’t come back into her life just to disappear again. No, he’d made it clear he wanted something. But what was she supposed to do with that?

The door to the café opened, and a rush of wind swept through, making Lily look up. It was Ryle.

He looked tired, but there was something about the way he carried himself that made him appear grounded, like he could take on the world and still come out unscathed.

But in front of Lily, the world seemed to be catching up with him, and she could see the subtle signs of worry on his face.

He walked over to her table, his usual calm manner replaced with an unease she hadn’t seen before. “Mind if I sit?”

“Of course,” Lily said, gesturing to the empty chair across from her. She tried to give him a smile, but it felt forced. “You okay?”

“I’ve been better,” Ryle admitted, sitting down. He rested his arms on the table, his eyes studying her. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

Lily winced at his words. It was true. She hadn’t intentionally been shutting him out, but every time she saw him, her mind drifted to Atlas. “I’m not avoiding you, Ryle. I’ve just... had a lot on my mind.”

“Then let’s talk about it.” His voice was gentle but firm, like he wasn’t going to let her hide behind her distractions anymore.

Lily sighed, looking down at her coffee. She wanted to talk. She wanted to tell him everything. But how could she? She wasn’t even sure of her own feelings.

“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted quietly. “I’m confused.”

Ryle leaned forward, his eyes softening. “I get it. It’s hard, I know. But I need you to be honest with me, Lily. I can’t keep pretending that everything’s fine when I know it’s not.”

Lily felt a lump form in her throat. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about Ryle. She did, more than she was willing to admit. But the more time she spent with him, the more she realized that she couldn’t pretend she didn’t have feelings for Atlas, too.

“Ryle,” she started, her voice shaky. “I’ve never lied to you. But right now, I’m not sure what I’m feeling.”

“I’m not asking for your entire heart, Lily. I just need a piece of it. Just give me a chance to show you that we can make this work,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Lily’s eyes stung. She had no idea how to respond. She wanted to reach out, to hold onto the safety he offered. But her heart was torn in a million directions.

Before she could answer, the door swung open again. This time, it was Atlas.

His presence hit her like a jolt of electricity. The way he walked into the café, all confidence and ease, made her stomach flip. She had seen him a hundred times, but now, it felt different. He was different.

Ryle stiffened in his seat, his gaze flicking to Atlas and then back to Lily. His face hardened slightly, but he said nothing, just sat there, watching.

Atlas caught sight of them immediately. He didn’t hesitate. He walked straight over to their table, his gaze never leaving Lily.

“Can we talk?” he asked, his voice low and smooth.

Lily’s heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what she had been avoiding, the two of them, face to face. She felt like she was standing at a crossroads, with no clear path in sight.

“Not now, Atlas,” she said quickly, her voice firmer than she felt.

But Atlas didn’t back down. He glanced at Ryle, who hadn’t said a word, but the tension in the air was palpable. “This isn’t about him, Lily. It’s about you and me.”

Lily’s breath caught in her chest. She wanted to say something, anything to push him away, but the words wouldn’t come.

Ryle stood up then, his chair scraping against the floor. “I think it’s time for me to go,” he said, his voice cold but controlled. “We’re clearly not getting anywhere.”

Lily stood as well, her mind in a fog. She wanted to apologize, to explain that she wasn’t trying to choose between them, but she didn’t know how. Instead, she watched as Ryle walked away, his steps purposeful, as if he knew this wasn’t the right time.

Once he was out the door, Lily sat back down, her heart sinking. Atlas took the seat Ryle had just vacated, his gaze never leaving hers.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I wasn’t going to sit there and watch him pretend everything was fine,” Atlas replied, his tone sharp but controlled. “You’re not fine, Lily. I can see it. I’ve always been able to see it.”

Lily’s chest tightened at his words. She wanted to argue, to tell him that he didn’t understand, but she knew he did. She could never hide anything from him.

“I didn’t ask you to come back,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I know,” he replied, his voice softening. “But I’m not going anywhere this time. I’m here for the long haul.

No more running.”

Lily looked down at her hands, unsure of what to do. Every part of her wanted to reach out to him, to let him back into her life. But she couldn’t ignore the life she’d built with Ryle, the man who had always been there for her, even when she didn’t ask.

“You think it’s that easy?” she asked, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Atlas reached across the table, his fingers brushing against hers. “I never said it was easy. But nothing worth having ever is.”

Lily pulled her hand back, the motion sharp and final. “I can’t just drop everything and run back to you, Atlas. It doesn’t work like that.”

He exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. “I’m not asking you to drop anything. I’m asking you to stop running from what’s real.”

“What’s real?” Lily’s voice cracked. “What is real about us, Atlas? You left. You disappeared without a word. And now you expect me to just pick up where we left off?”

He stopped, his voice tight with emotion. “I never wanted to hurt you. And I can’t change what happened. But I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m asking for another chance. Not to fix what’s broken, but to rebuild what we had.”

Lily’s heart was racing in her chest. Every word he said pulled at something deep inside her. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that the love they had could survive time, distance, and everything else that had gotten in the way.

But then Ryle’s face flashed in her mind. His calm manner, his kindness, the way he’d stood by her when no one else did. He wasn’t Atlas, but he had his own way of making her feel safe. Of making her feel like she wasn’t alone.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’m not sure I can give you what you want, Atlas. I don’t even know what I want anymore.”

“I don’t need you to have all the answers right now,” he said, his voice quiet. “I just need you to know that I’m here. And I’m not leaving again.”

Lily closed her eyes, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She wasn’t ready to make a decision, not yet. But she knew one thing for certain, she couldn’t keep living in limbo, torn between two people who both had a piece of her heart.

She took a deep breath, looking up at Atlas. “I don’t know if I can love you the way you want me to anymore. But I’m willing to try. I owe it to myself to see where this goes.”

Atlas smiled, the faintest glimmer of hope in his eyes. “That’s all I’m asking for, Lily. A chance.”

She nodded, her mind still swirling with confusion. But one thing was clear, this wasn’t over. Not yet.

And as she sat there, facing Atlas across the table, she realized that her heart was more torn than ever. The future she thought she was building with Ryle was slipping through her fingers, while the past with Atlas seemed to be reaching out to pull her back in.

But no matter what, Lily knew one thing. The path ahead was going to be anything but easy.