Arielle Park sat on the cold metal bench outside the office building, fingers curled tightly around a paper cup of coffee she'd bought hours ago. It had long gone cold, but she held it anyway...just something to cling to. The city moved around her in its usual rush of footsteps and honking cars, but she felt strangely removed from it, like she had slipped behind an invisible barrier where everything was muted and far away.
"Are you still out here?"
The familiar voice made her stomach twist. She didn't lift her head immediately. A shadow fell over her, blocking the sun.
"Evan," she whispered.
Her boyfriend..well, at least until last night....stood there in a crisp suit that made him look sharper, colder, and even more distant than he had when he left her apartment with barely a word.
He sighed. "We need to talk."
Arielle nodded, though every part of her wanted to run. "I know."
"Not here." His eyes darted around at the passing coworkers. "People will hear."
It was ironic, she thought. Evan cared so much about how things looked, but never about how she felt.
She stood slowly, brushing dust off her skirt. Her body felt heavy, like she'd aged ten years overnight. She followed him to the side of the building where a narrow stone path led to an empty courtyard.
He exhaled sharply, like he was preparing for a difficult meeting rather than a conversation about their relationship. "Arielle, about yesterday...."
"Evan, please," she said softly. "Just tell me the truth."
He rubbed his temples. "Fine. Yes. I slept with someone else."
Her breath hitched.
He didn't even try to soften it.
"It wasn't...planned," he said. "It just happened."
"Just… happened?" She blinked hard, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "With who?"
He looked away. "Someone from work."
Arielle's heart sank. "Who?"
He hesitated for two seconds too long.
She knew.
"Evan," she whispered, "please don't say Amara."
He didn't speak.
Silence was answer enough.
Arielle's chest tightened painfully. "Amara? My trainee? She's—she's ten years younger than me!"
"Arielle..."
"And you were mentoring her," she choked out. "You said you saw her like a little sister."
He looked genuinely annoyed. "Don't be dramatic."
"I'm not being dramatic." Her voice rose before she could stop it. "You cheated on me! With someone I trusted!"
Footsteps echoed from behind them. Arielle turned and saw a familiar figure approach...the last person she wanted to see.
Amara.
Tall, bright-eyed, glossy hair bouncing as she walked. She looked carefree, as if this was just another morning.
"Evan," she called sweetly. Then her eyes fell on Arielle. "Oh… hi."
Arielle felt the air leave her lungs.
This wasn't happening.
Not like this.
Evan shot Amara a warning look, but she ignored it. "Did you tell her?"
"Amara," Arielle whispered, "why are you here?"
"Because he asked me to meet him," she said with a shrug. "We're discussing project plans."
Arielle felt sick. "Project plans. Right."
Evan glared. "Amara, this isn't the time."
Amara pouted. "She was going to find out eventually, Evan. You can't hide things forever."
Arielle's hands trembled. "How long?"
Evan hesitated.
Amara rolled her eyes. "Two months."
The words hit Arielle like a physical blow. "Two… months?"
Evan stepped forward. "Arielle, listen..."
"You told me you were working late on a merger," she said weakly. "We were planning to move in together."
"Arielle, I didn't mean..."
Amara scoffed. "He did. He told me he didn't see a future with you anymore."
Arielle froze.
Her ears rang.
Evan's face paled. "Amara!"
"What?" she asked innocently. "It's true."
Arielle stared at him. "You said that? You told her that, but not me?"
"Arielle, please..."
"And you brought her here," Arielle whispered. "You let me sit outside for hours crying, and you brought her here to talk about your future?"
Evan opened his mouth, but no words came.
Amara folded her arms. "Look, Arielle… you're older. You don't understand his pace. Evan needs someone dynamic. Someone flexible. Someone who can keep up."
Arielle felt humiliation burn all the way to her fingertips.
Older.
Not enough.
Not good enough.
"I can't do this," she whispered, stepping back.
Evan reached for her arm. "Arielle, wait..."
She jerked away. "Don't touch me."
"Arielle, calm down..."
"You cheat on me, and you're telling me to calm down?"
People passing by slowed, subtly watching. Arielle turned away, humiliated.
Evan lowered his voice. "Please don't make a scene."
Of course. His reputation again.
She tightened her jaw. "I won't. I promise you that."
She walked past them...her steps shaky, vision blurry, chest tight.
Behind her, she heard Amara giggle softly.
"He always said she was too sensitive."
Evan shushed her, but the damage was done.
Arielle didn't cry until she reached the empty staircase leading to the underground parking lot. She steadied herself against the wall, breathing unevenly.
"Why," she whispered, "was I not enough?"
But no one answered.
By the time she made it home, her heart felt like it had been hollowed out and left echoing.
That evening, Arielle sat alone at her small kitchen table, staring at the faint reflection of herself in the dark window. Her eyes were swollen, her hair messy, her shoulders slumped.
A notification buzzed on her phone.
Group Chat: Marketing Team
Did you guys hear? Evan and Amara were seen together again.Isn't he dating Arielle?Was dating, I guess.
Arielle closed her eyes.
Another message popped up...private this time.
Evan:Arielle, please don't say anything to HR. It'll cause problems for both of us. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
She stared at the screen in disbelief.
He cheated.
He humiliated her.
And he was worried about HR?
She placed her phone face down and exhaled shakily.
Everything hurt. Her chest. Her pride. Her memories.
She had built her entire world around Evan for the past three years. She had planned their future. Her friends had teased her about being "effortlessly loyal" and "too patient for her own good."
And now?
She felt like she was disappearing.
Arielle stood abruptly. She needed air. She needed to breathe. She grabbed her coat and stepped outside.
The night breeze was cool against her cheeks. She walked aimlessly until she reached the small community center across the street. A bright banner fluttered above the door.
ADULT COMMUNITY SPORTS PROGRAMVolleyball, Basketball, Pick-up GamesAll Skill Levels Welcome
Volleyball.
She had always admired it from afar. Fast. Energetic. Beautiful. Something she used to dream about when she was younger but never tried because she didn't think she was athletic enough.
Her life had been work, work, and more work.
The version of her Evan had shaped.
The version everyone expected.
Her eyes drifted to the list of class schedules posted on the window:
BEGINNER VOLLEYBALL — Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6PM
It was Tuesday.
She looked down at her wrinkled office clothes, at the soreness in her chest, at the hollow ache of betrayal.
"Maybe I should try something," she whispered to herself.
Something new.
Something different.
Something that wasn't Evan.
A voice startled her. "Looking to join?"
She turned to see a middle-aged receptionist smiling warmly at her from inside. Arielle hesitated, then stepped closer.
"Um," she said awkwardly, "yes. Maybe."
"We start in forty minutes," the receptionist said. "Open to all levels."
Arielle bit her lip. "I've never played before."
"That's why it's called beginner," the woman said kindly. "Just sign here...and you can join us for the first time today...we can rent you our kit."
Arielle felt fear prick at her chest.
She was 28.
Everyone else would probably be younger.
More flexible.
More athletic.
More everything.
But sitting at home crying wasn't going to fix anything.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked up the pen.
"Okay," she whispered. "I'll try."
She signed her name.
Forty minutes later, Arielle stood inside the bright gym, overwhelmed by the echo of bouncing balls and the chatter of people warming up. She tugged nervously on the hem of her borrowed gym shorts...way too short...and wished she could disappear.
A tall girl glanced at her outfit and whispered loudly to a friend, "She looks like someone's mom trying to be sporty."
Arielle's face burned, but she forced herself to stay.
She wasn't here for them.
She needed something in her life that felt like hers.
As she moved toward the sidelines, the coach blew the whistle.
"Everyone circle up!"
Arielle shuffled in cautiously.
"Welcome to our community volleyball," the coach said cheerfully. "We work hard, we learn, we improve...no matter your age, background, or pace."
Arielle exhaled in relief.
Then the gym door swung open noisily.
And someone walked in.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Confident stride. Dark hair tied casually. Sharp, athletic posture that immediately drew everyone's attention.
Someone whispered, "That's Kai Ryu. Isn't he the top player here?"
Arielle had no idea who that was. But the way everyone stared… she could tell he was someone important.
Kai looked… untouchable. Like he belonged on a magazine cover, not in a community gym.
The coach clapped his hands. "Alright! Since we're mixing pros and beginners starting next week...let's get warmed up!"
Next week, Arielle thought. Mixed with pros?
Her stomach twisted.
What if they hated her?
What if she held them back?
What if she humiliated herself?
But as the warm-up began, she reminded herself why she came.
To move.To breathe.To forget.
To start over.
For the first time all day, even though her heart was still bruised and raw, Arielle felt something tiny flicker inside her. Something like hope.
She took a step back and stepped on someone." Oh I'm sorry."
The person pushed her off and she fell to the floor. "What the hell is wrong with you?"