The next day, I walked into the coffee shop. The truth was that I had gone there in hopes of making amends with Cassie. Unfortunately, she was nowhere in sight. I hoped maybe she just wasn’t scheduled, but something told me there was more to it than that. Swallowing my pride, I stepped up to the counter to approach Alice.

“Hey,” I said quietly, “Is Cassie here?”

“Oh,” Alice said rather sadly, “Cass… Cassie’s not here.”

“Oh, um, any idea when her next shift is? I know maybe you can’t tell me but-”

She frowned, “She isn’t having a next shift. She’s taking a train to Denver so she can fly back to North Carolina. She’s- she’s going home, Hunter. She’s gone.”

“Oh…she mentioned she was going back to North Carolina, but I didn’t think she’d already have a ticket.” It took every ounce of strength I had to stop my voice from cracking.

I knew how helpless and devastated I looked, but I didn’t care to hide it. I wanted to make amends with her. After she stormed off, I had a lot of time to think. I was done pretending I hadn’t fallen for her. I was done messing around and I needed to talk to her. I needed to see her again to explain everything.

“Hunter, I- I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s okay,” I lied, “I just… I wanted to tell her how sorry I was. I don’t know if she told you, but the last time I spoke to her, I said some pretty hurtful things. I wish I could apologize to her and, I don’t know, talk. I just want to talk to her.”

“Oh, Hunter,” Alice said softly with a frown.

“Oh well. She’s just different, you know? Cassie, she’s not like any other woman I’ve ever known. She’s not like any other person I’ve known. And I wish I could have let her know that instead of arguing with her the last time.”

Alice heaved a sigh, “Oh, she might kill me for this, but... She’s not gone yet. Her train isn’t leaving until 11a.m. so you have some time. Not a lot, but maybe enough.”

My eyes quickly darted to the clock on the back wall. “It’s 10:48am right now. I- I have to go!”

“She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, but she has a good heart. I know she regrets that argument too.”

“I have to go! Thanks! I have to go!” I bolted toward the door in a panicked rush as Alice yelled out, “Good luck!”

I only had about 10 minutes left. This was only the second time I ever regretted walking into town. I had no car and no time to wait for an Uber ride. I had to run to make it in time.

“It’s not too far away,” I muttered, “I can make it. I can do this.”

Without a second thought, I started to sprint through the town, dodging snow piles here and there. I had no time to doubt my decision or second-guess anything. Alice was right; Cassie had a good heart. I knew that. Things had just blown up and gotten so out of control in the heat of the moment. I regretted every hurtful word I hurled at her. I hated myself for what I said.

The freezing cold air stabbed into my lungs as I ran through the snowy streets. I flew past tourists, families with ski gear, and kids making snow angels. I almost knocked in to a snowman a family of four was proudly photographing.

“Sorry! I’m sorry,” I shouted, causing me to hunch over to catch my breath.

It was difficult to run on the snow and the pain in my chest from the cold air was getting to be unbearable. But I knew if I slowed down now, I’d never make it to the train on time. I took off again, running into a pile of snow and tumbling forward. I cursed and pushed myself back up, taking off without apologizing to the people I startled. The station was coming into view. I didn’t chance a glance down at my watch. I just needed to get there. Some part of me felt like if I just made it to the station, everything would turn out all right.

I skidded into the train station and the giant clock looming overhead let me know I made it with nearly 7 minutes to spare. All I could do now was hope that she wasn’t already sitting on the train. I ran forward until I reached a loading platform with a train sitting right in the middle. That’s when I realized people were boarding the train on both sides.

“Shit,” I cried in frustration and panic.

I looked around frantically, but the giant crowd was just a blur.

I didn’t know how I’d ever be able to make her out in the throngs of people. And then the realization that she might be on the other side set in. In a panic, I dashed to a pedestrian bridge that hung over the train. Maybe that would give me a better vantage point. I ran up the stairs despite being tired and out of breath, gripping the golden rail and looking desperately at all the people below.

“Come on,” I muttered under my breath, “Come on.”

And then, as if the universe were answering my pleas, I saw her standing on the platform; alone amongst all the happy families and smiling faces.

She stood with her luggage gripped tightly in one hand and her boarding pass in the other. She looked as serious as ever and the relief that flooded over me sent me sprinting down the stairs toward her.

It took every ounce of will power not to scream her name at the top of my lungs. I knew that making a scene was not the way to get on her good side. I needed everything in my favor to keep her from getting on that train. Even if Alice told me Cassie regretted the argument, that didn’t mean she was willing to dump everything to hear me out.

But as I neared her and she inched closer to the door, I couldn’t stay quiet.

“Cass- Cassie!”

She froze, but didn’t turn around.

“Cassie,” I repeated, as I got closer to her.

Finally, she turned to look at me with complete shock all over her face.