The date.

For the first time, Lucien mourned. Not because he missed her. He wouldn’t. He mourned her for who she used to be. For what she once meant to him. He mourned her because of what she had devolved to. What happened for her to spiral this way? There had to be more than what she said to him. He mourned her, she who was his first love. All she wanted was not to be forgotten. All he wanted was to forget.

He opened the photo album. The first photo was from Lucien’s nineteenth birthday party. Gary had rented a smaller boutique hotel with a pool. The photo captured a silly moment between them.

Mia was perched on Lucien’s shoulders while he flexed his muscles showing off how strong he was. Signs of a lively party were caught behind them. People dancing and splashing in the pool. Even Mark was in the photo.

In the background, unnoticed with his back to the camera, was someone Lucien didn’t know. He wore a white t-shirt. A tattoo of a claw was visible on his neck.

*************

“I haven’t been on