Now

Six years had passed since that fateful night at the dive bar. Marie, now 24 and a successful saleswoman, sat on her couch, staring blankly at her phone as she replayed the argument with her boyfriend James in their minds. They'd been together for six incredible years, but lately, things had been... complicated.

James worked from home as a freelance graphic designer, which meant he was always "available" – or so it seemed. In reality, his constant presence made Marie feel suffocated and restless. She longed for some independence, some space to breathe without feeling guilty about wanting time apart from him.

As she pondered their situation, Marie's mind wandered back to those early days of dating when everything felt effortless and exciting. She remembered the way James would surprise her with small gifts or write sweet notes on sticky notes around the house. Now, though they still shared tender moments and laughter-filled nights out with friends, there was an undercurrent of tension beneath their relationship's surface.

Marie sighed heavily as she set aside her phone and gazed out the window into the autumn evening gloom. The question nagged at her: could they find a way to rekindle that spark before it fizzled out completely?

Marie grabbed her bag and headed out the door, already mentally preparing herself for another day of dealing with her cocky boss at work. As she walked to the bus stop, she suddenly realized she'd left her phone on the coffee table. Panic set in as she turned around to head back inside.

But it was too late; the bus had already arrived, and people were boarding quickly. Marie hesitated for a moment before deciding to catch up with James about his latest design project later that evening instead of turning back.

As she took a seat near the front of the bus, Marie couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and annoyance at having forgotten her phone. She pulled out a worn copy of The New Yorker from her bag and began flipping through its pages, trying to distract herself from thoughts of work woes ahead.

The familiar rhythm of traffic hummed along as they made their way through LA's morning rush hour chaos.