With our choices made, we move on to a few other stores, purchasing a few more items along the way. Soon enough, we find ourselves laden with four bags each. Hunger pangs reminding us of our neglected stomachs, we decide to find a place to eat. Dorothy settles across from me, enjoying her Chinese food, while I quietly consume a sandwich, lost in my own thoughts.

"What's going on, Allison?" she asks, her voice filled with concern. I gaze at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" I inquire. She gives me a knowing look and rolls her eyes.

"Don't play dumb. I've been watching you mope around. Tell me what's bothering you." I let out a sigh, realizing I can't keep it hidden from her. "It's just... he's been on my mind," I admit. Dorothy looks at me, sympathy evident in her eyes.

"It's been two years, Allison. You need to move on." I shake my head, knowing it's easier said than done.

"It's not that simple, Dorothy. We were married for five years, and we dated for who knows how long. I can't just forget about him." She sighs, her voice filled with compassion.

"But it has been two years. Two long years for you to try and forget about him. You have to move on.

He's not coming back. And I'm willing to bet he's still involved with that secretary chick, the one he cheated on you with. He's moved on, so should you." I look at her, knowing deep down she's right. I did have two years to move on, yet I find myself thinking of him every day. He did betray me. He did leave me for another woman. But I can't seem to erase him from my mind.

"Come on, the movie is about to start," she urges. I nod slowly, following her lead.

We exit the mall and head to the movie theater. Upon arrival, we purchase our tickets, and it's time to acquire the essentials: popcorn, sodas, and of course, candy. Dorothy focuses on selecting her desired candies while I head towards the popcorn counter. Finally, it's my turn to order.

"Hey, what can I get for you?" the guy behind the counter asks. I put on a polite smile and meet his gaze.

"Could I have a large popcorn with butter, please?" I request. The guy nods, jotting it down.

"Anything else?" I nod affirmatively.

"And two medium-sized sodas, please." He acknowledges my order and departs to prepare it. Meanwhile, Dorothy returns with an assortment of four different candies and a hot dog.

"I'll go save us some seats," she declares, and then she scampers off. I stand there, patiently waiting for the food to be ready.

"Here you go," the attendant says, handing me the items. I nod my thanks.

"Please come again soon," he says, flashing a friendly smile. I take the food and beverages, making my way to the theater. After scanning the dimly lit room, I eventually locate Dorothy seated in the middle. I take a seat beside her, grateful that the movie hasn't started yet.

"Did you get the guy's number?" she whispers, a mischievous glint in her eyes. I glance at her, whispering back, "Whose number?" She responds with an exaggerated eye roll.

"No, I didn't get his number," she grumbles, turning her attention to the big screen. I roll my eyes, finding her reaction a bit childish. Letting out a sigh, I focus on the movie, laughing along with the rest of the audience. However, to my dismay, Dorothy manages to devour the entire popcorn within five minutes, leaving me with a disapproving glare.

"What?" she whispers innocently. I shake my head and announce, "I'm going to get more." She smiles, and I make my way to the front counter to fulfill my mission. Sighing, I approach the counter, finding the same guy engaged in conversation with a girl. Clearing my throat to get his attention, he looks at me and flashes a smile.

"Hello again. What can I do for you?" I nod in response.

"I need another large popcorn, please." He acknowledges my request and walks away to prepare it. "Is the movie good?" he asks. I nod. "Yeah, it's pretty funny." He nods in agreement. "I hardly ever get to watch the movies, even though I work here." I frown sympathetically. "That must be tough." He nods and returns with the popcorn, adding a little extra.

"Here's your popcorn, and a little something extra," he says, placing a large popcorn and a pack of gummy candies on the counter. I look at him in surprise.

"Thanks." He nods.

"Enjoy, and come back soon," he says, giving me a playful wink. Blushing slightly, I walk away, trying to compose myself. It's been a while since someone flirted with me, and at twenty-seven, it feels refreshing.

Returning to the theater, I settle back into my seat, pretending that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Dorothy looks at me, a knowing smile on her face, likely aware of the encounter. I simply shake my head and refocus on the movie, indulging in the gummy candies the guy gave me.

An hour later, the movie concludes, and Dorothy and I join the rest of the crowd in leaving the theater and entering the main lobby. Glancing towards the counter, I spot the guy once again.

"Go talk to him! Get his number," Dorothy urges. I look at her and let out a sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it," I concede, knowing she won't let me leave without either of us getting a number. Gathering my courage, I approach the counter and clear my throat.

The guy looks up at me, and I say, "It's not about more candy now that the movie is over. I just came to talk to you. My friend won't stop bothering me." He glances behind me, and I turn to see Dorothy waving enthusiastically.

The guy waves back and chuckles. "I have friends like that too, so I understand," he says. I nod and continue the conversation.

"So, how was the movie?" he asks. I shrug.

"It was good, but you know, not the best." He raises an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Why not?" I shrug once again.

"Chick flicks and romantic movies aren't really my thing," I confess, recalling a time when they used to be. "Why not?" he asks, intrigued. Letting out a sigh, I absentmindedly trace patterns on the glass counter, which displays an array of tempting candies.

"It's the whole love story that doesn't resonate with me. They all feel the same—fights, heartbreaks, and then a contrived happy ending. I prefer it when the guy has the courage to end it before it falls apart again,"

"I was once married. Fell in love, but you know." He looks down at my left finger, seeing it empty with no ring.

"Ahhh...what did he do?" I roll my eyes, trying to erase the memory.

"He found love wit his secretary. Cheated on me, wanted a divorce saying he didn't love me." I let out a hard laugh.

"I really shouldn't be telling you this. I just barely met you and I am telling you my whole life story." I say. He shakes his head looking calm.

"It's okay. We all have a story that defines us. I can tell you that I had also been heart broken. Not married, but heart broken." I nod my head, standing up straight.

"It has been two years. I am over it.-" No I am not. "-He has moved and I should too." I say. He nods his head.

"Yeah. You should. You don't deserve him either way and he doesn't deserve you." I smile.

"I never got you name. It is weird not knowing your name even though I am telling you everything about me." I say. He chuckles, his laughter light.

"My name is Preston but people call me Joe." I shake his hand as he sticks his out.

"My name is Allison." He then smiles.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl." I let out a light blush. "It wouldn't be a crime if I asked for your number, would it?" Preston asks. I shake my head.

"Not at all." I say. He then smiles brightly and he gives me a pen and a paper. I take it and write my number on it before handing it to him.

"Great. Thanks. I will call you." He says. I nod my head.

"Enjoy your day, Preston." I say.

He looks at me. "Enjoy your day, Allison. And, don't mope around that guy again. He didn't deserve you from the start. But, someone out there is waiting for you. Trust me." I nod my head and then walk away. I look up at Dorothy once I arrive in front of her, seeing her with a bright smile.

"Oh my gosh. You two already looked like a happy couple." She says. I roll my eyes.

"Alright. Come on. Lets go." I say. She giggles, but I couldn't help but feel a bit giddy inside. Maybe this is good for me. Moving on. Hayden won't come back and I know that. So, I can't keep thinking about him my whole life, wasting it while he is out there, probably married or still with someone. Maybe I can find love once more.

"No, I didn't get his number," she grumbles, turning her attention to the big screen. I roll my eyes, finding her reaction a bit childish. Letting out a sigh, I focus on the movie, laughing along with the rest of the audience. However, to my dismay, Dorothy manages to devour the entire popcorn within five minutes, leaving me with a disapproving glare.

"What?" she whispers innocently.

I shake my head and announce, "I'm going to get more." She smiles, and I make my way to the front counter to fulfill my mission. Sighing, I approach the counter, finding the same guy engaged in conversation with a girl. Clearing my throat to get his attention, he looks at me and flashes a smile.

"Hello again. What can I do for you?" I nod in response.

"I need another large popcorn, please." He acknowledges my request and walks away to prepare it.

"Is the movie good?" he asks. I nod. "Yeah, it's pretty funny." He nods in agreement. "I hardly ever get to watch the movies, even though I work here." I frown sympathetically.

"That must be tough." He nods and returns with the popcorn, adding a little extra.

"Here's your popcorn, and a little something extra," he says, placing a large popcorn and a pack of gummy candies on the counter. I look at him in surprise.

"Thanks." He nodded.

"Enjoy, and come back soon," he says, giving me a playful wink. Blushing slightly, I walk away, trying to compose myself. It's been a while since someone flirted with me, and at twenty-seven, it feels refreshing.

Returning to the theater, I settle back into my seat, pretending that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Dorothy looks at me, a knowing smile on her face, likely aware of the encounter.

I simply shake my head and refocus on the movie, indulging in the gummy candies the guy gave me. An hour later, the movie concludes, and Dorothy and I join the rest of the crowd in leaving the theater and entering the main lobby. Glancing towards the counter, I spot the guy once again.

"Go talk to him! Get his number," Dorothy urges. I look at her and let out a sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it," I concede, knowing she won't let me leave without either of us getting a number. Gathering my courage, I approach the counter and clear my throat.

The guy looks up at me, and I say, "It's not about more candy now that the movie is over. I just came to talk to you. My friend won't stop bothering me." He glances behind me, and I turn to see Dorothy waving enthusiastically. The guy waves back and chuckles.

"I have friends like that too, so I understand," he says. I nod and continue the conversation.

"So, how was the movie?" he asks. I shrug.

"It was good, but you know, not the best." He raises an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Why not?" I shrug once again. "Chick flicks and romantic movies aren't really my thing," I confess, recalling a time when they used to be.

"Why not?" he asks, intrigued. Letting out a sigh, I absentmindedly trace patterns on the glass counter, which displays an array of tempting candies.

"It's the whole love story that doesn't resonate with me. They all feel the same—fights, heartbreaks, and then a contrived happy ending. I prefer it when the guy has the courage to end it before it falls apart again," I frown, realizing that he caught on to my personal sentiments quickly.

Entering my workplace, I spot Giselle arranging flowers in the back.

"Hey, Giselle," I greet her. She looks up and smiles. "Hello, Allison. Did you have a good day off?" I nod, a small smile forming on my face as I recall the events of the previous day.

"It was nice. So, what do you need help with? Dead flowers again?" I ask, noticing her playing with one of the withered blooms. Giselle's least favorite part of owning a flower shop is dealing with the abundance of dead flowers each week. She believes they still hold beauty despite their short lifespan.

"Yes, poor things," she sighs. "Don't worry, Giselle. More flowers are born every year," I offer reassuringly. She nods in agreement, and I begin plucking out the dead flowers, carefully placing them in a large black trash bag.

"So, what did you do yesterday?" Giselle inquires curiously. I shrug nonchalantly.

"Dorothy and I went out. We went shopping, grabbed a meal, and watched a movie. Nothing too eventful," I reply. Giselle studies me, sensing that there's something I'm holding back.

"And...?" she prods gently. Sighing, I turn to face her.

"I kind of... met someone?" I say, phrasing it as a question. Her surprise is evident as she looks at me with wide eyes. "Really? Who is it?" she asks eagerly. I sigh again and continue removing the dead flowers.

"He works at the movie theater, but despite his job, he was really nice. Sweet, actually. He even gave me some free candy," I share, turning my head to glance at Giselle. A smile spreads across her face.

"At this point, I don't care where he works or how he looks. I'm just glad you've found someone. So, what's his name?" she inquires with genuine interest. Grinning, I resume my task.

"His name is Preston. Oh, and I may have mentioned to him that I'm divorced and that Hayden cheated on me," I confess, not entirely sure how Giselle will react. Her lips flatten, but she maintains her composure.

"And what did he say?" I shrug, unsure of how to interpret Preston's response.

"He didn't really react. He just said that he was also heartbroken and that Hayden didn't deserve me," I reply. Giselle looks at me, a mix of concern and support in her eyes.

"Well, at least he didn't run for the hills," she comments. Chuckling, I add, "No, he wasn't that bad, really." Preston had evoked a reaction in me that I hadn't experienced in a long time.

Suddenly, my phone vibrates, indicating an incoming call from an unknown number. Puzzled, I answer it. "Hello?" I greet uncertainly, and a chuckle emanates from the other end.

"Hello to you too," a familiar voice replies. A smile tugs at my lips. Giselle looks at me, puzzled by my expression.

"Hey, Preston," I say warmly, and Giselle's confusion turns into a knowing smile.

"Hello, Allison. How are you? I'm doing well, thank you for asking," he replies. I chuckle softly. "I'm at work, Preston. And I'm also doing well," I respond, carrying on with the task of discarding the dead flowers. I hear him sigh on the other end.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had a job. But, I really don't know much about you," Preston admits, and I continue removing the dead flowers from their stems.

"It's okay. My boss won't get mad," I assure him, hearing Giselle burst into laughter nearby. I can't help but smile. "Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go out with me sometime." My smile widens.

"Like a date?" I inquire, a hint of anticipation in my voice. There's a momentary pause on the other end.

"Yeah, a date," Preston confirms. My cheeks flush involuntarily.

"Yes, I would love to go on a date with you. When and where?" I hear some background noise on the call.

"How about tomorrow at... the park! The one on 33rd street. Around ten?" he suggests. I nod, even though he can't see me.

"That sounds perfect. I'll meet you there," I reply as I tie up the trash bag.

"Awesome. I'll see you there then. Bye." We hang up, and I place my phone back with a contented smile.

"Please tell me you're going!" Giselle exclaims. I roll my eyes playfully.

"Yes, I am going," I assure her.

"It's just so nice to see you going out again and not moping around that man who broke your heart," Giselle comments. I nod, acknowledging her words.

I'm not completely over it, but I'm taking slow steps toward moving on. I dispose of the dead flowers before returning to work. Giselle continues her tasks, and I immerse myself in thoughts of Preston and our upcoming date. It has been years since my last date.