Merry Christmas, Please dont call

‘Hey, Bila, should we start again?’ — notifications from someone you used to know

martin edwards (2026)

New York, 261225

“I heard Edwards is coming to the town for Christmas. " Syabila looked at her and turned her face away from her friend. “So, what?” She picked up her water to avoid acting uneasy in front of her. Even when she tried so hard to play it cool, her heart already beat faster than she expected.

Martin Edwards. A name that she’s familiar with, her 3-year ex-boyfriend. I thought he was so busy with his music that he didn't even care about any festivity. At least that is what he said before we broke up. Something like ‘music is his strength' or ‘music helps him be himself.’ Bla bla bla. I sometimes hear his music, it's pretty mid. Somehow I want to meet him back to say that his music sucks and he needs to stop, despite his 100K followers.

It’s been 3 years since that late-night call. I have kept myself busy with my work, and eventually, I forgot every little thing about him. But when I heard his name, somehow all the little things never went away straightaway like I thought they would.

“Where did you take me?” One second, she rejected her friend's late-night out, and the next second, she was being dragged here. A small bar in the West Side of New York with a few people probably drinking and talking. Not the typical big club you would see on the Upper West Side. “Follow me.”

She passed all the people who were standing or dancing in the middle while holding my arms and leading me somewhere. Sometimes when she accidentally bumps into people, I keep apologizing on her behalf. “Slow down.” It felt like an eternity, and by the time we arrived, my eyes locked onto someone at the table. “Hey, Edwards," her words came out.

His eyes looked at me with shock while being cold. I froze. He really did come for Christmas despite still being on tour for his little gig. Still the same Edwards I know, nothing has changed in 3 years. I thought he would be excited to see me, but what can I expect from someone who has totally changed over the years?

A few minutes have passed

I went out to take in fresh air from all the smells inside that little bar. I don't drink—it's not my habit to do that, and neither is it his. That’s what I thought, but then I saw him doing it, so it just proves everyone changes. Maybe I tend to be stuck in the past, regardless of where my body is in the present. My back hits the cold walls outside the bar, my eyes closed to feel the breeze of the night.

"How have you been?” That tall figure, Edwards, is standing beside me, doing the same move as I, with his eyes only peeking from his right eye to see my reaction. “Well, what do you think?” he laughs and runs his hand through his hair. “Good, I guess,” she scoffed at his words. “I’m joking.”

A silent feeling filled all the thoughts between us. We both stare at the road with a blank stare. No one dares to make any move or sound. The moment I took out the phone from my jacket’s pocket to look for the time, his mouth let out some words that made me stop my actions.

“I miss you.” My eyes turned to face him, and he had already turned his head towards me right before I did that with his arm crossed.

“Stop saying nonsense things, ed.” “I never lie.” “You did. Where were you when I needed you the most? 3 years, ed. We had something for 3 years, and you decided to end it all? YOU never—you never know how hurt it is to make my life normal again."

He was silenced. The breeze hits her face, making her curtain bangs cover some of her face, specifically her eyes, which are getting teary.

“You can’t say to someone that you miss her despite everything that happened, ed. You left me hanging.” The next thing I know, I end up being hugged by him while being caressed on the head with his hands.

“I’m sorry, Syabila. I regret it all. I need you back." I let him go and pushed him away without answering him back.

“Merry Christmas, ed. Please don’t call me and reach out.”

— written by fiq, 260519