The year was 1988. On the night they graduated, Emma and Dexter encountered each other for the first time. The evening held the promise of something more, a flicker of romance, but the following morning revealed a chance lost.

The year 1989 had steered Dex and Em onto diverging paths. One, within the confines of a Roman villa; the other, from a humble minibus in the English Midlands, each contemplated their future.

London in 1990 held little resemblance to Em’s expectations. A creative slump had landed her a job in a dingy restaurant, a far cry from her aspirations. It was there, amidst the clatter of dishes and the murmur of conversations, that Dex a…

The year was 1991. On a Greek holiday, Emma was determined to maintain their friendship on a purely platonic level. Dexter, however, preferred to dwell on the memory of their first encounter.

The year was 1992. Following a night of excessive revelry, Dexter returned home, battling the lingering effects of a severe hangover. His mother, aghast at his condition, confronted him with a sharp and disappointed reprimand.

The year was 1993. Dex found himself unexpectedly in the public eye, a stark contrast to the momentous occasion of Em’s play opening that very night. She had worked to instill confidence in her actors, a bolstering influence that stood in s…

The year was 1994. A group of friends gathered for dinner, an evening intended to be dazzling but ultimately marred by misfortune. Dexter, eager to display his recently acquired wealth, attempted to impress, though Emma remained unmoved by …

The year was 1995. On the final day of term, Emma found herself in an awkward situation at work. The discomfort lingered, intensifying as she made her way home.

The year was 1996. Dexter was determined to make a favorable impression on his new girlfriend’s parents, but the visit quickly veered off course. Mid-dinner, a phone call from his agent interrupted the carefully constructed facade.

The year was 1997. They encountered each other at a wedding celebrating a mutual acquaintance, a fellow student from their university days. The initial reunion was tentative, a little strained, but soon dissolved into a shared conversation …

The year is 1998, and Dexter continues his navigation of domesticity. One evening at home, he discovers a mixtape crafted by Emma, and impulsively reaches out to her, eager to reminisce about shared moments.

The year was 1999. Dexter sought out Emma, finding her flourishing in Paris. As they walked the city's streets, the echo of their previous meeting, months past, lingered palpably around them.

The years drifted by: two thousand, two thousand and one, two thousand and two. With each passing year, the connection between Em and Dex deepened. Her writing flourished, finding a welcome audience, while he embarked on the challenging pat…

The years drifted by: 2003, 2004, 2007. Unable to focus on what lay ahead, Dexter turned instead to the shared history of himself and Emma, a past irrevocably woven together. And in that revisiting, he found himself unexpectedly confronted …