evening breeze nudged the curtains, stirring them in lazy, uneven rhythms. Inside, though, nothing moved. His chest fe

... you sho

could shake the message away. Sorry-for what exactly? For trusting her? For loving her enough to believe she wouldn't hurt him? Or for disc

as though he had destroyed everythi

respond or hurl the phone across the room in frustration.

.. if you stop acting

idly as the weight of every emotion pressed down. He loved her. He hated it, even as he acknowledged it. Even after everything, lov

ain in his mind, vi

ut turning into furniture if he stayed inside one more day. "Guy, you'll rot here if you don't

polished floors, the smell of fried food, sugar, and spice filling every corner. James had felt o

ni

and laughter that sounded real. It wasn't forced. It wasn't performative. It was her, and somehow that had been enough to make the air around him feel li

s hadn't felt like he had to prove

now as he sat in the dim room, a

ory. Ben walked in without asking, plantain chips in

asked, voice casual, cru

he phone sligh

t girl. You're free now. You and Benita... you're start

wly. "I already b

hew, eyes widen

e night alone in the dark, fingers trembling as he typed

over. You broke

end, throat tight, heart hammering. Every muscle had resisted, screami

! You did the right thing. Benita's peaceful, man. She

chuckle escaped

et ache in its place. The kind that settled d

e teasing slipping away. "You

ds, noting the faint scars and calluses he hadn't seen befor

ade it heavier-and

vernight thing. You can like Benita and still be hurting. That one no be

y her eyes lit up when he spoke, the quiet attention she paid, the way she made him feel

rd with her

like pulling teeth from his own heart,

membered the nights spent in whispered promises, the laughter shared across long calls, the war

time, Jam

tap

oc

est tight, heart pounding. He set the phone down gently on the bed, as

" he whispered,

aning back. "S

t. Cracks remained, questions lingered, and a dull pain still pulsed in the quiet corners o

haunted by betrayal. Walks that weren't punctuated by longing for someone who had al

ting go w

never w

st maybe, it

rtains. And for the first time in months, James felt a flicker of

rviving anymore.

James felt something shift inside him. Somethin

dy to see wher