Eve

We eventually cleaned up, and when I walked her to the door, she gave me a small hug. “Text me if you need anything,” she said gently before leaving.

When the door clicked shut behind her, the silence in the apartment felt heavier than usual. I dropped onto my bed, this time more drained than restless. But instead of sleeping, I lay on my back, scrolling through old messages—mine, his, and ours.

Still, I refused to message him again. He saw my last text; hence, there was nothing more to say unless he wanted to talk. With a slow, tired exhale, I plugged in my phone, switched off the...