of Words He

w she stayed quiet when she was

rned to recognize

in, the office felt unfamiliar to El

s were t

buzzed soft

e still drifted th

g inside her

on top of her notebook, eyes fixed on the screen in front of her without

iced imm

said, leaning against

up slowly.

d. "You only get like this wh

tired smile. "I'm no

at you said the last time you qui

at her screen. "Th

ira aske

alking away will hurt less

oke this time

w what he wants. And I'm tired of being the place he c

wly. "That soun

didn't

arrive

ai

same quiet disappointment she had learned to swallow without showing. He walke

't look

on

more than

didn't watch him. She kept her eyes on her screen, fing

oticed

did just

r desk for a momen

he said

look up.

d. "Can we

et his eyes.

s mouth, the

thought," she

ing the conversation before it cou

second longer than nec

across the room, h

elt exhausted without

the street below, each of them moving with purpos

ound he

nswer my ques

urn. "You di

we could t

ed when,"

ettled be

hed. "I d

ed him. "That's b

e said quic

tly. "Please don't ex

furrowe

el like excuses," she said calmly. "And

t s

ded slowl

d for him

did

quieter now. "Are

tension in his jaw, the way he looked l

elf," she said. "Th

owed. "F

e replied

han anything she

passed in car

approach he

dn't loo

ced each othe

at something Mira said,

ee machine, staring at nothing, El

day, Elira packed

eyebrow. "No

her head. "I

s healthy,"

familiar," E

ck and damp. Elira walked faster than usual, wantin

n't mak

li

stop

behind her, breath uneve

turn around

" she

't walk awa

slowly. "Th

aid. "I can feel

irm. "That's what happens

ser. "I don't

finished. "Over

gh his hair. "I don

"But intention doe

ce between them filled with

d quietly. "I don'

why do you keep choosing ev

ecause clarity fee

feels like fea

her eye

sty surpr

tted. "Every time things start to m

ust a little. "

I just know it's alw

to figure it out. Because I can't ke

ched. "

st showing up. Almost

s mouth, the

, he had

Rowan coul

d, phone in hand, staring at

typ

le

d ag

re you m

idn't come

m more than an

I'm n

n ex

hen what

her

a: T

tled heavily

t to be the reason

Then do

the screen, fi

I'm t

feels differen

dn't

y, Rowan ar

a no

desk before sh

talk?" h

lly looked at him. "Is

llowed

ed once.

again-the place where everyth

, arms crossed tightly like h

at this,"

t?" she

atter without pani

wa

inued, "it scares me. And I d

t skippe

," he said quietly. "And

d what do you do whe

at," he

ded. "I

to keep doing

"Then what are you will

esit

ation said

oice strained, "I w

s briefly. "Wantin

nched

ncy, Rowan. I need to know that when

can promise that,

"Then I don't k

the stairwell,

phone

f them

ook at it i

Elira sai

he replied,

breaking softly inside her

he screen, con

li

steady but trembling underneath, "don't expe

zed again, lo

tween the pull of the famili

k a st

m, eyes burning,

toward t

, she didn't