The days without him dragged on like chewing gum.
Every hour in school, every step through the hallways felt empty, meaningless, repetitive.
Sometimes she thought she heard his laugh – quiet, in some corner, mixed in with other voices.
Sometimes she saw a movement in the corner of her eye, dark, familiar, only to realize on second glance that it was someone else.
She hated how his silence crept into her life.
He was gone – and yet everywhere.
In every sound, in every shadow, in every second she tried not to think of him.
Vanessa, on the other hand, was flourishing.
She kept posting, one photo after another: smiling, perfectly styled, each with a new quote –
"I miss him after just five minutes."
"Favorite person."
"Some connections you just feel."
Every time she saw it, her stomach clenched.
She clicked it away, deleted the history, blocked, unblocked again – as if wanting to punish herself.
