She met her during the early days of her new beginning. The girl was confident, observant, and effortlessly charming — the kind of person who blended into any group and somehow stood out at the same time. Their friendship grew naturally, built on shared classes, small jokes, and late conversations about ordinary things. She found comfort in having someone beside her again.
But sometimes, there was something unreadable in her eyes. A pause that lasted a second too long when she mentioned him. A smile that didn't fully reach her face when she spoke about how happy she was. It was subtle — easy to ignore, easy to dismiss.
She told herself she was overthinking.
She trusted her… almost.