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Ruby

Isit at my desk long after the chats go quiet.

Jaxon doesn’t come back over. He doesn’t message me. He doesn’t look my way when he walks to a meeting.

He’s giving me space.

He’s respecting the distance I created.

And somehow?

That hurts worse.

Because I miss him.

Because I want him.

Because last night felt like the beginning of something.

And I’m terrified of what that something might be.

I whisper to myself:

“I think I’m falling for him.”

And then, quieter:

“And I don’t know if I deserve it.”

I makeit exactly one hour into pretending everything is normal before the panic gets too loud.

I can’t focus. I can’t breathe right. I can’t stop thinking about him.

About last night. About this morning. About how real it felt.

And about how I ran.

Eventually, I do something stupid.

I stand up.

And I walk straight to his office.

My heart is banging like a riot in my chest, but I knock anyway.

“Come in,” he says.

His voice is calm.

Too calm.

I step inside.

He looks up from his desk.

His expression is composed. Controlled. But the flicker in his eyes tells the truth:

He’s hurt. And trying very hard not to be.