Mark sat in silence beside Kendra, waiting. He knew pushing her would do more harm than good. If she wanted to talk, she would. If she didn’t, he’d still be there.
Minutes passed. The sound of water rippling against the edge of the pool filled the air, mingling with the distant hum of crickets.
Then, finally, in a voice so quiet he almost missed it, Kendra spoke.
“It was my freshman year of college.”
Mark turned his head slightly, watching her. She was still staring at the water, her arms wrapped around her knees like she was holding herself together.
“I met Jake my first semester,” she continued, her voice devoid of emotion, like she was reciting something from a textbook. “He was a senior. Everyone loved him—charming, smart, funny. He was in one of my classes, and he took an interes
