Chapter 11 — The Space Between People
232 Words
After the argument, things became awkward again.
Not angry.
Just uncertain.
Jerinah still visited the park.
Drecel still came too.
But their conversations became quieter.
More careful.
As if both of them were scared of saying the wrong thing again.
One evening, they sat together watching the fountain without speaking for almost fifteen minutes.
Surprisingly, the silence did not feel uncomfortable.
Just sad.
Finally, Drecel spoke first.
“I’m sorry if I made you feel pitied.”
Jerinah looked down.
“I’m sorry too.”
“For what?”
“For making everything complicated.”
Drecel immediately shook his head.
“You’re not complicated because you’re hurting.”
Her chest tightened again.
“You always say things like that,” she whispered.
“Like what?”
“Things that make me want to believe them.”
The honesty surprised both of them.
Drecel looked at her carefully.
Then quietly asked,
“Is that a bad thing?”
Jerinah stayed silent.
Because honestly?
She did not know.
Hope still terrified her.
But somehow, sitting beside him now felt safer than being alone with her own thoughts.
The cold evening wind moved softly around them.
And for the first time, both of them started realizing something dangerous.
This connection between them was becoming deeper than friendship.
And deeper connections always carried greater risks.
But despite that fear…
Neither of them stood up to leave.
- Writer
