The silence that followed Jason’s declaration was unbearable. It hung in the air like smoke after a fire, thick and suffocating.
His dad was the first to cut through it. His voice came out sharp, like a blade. “You think this is love? You’re kids. You don’t even understand what you’re playing with.”
Jason squared his shoulders. “I understand enough. I know what I feel. I’m not ashamed of it.”
Mom reached across the coffee table, her hand trembling as she tried to catch mine. “Olivia, sweetheart… tell me this isn’t serious. Tell me you can stop this before it gets worse.”
My throat burned. My heart begged me to speak, but my voice refused to work. I could only sit there, torn in half, watching the two people I loved most stand on opposite sides of a battlefield.
Jason’s dad slammed his
