The party was still loud behind me, music spilling out into the night, people laughing like nothing had happened.
But everything had happened.
And I could still feel it sitting in my chest as I walked away—the argument, the way Marcelo stepped in, the way he said yeah without hesitation.
It should have meant something.
Maybe it did.
But not enough to fix what was already broken.
The air outside was cooler, calmer. I wrapped my arms around myself as I stepped off the porch, trying to steady my breathing.
“Violet.”
Of course he followed.
I didn’t stop walking this time.
If I stopped, I knew I’d fold.
And I couldn’t afford that—not with him.
Footsteps closed the distance anyway. Not rushed, not aggressive, just steady. Like he already knew I wouldn’t get far.
“Can you not walk aw
