Sage
I watched her the whole time she ate, trying not to make it obvious. She kept her eyes on her plate mostly, but every few bites she’d glance up, like she was checking if I was still there or maybe trying to figure me out. When she finally looked away, cheeks a little pink, I felt something shift in my chest.
“I can take my meds here, right?” she asked, already reaching into the brown pharmacy bag.
I nodded. “Go ahead.”
She pulled out the bottles, popped the pills with a swallow of water, and went back to her food. We didn’t talk much. The quiet wasn’t uncomfortable, though. It felt… careful. Like both of us were afraid of breaking whatever fragile thing was happening.
When her water ran low, I flagged down the owner—a middle-aged woman who’d been sneaking glances at me all night—
