Flashback: Yesterday Night
We were standing on my balcony. The city hummed below us, a distant, rhythmic pulse. Maya had just told me I wasn't bad—that I was just lonely.
She stepped into my space. She was so close that I could see the flecks of gold in her dark eyes, reflected by the moonlight. My heart started pumping so loud I was sure she could hear it. It was a frantic, irregular drumbeat that betrayed every single lie I’d ever told.
I expected her to say something sharp, to pull back and re-establish the barrier. Instead, she gave me a small, soft smile—the kind of smile you give someone you’ve finally started to trust. And then, she hugged me.
It was momentary, a brief press of her warmth against the cold exterior I’d spent years building. I was caught completely off guard.
