Disappointment didn’t leave loudly.
It didn’t break things apart in a way that demanded attention.
It faded.
Quietly.
Leaving behind something more subtle—
Distance.
After everything that happened with Lucas, Elena didn’t feel the need to explain it anymore.
Not to Lily.
Not to her classmates.
Not even fully to Maria.
“It didn’t work out,” was all she said.
And that was enough.
But inside, something had shifted again.
This time, it wasn’t confusion.
Or self-doubt.
It was caution.
Elena still woke up early.
Still went to school.
Still did her work.
Still carried her responsibilities.
But emotionally…
She stepped back.
Not dramatically.
Not in a way people could easily point out.
Just enough.
At school, conversations became shorter.
More controlled.
When people spo
