Sara Ikari Rodriguez
The drive back from the party was wrapped in silence, the kind that wasn’t comfortable—it was suffocating. The car glided through the night, headlights carving paths in the darkness, yet everything felt heavy. My fingers twisted nervously in my lap.
Matio had said nothing since we left. Not a word. Not after I disappeared for almost half an hour. Not after Hanah’s stunt. Not even when I returned with red eyes and a pounding heart.
I didn’t know if he had seen her hug him. Or if he’d hugged her back. Maybe it didn’t matter anymore.
I hesitated, stealing a glance at his profile in the dim light. His jaw was clenched, his hands gripping the steering wheel with white
knuckles.
Maybe this was my moment to end the torture.
“I know,” I said softly. My voice cracked sl
