This was it. Not only was Nicolas reaffirming his commitment to Stella, but he was also physically removing himself from my orbit. He was leaving.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like the walls were closing in. My chest tightened, and I clutched my clutch bag for support.
Stella’s voice broke through the haze. “We’ll miss all of you so much, but we’ll definitely keep in touch. And of course, we hope you’ll visit us whenever you can!”
My hand finally found the doorknob, and I slipped out before anyone could stop me. I paused on the sidewalk, my eyes drifting back to the warm glow spilling from the house. Nicolas was in there, sharing smiles and promises with Stella, while I stood alone, an outsider to the happiness that used to feel so close. The sounds of laughter and farewell enveloped
