I parked the car in front of Cassie's house, and for a moment, neither of us moved. The silence between us was palpable, and I knew that we needed to talk, but my emotions were still raw from the encounter at the hotel.
Cassie's voice trembled as she finally broke the silence. "John, please, don't go. Let's talk about this. What's going on with you? Why are you so angry?"
I turned to look at her, and for a moment, I was torn. Part of me wanted to stay and clear the air, but another part of me needed distance to sort through my own feelings. "Cassie, I just need some time alone right now. I... I can't talk about it."
Tears welled up in Cassie's eyes, and she reached out to touch my arm. "Please, John. We've always been able to talk to each other. Don't shut me out."
I felt a pang of gui
