ALEX.
Three days wasn’t a long time, but it felt like forever when you were counting hours by what you didn’t have: his voice, his warmth, the way he used to look at me like I was something solid he could lean on.
I stared out the window, watching the city glow beneath Christmas lights that suddenly felt mocking. Red. Green. Gold. Everywhere I turned, people were happy, coupled, wrapped in warmth and laughter.
I hated it.
I hated how close it was to Christmas. I hated how the holiday made everything louder: emotions, expectations, loneliness. And most of all, I hated that whatever was happening between Niko and me had chosen now to unravel.
He had created a boundary, and as much as it hurt, I respected it. That was the worst part, because I didn’t want to give up on us, but I also di
