CHAPTER THIRTEEN: LEARNING TO LOVE WITHOUT SHORTCUTS
334 Words
Life without the voices felt… strange.
For the first few days, Hailey kept pausing in conversations, waiting—almost expecting—to hear what people were really thinking.
But there was nothing.
Just silence.
At first, it made her uneasy.
Then slowly…
It became peaceful.
“You’re quiet today,” Adrian said one afternoon, looking up from his desk.
Hailey blinked. “Am I?”
“Yes. You usually respond faster.”
She smiled slightly. “I used to have an advantage.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And now?”
“Now I have to actually listen.”
He leaned back, watching her carefully.
“And how’s that working for you?”
She met his gaze.
“Harder… but better.”
He didn’t say anything immediately.
But this time…
She didn’t need to hear his thoughts.
She could see it.
In the softness of his expression.
In the way he didn’t look away.
Without her ability, things weren’t always easy.
In fact…
Sometimes, they were frustrating.
One evening, Hailey walked into Adrian’s office with a report.
“You asked for this,” she said, placing it on his desk.
He glanced at it briefly. “Leave it there.”
That was it.
No thank you.
No acknowledgment.
Nothing.
Her smile faded slightly.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Short answers.
Cold tone.
Before, she would have known exactly what he was thinking.
Now…
She was guessing.
And her guesses weren’t always right.
That night, she went home feeling… hurt.
Did I do something wrong?
Is he upset with me?
Or… does he just not care?
Meanwhile, across the city…
Adrian sat alone in his office.
Staring at the same report.
She worked hard on this.
I should have said something.
He ran a hand through his hair.
Frustrated.
Why is this so difficult?
Because for the first time in his life…
He had to say what he felt.
TO BE CONTINUED....
- Writer
