That “almost” was worse.
I took it.
Didn’t step back immediately.
Neither did she.
That was the second mistake.
Rowan
I should’ve moved.
I didn’t.
Because he didn’t either.
And I was starting to realise something I didn’t like:
If one of us didn’t break it—
it just stayed.
The air felt different here.
Not heavy.
Just aware.
I finally stepped back first.
Too controlled.
Too quick.
Like itmeant nothing.
It didn’t.
Mason plugged the charger into the socket near his bed.
Still not speaking.
Still not resetting the room.
That silence came back again.
But different now.
Because something had shifted inside it.
Mason
She went back to her bed.
I stayed standing for a second longer than I needed to.
Then sat down again.
