FaceTime Sarah

After dinner, I settle onto my bed and FaceTime my girlfriend. I make an effort to sound completely normal, asking about her day and telling her about classes. I mention studying at the library, leaving out everything that happened afterward.

She listens with a smile, but after a few minutes, her expression changes slightly. “You seem… different tonight.”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know. Distracted, maybe.” She studies my face through the screen. “You keep looking away.”

I laugh softly. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

She gives me a skeptical little smile but doesn’t push it. “Okay. I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

“I’m fine. I promise.”

We move on to ordinary things—classes, weekend plans, little stories from our day. I laugh when she laughs and tell her I miss her, trying to make everything feel normal. She eventually relaxes, but I can tell she hasn’t completely forgotten her initial feeling.

When we finally say goodnight, I stare at the dark screen for a moment. She hadn’t figured anything out, but she’d noticed something. And somehow, that makes the guilt feel even heavier.