Natalie kept her promise.That thought stayed with her from the moment she stepped onto campus the following morning. As students poured through the university gates in their usual rush, she deliberately chose the longer route toward the humanities building instead of cutting through the courtyard where she normally had the best chance of running into Becky.It wasn't easy.Her feet almost carried her there out of habit before she caught herself and turned away.She drew in a slow breath, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag."You're trying," she reminded herself.Becky had asked for space.Not because she was angry.Not because she wanted to end their friendship.She had simply needed a little room to breathe.Natalie respected that.She wanted to respect it.That was what friends did.Jessica caught up with her outside the lecture hall, balancing two textbooks against her hip."There you are," she said with a grin. "I thought you were going to be late."Natalie forced a smile

Natalie told herself she was only checking on Becky.That was the first thing she repeated whenever the thought made her uncomfortable.She wasn't trying to interrupt her life.She wasn't trying to invade her space.She wasn't trying to take back the closeness they once had.She was simply making sure Becky was okay.After all, that was what friends did.They looked out for each other.They noticed when something was wrong.They cared.The explanation sounded reasonable enough that Natalie stopped questioning it.The following morning, she arrived on campus earlier than usual. She had no classes for another hour, but she found herself walking toward the library without thinking too much about it.The library had always been one of Becky's favorite places.Natalie knew that.She had learned it through countless conversations, through the little details Becky casually mentioned, through the moments when Becky would say she needed somewhere quiet to focus.That didn't mean she was follow

Natalie had always believed that the smallest details mattered.That was what separated people who truly cared from those who only claimed to.Most people noticed the obvious things.They noticed when someone cried.They noticed when someone was angry.They noticed when someone needed help.But Natalie noticed everything else.She noticed when Becky preferred the seat near the window in the library because the lighting was better. She noticed that Becky drank less coffee during stressful weeks because too much caffeine made her restless. She noticed that Becky always carried extra pens but somehow never had one when she actually needed it.Those details meant something.To Natalie, they were proof that she understood Becky.That she saw the parts of her that other people overlooked.Including Jared.Especially Jared.The thought bothered her more than she wanted to admit.Because Jared had known Becky longer.He had shared more memories with her.He had a place in her life that Natali

Jessica had only been looking for a charger.Natalie had left her apartment in a hurry that morning after realizing she had forgotten a folder containing her presentation notes. Since Jessica had been studying there with her all week, Natalie had called and asked if she could bring the folder to campus before noon. The spare key is under the flowerpot, Natalie had said over the phone. Just leave the folder on the table if I’m not back.Jessica had not thought twice about it.Now, with her own phone battery nearly dead after a morning of lectures, she wandered through the quiet apartment, glancing around for the charger Natalie usually kept plugged into the living room outlet. When she did not find it beside the sofa or near the television, her attention drifted toward the small desk in the corner. One drawer sat slightly open.“She probably keeps it in there,” Jessica murmured.She pulled the drawer open just enough to look inside. Pens, sticky notes, tissues, and a few receipts fille

Natalie walked for nearly an hour before realizing she was no longer paying attention to where she was going.The streets surrounding the university blurred together as students passed in both directions, conversations drifting past her unheard. She crossed intersections without remembering the traffic lights, turned corners without thinking, and eventually found herself standing outside a small park a few blocks from campus.She sank onto an empty bench.Only then did the conversation with Jessica begin replaying in her mind."This isn't healthy."Natalie's jaw tightened.Jessica had looked at her with pity.Not understanding.Not kindness.Pity.She lowered her head into her hands and closed her eyes."I trusted you," she whispered.The words caught in her throat.She had invited Jessica into her apartment countless times. They had studied together, shared meals together, laughed over assignments and professors. Jessica had listened whenever Natalie talked about feeling lonely after