Julie swallowed, eyes burning. “Then why can’t you just answer me normally?” Marcus’s gaze flicked toward the hallway—subtle, quick—then back to her. It was small, but she caught it. “Because there’s nothing to answer,” he said, and the calmness in his voice felt like a wall.
That night Marcus fell asleep early, the day’s strain written into his face. Julie tucked the blanket around him and kissed his forehead. He smelled like soap, clean and familiar. “I love you,” she whispered. His eyes stayed closed, but his fingers twitched like he wanted to reach for her.