But things continued to shift. Connor’s phone was always near him now—face-down, on silent. He’d glance at it when it buzzed, then slide it into his pocket without comment. Julia noticed how he angled the screen away or turned slightly when replying. It was subtle, but it was new.
They used to share everything—passcodes, playlists, dumb videos in bed. Now, Julia couldn’t remember the last time Connor had laughed with her like that. The space between them wasn’t loud, but it was growing. And though she said nothing, suspicion began to take quiet root in her chest.