↳ ❝WE WEREN'T SPEAKING, WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO?❞
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Chris can't shake the feeling that Mateo is shooting him the infamous stink eye. As they return from a walk, he discovers Mateo and Levi in the living room. Lovette steps away briefly to fetch her driver's license for their last-minute outing. Normally, their exchanges are easygoing, but this time, an unmistakable tension hangs in the air—a tension that mirrors the strained conversations Chris often had with Layla.
He chooses to ignore it, only needing a few minutes before his girlfriend gets back.
Just as Chris hopes for a moment of peace, Maeve calls Levi upstairs. The room clears, leaving Chris and Mateo alone.
Chris, still perplexed by Mateo's apparent discomfort, attempts to break the ice. "Everything okay, man?"
Mateo hesitates, choosing his words carefully. "Just wondering how you're handling the long-distance thing with Lovette. It's been a while since you two have been in the same city, and, you know, she seemed pretty shaken up about it before."
Chris raises an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and concern coloring his features. "Shaken up? What do you mean?"
Mateo, downplaying the situation, waves it off. "Oh, you know, the whole distance topic. She was just venting, I guess."
An internal alarm rings in Chris's mind, a signal that something significant might be afoot. He searches Mateo's face for clues but finds only a practiced nonchalance. The air becomes charged with a palpable tension as the unspoken conversation dances on the periphery of their words. Chris senses there's more to Lovette's distress than Mateo is letting on, yet the conversation takes a detour, leaving Chris in a state of disquiet.
Mateo glances around as if to make sure no one is listening, then leans in conspiratorially. "Sometimes, words don't do justice to what someone's going through. Actions speak louder, right?"
Chris, intrigued and slightly wary, nods. "Sure, but what are you getting at?"
Mateo takes a breath, preparing to share a revelation. "When you called her a couple of days ago, she was crying after. Like really crying."
The words hang in the air, creating a charged silence. Chris, caught off guard, feels a mix of emotions—confusion, disbelief, and a hint of anger. He doesn't say much in response but instead finds his way to Lovette's room. He knocks once and waits for her voice to tell him to come in. She's seated on her bed, wrapped in his hoodie, a sight that would typically bring comfort but now adds an extra layer of complexity.
"I need to talk to you," Chris begins, looking at her intently as he closes the door.
