I THINK I DID IT

CHAPTER 10

I drove to the café to meet up with Krysten. There wasn't really anything pressing for me to do today, so I figured, why not? A bit of traffic slowed me down on the way. Typical for this city. I glanced out of the window, trying to see what the holdup was, when the obnoxious voice of a man in the car next to me cut through the noise.

"Shit man! What's going on here?" he shouted to no one in particular, craning his neck out the window. "Hell no, I gotta go to work!" His words slurred, thick with the stench of vodka that seeped into the air. I quickly turned back to face the front, trying to block out the smell.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel him staring. I tried to ignore it. "Hey, gorgeous!" he called out, a twisted grin spreading across his face. I didn't even flinch, pretending I didn't hear him while I rolled up my window. Guys like that always made my skin crawl. He probably had a wife and kids at home, too.

I honked the horn, willing the traffic to move faster, but the strange guy's gaze remained locked on me. "What the hell?" I thought to myself. The moment the traffic cleared, I floored it, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible.

I pulled into the café parking lot, taking a deep breath to shake off the uneasiness. This café was new—Krysten's idea. She had recommended we try this place today. I walked inside, scanning the room, and spotted her immediately. Krysten was sitting by the window, waving me over with a bright smile, but I couldn't help noticing how much she had changed since I last saw her.

She looked... different. Thinner, paler, like she hadn't been sleeping much. Her clothes, a simple pink shirt and jeans, hung loosely on her, and her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. The smile she wore seemed more like a mask, hiding something beneath the surface.

As I walked toward her, the smile faded, and she stood up to give me a quick hug. "Max! So good to see you," she said, her voice a little too cheerful.

"Thanks for inviting me for coffee," I replied, trying to match her energy.

"Awn... anytime."

We both sat down, a strange silence settling over us as the waiter approached. After quickly placing our orders—two coffees, nothing complicated—Krysten fidgeted with her hands, avoiding eye contact.

I glanced around the café, trying to ease the awkwardness between us, but my mind kept drifting back to how tired she looked. Something was clearly off, but I wasn't sure if I should bring it up. Instead, I kept my gaze fixed on the table, tracing invisible patterns with my fingers, waiting for her to break the silence.

Finally, she spoke. "So, how have you been?" she asked, her voice soft but forced, like she was trying to seem interested.

"Same old," I replied, not wanting to get into the messy details of my life. "Work, life, the usual." I hesitated before asking, "What about you? You... you seem different."

Krysten's eyes flickered for a moment, and she let out a soft, tired sigh. "Yeah, things have been... a little rough lately."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue, but she quickly changed the subject. "But enough about me! Tell me, have you seen anyone from the old group lately?"

I leaned back in my chair, slightly frustrated that she deflected. There was clearly more going on, but I wasn't going to push. "Not really," I said casually. "Everyone seems busy with their own lives."

The waiter brought our coffees, and we both reached for our cups, sipping in silence. The awkwardness still lingered, thick in the air. I wanted to say something, to ask her what was really going on, but I wasn't sure how to start without making things more uncomfortable.