Signals Crossed

19

They both kept trying to pretend nothing had shifted.

That was the strangest part.

There hadn't been a big moment. No confession. No line crossed that couldn't be uncrossed. On the surface, everything was exactly the same as it had always been.

And yet—nothing felt the same.

⸻

Mel was stretched out across Adam Horovitz's bed, one arm tucked behind her head, eyes on the TV.

At least... that's where they were supposed to be.

Her attention kept drifting.

To him.

To the way he was sitting just a little farther away than he used to. To how he hadn't nudged her with his foot or stolen her candy in the last ten minutes. To how careful he seemed—like every movement had to be thought through first.

She wasn't used to that version of him.

Ad had never been careful with her.

He'd always just... been.

Loud. Physical. Effortless.

Safe.

Now he sat beside her, back against the wall, one knee pulled up, staring at the screen like he was studying it instead of watching it.

He hadn't laughed once.

Mel turned her head slightly, watching him instead.

"You've seen this one like five times," she said.

"Yeah."

"And you're still paying this much attention?"

"I like it."

"You don't like it this much."

He shrugged. "Maybe I do now."

She narrowed her eyes just a little.

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Not everything has to make sense."

"That's literally your whole personality," she shot back.

That almost got a smile out of him.

Almost.

But it faded too quickly.

⸻

Silence settled again, thicker this time.

Mel rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Okay, seriously," she said. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

"It's not."

Ad let out a quiet breath, dragging a hand through his hair.

"I'm just tired."

"You're not tired."

"You don't know that."

"I do," she said, softer now. "I know you."

That landed.

It always did.

Ad's gaze flicked to her then—really looking at her this time.

And that was the problem.

Because once he looked, it was hard to stop noticing.