Grooving to Life's Beat

Where is Marshall?

Three days had passed, and Marshall had vanished. After our rooftop date, the next two days had been consumed by my writing class and my first exhausting shifts at Alfred's firm—both draining in their own ways. And still, Marshall? Silent. Not a word. No knock at my door. No message. Not that he had my number, but if he really wanted to reach me, he could've found a way.

Was he avoiding me? Did something happen? Or worse—was he just not interested anymore? The high of that night, the connection we shared, felt like it meant something. But now... I was beginning to wonder if I'd imagined it all.

Today was the third day, and it was still early. The classroom was empty, save for me. I sat at my usual desk, the ticking clock on the wall my only company. I couldn't focus. The walls seemed to close in around me, the silence pressing down as my thoughts circled the same questions over and over. I tapped my pen against the notebook, staring blankly at the wall ahead. What had I done wrong? What had changed? The questions weighed heavily on me, suffocating, with no answers in sight.

"Spencer!"

Stephan's voice broke through the haze of my spiraling thoughts as he flounced into the room, a Starbucks cup in each hand, his signature oversized scarf wrapped dramatically around his neck. "What in the holy hell are you doing, staring at that plain wall like it's about to give you a lap dance?"

I blinked, pulling myself back to reality. Stephan always had a way of making even the most mundane moments feel like a Broadway performance. "Hey, Stephan," I said, smiling despite myself.

Without missing a beat, Stephan plopped down in the chair next to me, carefully setting one of the cups in front of me. "Grande soy latte. You look like you need it. Now, what's with the existential stare?"

I sighed, staring at the cup for a moment before lifting it to my lips. "Oh, you know, nothing major. Just the usual. Breaking up with Alexander after, what, a decade? Then there's the ongoing cold war with my mom, who thinks working at Alfred's soul-sucking law firm is the only way to prove I'm not a complete disappointment. Oh, and let's not forget my lifelong struggle to actually write something worth publishing, because clearly following my dreams is the most rebellious thing I could possibly do."

Stephan nodded dramatically, eyes wide with mock sympathy, clearly enjoying my little rant.

"And, just to put a cherry on top of this whole mess," I continued, throwing my hands up for emphasis, "I've gone and fallen for a guy who, after an incredible date that involved stars, kisses, and actual feelings, decided to ghost me. Like, poof! Gone. No Marshall. Not a word, not a knock at my door, just complete radio silence. So, you know, everything's just fantastic."

Stephan's eyes widened, a dramatic hand flying to his chest. "Marshall? That bad boy with the smoldering blue eyes?" He leaned in, practically glowing with intrigue. "The one who oozes bad decisions and probably has a PhD in heartbreak?"

I couldn't help but let out a laugh at his theatrics. "Yep, that Marshall."

Stephan let out a low whistle, raising an eyebrow. "Three days? That's basically an eternity in dating ghosting time."

"Exactly," I groaned, taking a sip of my latte. "And here I am, driving myself insane wondering what I did wrong. Did I come on too strong? Did I say something stupid?"

"Babe, you're overthinking this," Stephan declared, shaking his head. "Trust me. If there's one thing I've learned about guys like Marshall, it's that they're complicated in ways that make Shakespearean tragedies look like Disney movies. They disappear for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with you."

I arched an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. "Oh, so now you're a Marshall expert?"

Stephan grinned, tossing his scarf dramatically over his shoulder. "I may not be a certified Marshall expert, but I know a thing or two about men who brood and disappear. What you need to do is take the lead. Find out what's up."