Ethan
The silence in my office after Vanessa left… weighs heavily. It's not uncomfortable, it's not oppressive. It's… different. It's as if something has finally closed.
I stand for a few seconds staring at the door she left through.
My hands are still in my pockets, tense without me even realizing it.
I exhale slowly, deeply… as if my body had been holding its breath the whole time. It wasn't easy, it never was going to be.
I walk slowly to my desk, running a hand over my face. I feel the accumulated fatigue in my muscles, in my jaw… in my mind.
I slump into the chair, resting my elbows on the desk and looking down.
Vanessa…
I close my eyes for a second. I don't feel guilt. But I do feel something… It's not love, it has nothing to do with that. Years ago, I felt things for
