(Lena)
By the time I got back to the house, the quiet felt heavier than usual.
It wasn’t the kind of silence that came from no one being home. It was the kind that came from people choosing not to speak. Doors closed, space divided, routines that no longer overlapped. I set my bag down near the stairs and stood there for a second before moving.
I didn’t look toward the living room.
I didn’t check if anyone was there.
I went upstairs.
My room still felt like mine, which was more than I could say for the rest of the house. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for a moment, letting my eyes shut briefly before I pushed myself forward again. Standing still too long gave space for thoughts I didn’t want to sort through yet.
I walked to the dresser and set my phone down.
It l
