The night air is thick with the lingering scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke, a familiar haze that clings to the city streets

Somewhere inside the dimly lit house party, bass-heavy music thrums through the walls, but out here—in the quiet, in the aftermath—the only thing left to hear is your own heartbeat

And his voice

"Girl, tell me what you're doing on the other side"

Tord is standing by the railing, drink in one hand, the other tucked into his jacket pocket

Casual. Indifferent. A lie. His grey eyes flick to yours, sharp and unreadable, but you can see the tension in his jaw

"You don’t waste time, huh?" His voice is smooth, almost amused, but there’s something underneath it. Something bitter

You cross your arms. "I don’t know what you’re talking about"

He scoffs, taking a slow sip of his drink. "Sure you don’t"

"And so, just tell me what you're doing with that other guy?"

Your stomach twists, he must have seen you—laughing, talking, just existing too close to someone else, but why does it matter? He’s the one who let you go first

"You care now?" you challenge, stepping closer

He exhales, the faintest smirk playing at his lips. "Care? No." He leans against the railing, looking past you, past the city, past anything that might make this real... "Just curious"

Bullshit.

"All of your friends have been here for too long, they must be waiting for you to move on"

The song hums from inside, pressing into the silence between you. It should be easy to walk away, But you don’t. Neither does he

You let out a breath. "I thought you didn’t do this. The whole… feelings thing"

His smirk fades, just slightly "I don’t"

Another lie.

"Heart on your sleeve like you've never been loved, running in circles, now look what you've done"

His gaze flickers back to you, something almost unreadable behind those grey eyes. "You want me to say it?"

You swallow "Do you?"

"Wish you'd let me stay, I'm ready now"

But Tord has never been ready, and maybe, he never will be