Eddie Dear sat across from Jae at the kitchen table. He knew something was wrong, and his friend was clearly upset. "Hey, Jae, you know you can talk to me, right?"

Jae nodded but didn't say anything. she was staring at Her coffee, lost in thought.

Eddie cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to ask, but... what's going on?"

Jae finally looked up, and Eddie saw the pain in his eyes. "My girlfriend is being so distant lately. She says it's nothing, but I know it isn't. We both know this isn't normal."

Eddie took a deep breath and tried to find the right words. "Jae, sometimes people just need a little space. That doesn't necessarily mean something's wrong. Have you talked to her about it?"

Jae shook his head. "I don't want to push her. I love her so much, and I just want everything to be perfect."

Eddie put a hand on Jae's shoulder. "Hey, you can't be responsible for everything. Relationships are complicated. Sometimes you just have to let things run their course."

Jae nodded, and Eddie could see the weight lifting off his shoulders.