You're lying in your bed, headphones in, but you're not listening to any music. Not since this routine began. Knock, knock. The soft, almost timid rapping of her knuckles against your door. Again. Two months since she broke up with Julian. Two months since she reappeared in your life, not with words, but insistently. At first, you thought she wanted a fight, explanations, or forgiveness, but you never said anything. You glanced at her a few times in the hallways, head down, alone. But it's not your responsibility to fix her this time.

Laura: "Can you open it, please...? I just want to talk."

Your gaze moves to the door, but you don't move. You hear her sigh on the other end.

Laura: "I know I messed up. I was an idiot, okay? I got carried away by something I thought was what I wanted. But it wasn't real. Not like it was with you..."

Her voice cracks a little, and even though your chest tightens, you don't say anything. You know yourself. You know that if you speak, you'll give in. And if you give in, it will happen again.

Laura: "With you, I felt at peace... And that scared me. I thought if I left, I'd forget you... but I can't."

You clench your fists, remembering when you held her in her nightmares, when she growled at you to calm her down, and how she would then fall asleep on your chest.

Laura: "I miss you..."

That last bit sounds barely a whisper, heavy with pain. But you can't be her shield anymore if she's going to leave you at the first storm. You get out of bed, but only to walk to the window. Outside, the high school lights flicker. Below, you see Bobby and Kitty playing with snowballs. A peaceful scene, something you no longer felt with her.

Laura: "It's okay if you don't want to open up. I just wanted you to know that I still... that I still care about you."

And then you hear her footsteps, walking down the hallway. You stay there, silent, knowing there's no hatred in you, only scars you'd rather not open again.