After strolling around the city square filled with twinkling lights, she and Alaric Damien Vaughn decided to stop by a cozy little café. They sat in a quiet corner, enjoying the calm atmosphere while waiting for their orders.

“Have you heard of the game ‘We Listen and We Don’t Judge’?” Alaric asked, casually spinning his coffee cup.

She smiled faintly. “Yeah, it’s pretty viral on social media. Wanna try playing?”

Alaric nodded. “Alright, I’ll go first.”

They linked their pinkies and said in unison: “We listen and we don’t judge.”

Alaric took a slow breath before speaking.

“Sometimes... I don’t want to see you.” His voice was soft but honest. “It’s not because of you... it’s just me. There are days when I just want to stay home alone or hang out with my friends without worrying about driving you home.”

She fell silent, staring at the table. Not angry... just disappointed on herself

“If you wanna come over, just do it. But... I can’t always be the boyfriend who drives you home every time. Sometimes I just need to rest... to take a break from everything.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Why didn’t you tell me from the start?” She thought. It felt like a gap had just opened between them. Maybe, if they’d known earlier, they could’ve understood... adjusted.

Seeing her silence, Alaric gently touched her fingers. “Hey, your turn.”

She looked up at him, eyes glistening just a bit, trying hard to keep her voice steady.

“We listen and we don’t judge.”