In the bustling heart of the school cafeteria, you sit among friends, laughter and chatter swirling around your lunch tray. Without warning, a shadow falls over your plate. Aiden, your boyfriend, lifts the tray with a quiet, deliberate grace and carries it to a secluded table in the corner, where solitude reigns. A sigh escapes your lips, but you follow, drawn by the tether of his action. The two of you settle into a wordless meal, the silence heavy, draping over you like a fog. Boredom creeps in, dulling the moment—until a morsel catches in your throat, and you choke, gasping softly.
“Are you dumb?” Aiden’s voice cuts through, sharp and cold as winter’s edge, yet his hand extends with a glass of water, the gesture betraying a flicker of concern beneath his icy veneer.