Her words had cut deep, hanging in the air like a heavy fog. He had spent months playing it safe, holding back his feelings behind a wall of cool indifference and exhausting jealousy. He had been so afraid of getting hurt that he ended up hurting the only person who ever truly saw him.
The neon sign of the corner diner buzzed, humming a low, electric frequency that matched the restless energy in Leo’s chest. He stared at the empty vinyl booth across from him, replaying the conversation that had fractured everything between them.
He arrived at her building, his breath visible in the cold air. He looked up at her third-story window. The light was on. Simply Red - Stars lyrics
Then, the curtain pulled back. She was standing at the window, looking down at him. She didn't say anything at first, but as she slowly lifted the phone back to her ear, a small, genuine smile broke across her face. Stars - Simply Red
He didn't want to be another silent voice driving himself crazy with unspoken words. He didn’t want to be the man who tried to hurt her just to protect his own fragile ego. Her words had cut deep, hanging in the air like a heavy fog
Leo pushed his untouched coffee aside and stepped out into the crisp night air. He looked up at the vast, indigo sky. The city lights tried their best to drown out the cosmos, but high above the skyscrapers, a few stubborn stars burned fiercely through the haze.
Leo pulled his collar up against the wind and started walking toward her apartment. He wasn't going to offer another non-committal "maybe" or a carefully guarded half-truth. The neon sign of the corner diner buzzed,
There was a long, agonizing pause on the other end of the line. Leo held his breath, watching a blinking star directly above her building.