BURDENS

NOLAN

I was sprawled on Jake’s couch, the uncomfortable springs digging into my back. The fight with Chloe had left me exhausted and hollowed out. Jake and Angela had been kind enough to offer a place for the night after the hellish argument, and I was grateful, even if I didn’t show it. The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching long across the walls, mirroring the turmoil inside me.

Angela was sitting across from me in the dimly lit living room, a warm glow from the lamp casting a soft light on her face. She looked calm, her eyes reflecting a quiet sadness. I had just learned that Jake and Angela were together. I was processing that, trying to make sense of it when I shifted the conversation to something far more unsettling—Alanna.

“Angela,” I began, my voice rough and uncertain, “can we talk about Alanna? I need to understand what really happened. What did she go through after we separated?”

Angela hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with a loose thread on her sweater. “It’s not a pl