PARTNERS?

TROY

As I drove away, the silence between us thickened, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Marianne sat rigid in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to the road ahead, refusing to acknowledge my presence. Her expression was an unreadable mask, but I knew her mind was far from still.

I finally brought the car to a stop as we reached the outskirts of the city, just a few streets away from her apartment. Killing the engine, I exhaled slowly, trying to gather my thoughts.

"Why did you follow me?" Her voice cut through the quiet, sharp and direct, yet she didn’t turn to look at me.

I sighed, the weight of her question settling in my chest. "I had to."

"That's not an answer, Troy." Her gaze finally flicked towards me, eyes narrowing slightly. "I told you I would find you when everything was over. Why wasn't that enough for you?"

Her words were laced with frustration, but I could hear the mistrust beneath them.

"It couldn't be enough," I said softly, the term of endearment slippi