THE MISUNDERSTANDING

DAMIEN

“Shit,” I mutter to myself, dread creeping in. This is not how things were supposed to go.

I stare at the message, the words blurring as my pulse quickens. “We need to talk.” That’s never good—my mind races, deciphering what Anna could know. The image in the text flashes through my mind again—me, that girl at the bar, too close, her hand on my arm, my laugh too careless. How the hell did Anna find out?

I swallow hard, pacing the length of my living room, the phone clutched in my hand like it’s a lifeline. My gut twists with a sickening realization: this could ruin everything. Everything we’ve planned, for—is gone in an instant because of one stupid, meaningless night. I need to fix this, and fast.

But how? My fingers hover over the screen, unsure of how to respond. A million thoughts rush through my head. I could deny it, say it was nothing, that the picture is misleading. But Anna won’t believe me. Admitting I messed up when I agreed to her condition, especially so close to t