010 — I LOVE YOU

(Conrad’s POV)

It was already past 9 p.m., and I was supposed to be at David’s karaoke school night—a school event I had promised I wouldn’t miss. Jess had reminded me that morning, and David had asked twice if I’d be there. I said yes. I always said yes.

But after work, with my head heavy and my chest tight, I did the one thing I knew I shouldn’t have done—I reached out to Stefan.

We need to talk, I texted him on instagram.

He replied almost immediately. No problem.

I hadn’t been answering my phone. Jess had left a voice note, her tone careful, controlled, like she didn’t want to annoy me. David had asked about me too. That part hurt the most.

Still wearing my black suit, tie loosened, exhaustion clinging to me like a second skin, I drove into the nearby city. The traffic lights blurred past as my thoughts ran faster than my car. By the time I pulled into Stefan’s apartment complex, my heart was racing.

I knocked.

Stefan opened the door, a glass of wine already in his hand. He looked