When I Stop Needing Him

In the days after I stopped relying on Brett Carver, I chose to run everything by AI instead.

But something about it always felt different from other chatbots. There was an unsettling, almost human quality to the way it responded.

The day before I left for Briar Island, I decided to test it.

"I'll be kind of lonely watching the ocean by myself. Can you come with me?"

"Are you sure about that?"

My fingers froze above the keyboard. Since when did an AI ask questions like that back?

But it quickly changed its tone.

"I'm right here. I won't hide, I won't back away, and I won't run. I've got you."

I let out a long breath, gave up on trying to figure it out, and went to pack my bags.

What I didn't expect was running into Brett at the airport the next day. We lived in the same neighborhood, but it had been ten days since I'd last seen him.

I'd taken his words to heart and stopped clinging to him like I used to, trying to be more considerate of how he felt. I hadn't planned on saying hi, either.

Then our high school classmate, Tiana Griffin, came bounding out from behind him.

"Mara!"

I froze and turned around stiffly. The moment my eyes met Brett's, I caught the flash of irritation in them.

He was carrying Tiana's luggage. It looked like they were going on a graduation trip together.

Something bitter twisted inside me, but I kept my face blank and looked away.

Tiana dragged him over to me. "What a coincidence! What are you doing at the airport?"

She turned and gave Brett a playful, reproachful look. "Mara's flying out the same day as me, and you didn't even come see her off? Some childhood friend you are. That's cold."

The more I listened, the more uncomfortable I got. But that was just how Tiana was, blunt and carefree, so I let it go. I just wanted to get out of this awkward situation as fast as I could.

But then Brett said with a frown, "Mara, you really didn't need to follow me all the way here."

His voice was impatient in a way I'd never heard before, and he didn't give me a chance to explain.

"It's been, what, a few days? And you're already back to your old ways? I promised your mom I'd look after you, but I need my own space too."

I closed my eyes for a second and held up a hand to cut him off. "You think I came here because of you?"

That seemed to throw him off. He blinked. "Then why else?"

I let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. "I'm flying to Briar Island today."

I then tapped my watch. "I'm on a schedule. Anything else?"

After a moment of silence, Brett studied me with an unreadable expression, and it seemed to finally dawn on him.

I'd dyed my hair a new color. I was dressed in a completely different style. And I'd planned an entire graduation trip to Briar Island without once pestering him about it the way I would have before.

When he spoke again, his voice came out slightly off. "How come you didn't tell me?"