Semua Bab Dirty Little Secret : Bab 81 - Bab 90

It wasn’t anything big.That was the annoying part.No argument. No misunderstanding. No clear reason she could point to and say, *this is where it went wrong.*Just a feeling.Avery noticed it in the middle of something normal.They were sitting together, Daniel talking about something she wasn’t fully paying attention to again, her hand loosely in his. Everything looked the same.Felt the same.But something in her chest… shifted.Not sharp.Not loud.Just enough to make her aware of it.She pulled her hand away without thinking.Daniel paused mid-sentence.“Okay,” he said slowly. “What was that?”Avery blinked.“What?”“You just disappeared,” he said.“I didn’t—”“You did.”She looked at her hand, now resting in her lap, like it didn’t belong there.“I’m fine,” she said.It came out too quick.Too automatic.Daniel leaned back slightly, studying her.“That didn’t sound convincing.”Avery forced a small laugh.“Why are you analyzing everything?”“I’m not,” he said. “I’m noticing.”O

It took her a while to notice it.Not because it was small.But because it was the absence of something.Avery was halfway through her day when it hit her—she hadn’t checked her phone.Not once.No quick glances.No rereading messages.No quiet “has he texted?” in the back of her mind.Nothing.She only realized when her phone buzzed in her hand and it actually surprised her.You disappeared today.She stared at the message for a second, then smiled.Did I?Pause.Then:Yeah. I had to be the one to text first.She laughed under her breath.That’s new.Another pause.Then:You okay?Avery read that one a little slower.Not because it worried her.Because it felt… different.Before, that question would’ve meant something bigger.Now, it just felt like he was checking in.Like it was normal.Like it didn’t carry weight.Yeah, she typed back. I’m good.Then, after a second:Just busy.This time, she didn’t stare at the screen waiting for a reply.She set her phone down.Kept doing what sh

It stayed with her.That thought.The one she didn’t say out loud yesterday.It kept showing up at random times, like it was waiting for her to finally do something with it.Not in an annoying way.Just… there.Avery noticed it most when she was alone.When there was nothing else distracting her.No conversations, no noise, no movement.Just her and her own thoughts.And somehow, that made it louder.She was lying on her bed, staring at her ceiling again, phone resting on her chest.Same position as a hundred other nights.But it didn’t feel the same.Because now there was something sitting in her mind that she couldn’t ignore anymore.It wasn’t complicated.It wasn’t even new.It was just something she hadn’t said.And the more she didn’t say itThe more it felt like it mattered.Her phone buzzed.What are you doing?She didn’t even think before replying.Nothing.Then added:You?Pause.Then:Same.Avery smiled a little.Of course.That sounded about right.There was a second where

It wasn’t about them.That’s what made it annoying.Everything between Avery and Daniel felt… fine. Easy, even. No weird tension, no overthinking spirals, no “are we okay?” moments.So when something finally felt off, it didn’t come from inside.It came from outside.“You’ve been disappearing a lot lately.”Avery looked up from her phone to see Lila standing there, arms crossed, expression somewhere between curious and slightly annoyed.“I haven’t disappeared,” Avery said.Lila raised an eyebrow.“You didn’t come to lunch yesterday.”“I had something to do.”“And the day before that?”Avery paused.“Okay, maybe I’ve been a little busy.”Lila didn’t look convinced.“Busy doing what?”Avery already knew where this was going.And for some reasonShe didn’t answer right away.Which, in itself, was an answer.Lila’s expression shifted.“Oh.”Avery sighed.“It’s not like that.”“It’s exactly like that,” Lila said.“It’s really not.”“Then explain it.”Avery opened her mouth, then closed it

It came back.Not loud.Not overwhelming.Just… there.Avery didn’t notice it at first. The day had been normal—classes, small conversations, a quick laugh with Lila, a message from Daniel that made her smile without trying.Everything felt steady.Exactly the way it had been.And maybe that was the problem.Because later, when she was alone again, that quiet thought slipped in without asking.What if this is as good as it gets?She sat still for a second, her phone resting loosely in her hand.It wasn’t a negative thought.Not really.But it wasn’t entirely comfortable either.Because if this was it—if this was the peak, the best version of everything—then what came after?Did things stay like this?Or did they slowly fade without her noticing?Avery exhaled slowly, dropping her phone beside her.“Why am I thinking like this again?” she muttered.She wasn’t spiraling.She wasn’t panicking.But it was enough to make her feel… unsettled.Like she had stepped slightly outside of somethi