Yeah.
The reply comes quickly.
Soren:
Good girl.
The words land low. Soft. Familiar in a way that shouldn’t feel familiar yet.
My chest tightens.
But I don’t pull away.
I don’t question it.
Because Idofeel better. And that matters more than anything else.
It leaves something strange behind inside me—a kind of hollow space.
Like something’s been removed.
Or replaced.
He’s everywhere now.
Not physically. But close enough that it doesn’t feel different.
When I pick out clothes, I pause. Think about what he’d like. What he’d say. What he’d notice.
When I choose a show to watch, I catch myself wondering if he’d approve. If he’d think it’s a waste of time. If he’d tell me to pick something better.
When I hesitate—when I overthink—my hand moves before I consciously decide. Reaching for my phone. For him.
And he’s always there. Seamless. Constant. Certain.
When he takes too long to reply, I feel it immediately. A sharp, restless edge under my skin. Like static. Like something’s been interrupted mid-signal.
It builds faster than it should. That tight, buzzing discomfort. That low, creeping sense that something isn’t right.
Until my phone lights up again. His name. His message. And just like that, it settles.
Everything settles.
It’s easier this way.
That thought comes again, stronger now. Quieter. More convincing.
I don’t have to think. I don’t have to question. I don’t have to sit alone inside my own head, trying to untangle everything by myself.
I just have to listen.
And when I do, everything feels better.
Everything feels… right.
CHAPTER 25
SOREN