The days dragged on after my conversation with Kennan, stretching like an eternity in their emptiness. Each time I walked past our usual spots at the university like the coffee shop where we shared awkward silences and shy glances or the lecture hall where our banter had flourished. I felt an ache deep in my chest. I missed him. Even though he had hurt me, the memory of his smile and the way his eyes lit up when he laughed haunted me.
I tried to keep busy, throwing myself into my classes and spending time with my friends, but the distraction only partially masked the longing. There was a palpable absence where Kennan had once occupied space in my thoughts.
One afternoon, I sat in the cafeteria with Shin, Anthony, Lenard, and Timmy, surrounded by laughter and chatter. The sun spilled th
