Danilo
The words hung between us.
'I just want you.'
I hadn't meant to say it like that. Raw. Without armor. But once it was out, I couldn't take it back. Kolli didn't move. He stared at the orange juice in his hands like it might bite him. His knuckles were white around the glass.
I waited.
And waited.
The fridge hummed. The syrup on his plate was starting to congeal.
"Danilo," he finally said. My name again. Soft. Broken.
I looked up.
He set the glass down. He didn't drink it.
"The last two years," he started, and then stopped. He rubbed his palms on his thighs like he was trying to wipe something off. "You want to know what they were like?"
My chest tightened. "If you want to tell me."
He laughed. It wasn't a happy sound. "I've been alone."
The word hit me harder than any yelling could have.
