We stumbled home from my friend’s New Year’s Eve party soon after midnight, and your coworkers joined us from the bar. One lingered long after the other — awkwardly, I thought, like she didn’t know how to talk to me. I went to bed around 2 a.m. while the two of you headed outside for a cigarette.
The next day, I commented that I thought it was odd she’d hung out so late, alone. Did she have nowhere else to go? Doesn’t she have friends besides people she works with?
Weeks later, after I found out and was still desperate for information that would only hurt me, I asked you when it started. “Christmas?” “No.” “New Year’s?” No response.