C76 Maybe The Problem Was Not You

I stared at my lunch box for a few seconds before answering. “Because not every ending comes with an explanation.”

Neither Alicia nor Chris interrupted me.

“When someone suddenly disappears from your life, you keep asking yourself questions. You wonder what you did wrong. You wonder if things would have been different if you had worked harder or loved better.”

Alicia quietly listened. Chris lowered his head. He knew the whole story. After a brief silence, Alicia spoke softly. “Then maybe the problem was never you.”

Those simple words caught me off guard.

For the first time since Samantha disappeared, someone had said something different.

Not that I should move on. Not that I should forget her. Not that I should stop thinking about her. Just… Maybe the problem was never you.

I found myself staring at Alicia for a few seconds. She immediately became embarrassed. “W-Why are you looking at me like that?”

Chris suddenly pointed at me. “See! I told you. My brother is finally looking at women again.” “What nonsense!” I protested. Alicia’s face turned red. Chris laughed loudly.

For the first time in months, the shadow Samantha left behind did not seem quite as heavy.

Just when I thought the topic was finally over, Alicia spoke again. This time her voice was much softer. “Would you mind telling me the name of the heartless woman who hurt you?”

Silence immediately fell between us. Chris and I exchanged glances.