"What is wrong with me today?" Brad muttered, scrubbing a hand through his hair. Everything felt off… like gravity itself had shifted. Like the normal had ceased to exist. After all, he wasn't supposed to care. He wasn't supposed to chase her. And yet… everything felt so wrong, as if he had done the unthinkable without doing anything. Very few people could make Brad feel that way. Not wasting a single second, he bolted after her without thinking.
Alicia didn't turn when she sensed him behind her, just slowed her pace enough to let him catch up, without being obvious.
"I didn't mean that we should break it off!"
"Hmmm…. Then, what -"
Alicia paused, then, calmly—almost as if discussing the weather—she asked, "Let me get this straight: Do you have a girlfriend?"
He blinked. "What?"
She stopped and faced him squarely. Her expression was unreadable. "Girlfriend?"
"No!"
"A partner?"
"No."
"Any other sexual partner?"
"Jeez—wtf! What? No! What's with all these questions?!"
