The storm wasn't letting up. Thunder kept shaking the cave, like the sky was mad at the earth. Ava pulled her knees in tighter, hair sticking to her face, looking more like a ghost than a person.
You just stared at those sharp cave walls, but honestly, your brain was somewhere else. Somewhere darker. Something you'd shoved deep, hoping it'd just dissolve on its own.
Finally, you broke. "Ava… can I tell you something? Haven't told a soul."
She turned toward you, eyes all soft and worried. "Of course. You know you can tell me anything."
You took a breath, but it barely helped. The words scratched on their way out. "I think… I think my girlfriend's cheating on me."
Ava sucked in air so fast you could hear it. She blinked, looking like she'd misheard. "Cheating? Wait, what? Why do you think that?"
Your hands balled up before you even noticed. "It's the late replies. She's always hiding her phone. There's always some reason she can't talk. I don't want to be that paranoid guy… but I feel it. Like, in my bones."
The storm outside might as well have moved inside with how heavy the silence got. Ava's lips parted, her face twisting up with worry—not just for you, but for whatever mess she saw behind your words.
You swallowed. "Ava… I need to know. I can't keep doing this, living in this constant… what-if."
She hesitated, chewing on her lip. For a second, you thought she might chicken out, but then she leaned in, voice barely above a whisper. "Then let's find out."
You blinked. "Wait—what?"
Her eyes got all fierce. "If she's playing you, we'll catch her. I'm in. If you want me to be."
Outside, thunder went for round two, but honestly, nothing compared to whatever just cracked open between you and Ava. The cave wasn't big enough for that kind of tension.
Your heart slammed against your ribs. This wasn't just about catching a cheater anymore. Ava was stepping right onto the minefield you called your heart, and suddenly, 'friend' didn't come close to covering it.