Felicity woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating under the sheets.
It was dark in her room, only the faint lights from the street slipping through the blinds. She reached for the phone, eyes half-closed.
No new messages. Just the same ones she'd sent hours ago—unread.
Her stomach sank.
She told herself not to overthink, not again. Maybe he was busy. Maybe his father had dragged him into another one of their chaotic family meetings he always complained about. But the longer she spent looking at her empty screen, the more the voices in her head kept whispering—He's avoiding you.
She dropped the phone on the nightstand and pulled the blanket over her head, trying to force herself back to sleep. But that didn't work. Her mind couldn't stop replaying the last time she'd seen him—how close they were for a second and thoughts of what would have happened if Victoria hadn't ruined the moment.
She had trusted him. Too much maybe.
By morning, the ache behind her ribs hadn't gone away.
Gwen noticed it first when Felicity showed up to late to class.
"Girl, you look like you haven't slept in three days," Gwen whispered.
"What happened, you and Leon fight again?"
Felicity forced a small laugh. "No. Not really. He's just been…off."
"Off how?"
I'm not sure. Quiet. Distant. "Like he had a lot on his mind. But won't say what."
Gwen gave her a look—the kind that warned, don't let him pull you under again.
"You sure it's not about Charity? She asked carefully.
The name made Felicity's stomach twist.
"Why would it be?"
Gwen shrugged. "You know how it is with them. That history doesn't just disappear."
Felicity pressed her teeth against the inside of her cheek, eyes fixed on her notebook. As much as she wanted to deny it, Gwen had a point. Whenever Leon went silent, Charity's name always seemed to hover in the background—like a shadow that wouldn't fade.
By the afternoon, she found herself alone in her usual café near campus, the one with tall windows and that warm cinnamon scent that always made her think of home. Outside—people passed by in easy rhythm—couples laughing, friends deep in conversations—while her own life felt strangely stuck.
Eventually, she sighed and reached for her phone, giving in.
Hey. Haven't heard from you since last night. You okay?
She quickly dropped her phone face down on the table she was sat right after she'd hit send. Then she waited. Five minutes. Ten. Twenty. Still nothing,
Her chest tightened.
She scrolled through their old chats—photos from nights out, half written messages, tiny memories she couldn't bring herself to delete. He'd told her once she was his comfort zone, the one person he could be himself around. But lately, it felt like she was losing him.
The doorbell above the café jingled. Felicity rose her head just in time to see Deji walk in, he bag back handing from one shoulder and his usual grin in place.
"Hey, stranger." He said, spotting her. "Mind if I sit here?"
She smiled faintly. "Sure. I came here solo."
Deji sat across from her, giving her a look that seemed both teasing and concerned. "Translation: Leon hasn't texted you back."
She groaned. "Do I really look that obvious?"
"Only to people who know you." He leaned back, tone softening. "You know you don't have to sulk every time he disappears like this."
"I'm not." She said quietly, though she didn't believe it herself. "I just wish I knew what was going on."
Deji hesitated, then said "Did he at least about the scene at his parent's place last night?"
Her heart skipped. "What scene?"
"Someone told me there was some big argument—Leon, his dad, Charity. It was all over before midnight, but apparently, it got really bad."
Felicity froze. "Charity was there?"
"Yeah. From what I heard." He shrugged. "Maybe it's nothing. But maybe that's why he's gone silent. I haven't been able to reach him either."
That night, back at her apartment, Felicity sat at the edge of her bed, scrolling social media.
Nothing from Leon. Nothing from Charity either. Just the usual posts—parties, campus gossips, filtered smiles.
She closed the app and threw her phone on the bed, she didn't know what else to do.
Then a knock came at her door.
She froze. Then another knock, louder this time.
When she opened the door, Gwen stood there holding takeout and a bottle of wine.
"Emergency girls night" Gwen announced. "You need to come out of this dark cloud."
Felicity gave a slight laugh.
They sat on the floor, eating straight from the cartons. For a while they spoke about everything else that was going on—classes, upcoming exams, even the gist about Deji's new crush. But eventually, Gwen nudged her head. "Are you finally going to tell me what's really going on?"
Felicity sighed. "I think there's something he's not telling me."
"Leon?"
"Yeah. And I can't figure out what it is. If it's about me, or her, or both. Maybe it's still his family drama. But anytime I text him, void."
Gwen was silent for a second. "So you finally admit you have feelings for him?"
Felicity stared at her takeout, voice barely above a whisper. "I honestly wish I didn't."
Later when Gwen had gone, and the apartment went quiet again, Felicity lay in bed staring at her ceiling.
Her phone screen lit up—a notification from Leon.
Her breath caught. She grabbed it immediately.
I'm sorry. Things have been complicated. I'll explain later.
That was it. No calls. No details. Just I'll explain soon.
She typed a reply, then erased it. Typed again, erased again. Finally she set her phone down and whispered into the dark. "You always say that."
Outside, the wind brushed softly against the window, carrying the city's noise in faint waves. Somewhere deep down, she already knew—whatever was going on, it wasn't over. It was only beginning to unravel.