Rose and I decided to meet up again and have a drink together.
Back then, it was something we used to do without even thinking, almost every weekend like it was just part of who we were. But now... Well, now it felt like something we had to force ourselves to remember to do, as if the weight of everything kept pushing us apart.
"So, how's it going on your end?" I asked her, my voice coming out softer than I meant, as I traced circles on the table with my fingertip. The glass felt cold in my other hand, the condensation dripping onto my skin.
"Well, I'm honestly pretty bummed out," she said, her tone so casual it felt almost unreal. "I don't think I can climb back up the ranks anymore… since I keep slipping, even in Silver Class."
She spoke like it was nothing. Like she'd long accepted it—or maybe had decided not to let it hurt anymore.
"You sound weirdly calm about it. Why's that?" I asked, tilting my head slightly, trying to read the expression on her face.
