Kalisa sat on the edge of her bed, her knees drawn up slightly as though she were trying to guard herself. The evening light bled through the thin curtains, casting a pale orange glow over the room. Caleb was sitting close, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs, his eyes sharp, searching her face for answers.
"Kalisa, now that I have told you my greatest secret," he said softly but firmly, "I'm going to ask you one more time. Are you keeping something from me?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She felt her heartbeat thumping in her throat. His eyes, blue and piercing, refused to let her escape. The silence stretched, pressing down on them both. Finally, she exhaled a shaky breath and tried to smile, though it was brittle.
"Not everything needs to be spoken, Caleb. Sometimes silence is safer."
He frowned deeply. "Safer for who?" His voice rose slightly. "For you or for me?"
