The next day at work I was eating lunch in the crowded cafeteria.
People were laughing, sharing memes, talking about weekend plans.
I sat at the corner table, scrolling my phone just to look busy.
At some point a colleague asked me about a project deadline.
I nodded, answered, even smiled.
On the surface I was part of the world again.
Inside, I was a thousand miles away — thinking about the phone in her hand, the way she typed when she thought no one was watching.
Thinking about the man who got the smile I hadn't seen in months.
I realized I was good at wearing masks now.
That scared me… and thrilled me.
Like I'd unlocked a new, darker skill.
As I left the lunchroom, I passed a mirror by the elevator.
I caught a glimpse of my own eyes — blank, steady.
For a second, I almost didn't recognize myself.