The first time she asked me if I wanted to stay the night, my heart almost stopped. Her voice was soft, like it was no big deal, but something underneath it made my chest tighten. The storm outside was loud enough to shake the windows. The couch behind me was already made up, neat and ready, and Emma Lane stood in front of me in her living room wearing a simple sweater and a careful little smile that felt loaded with meaning.
“Do you want to stay here tonight?” she asked. All I could think was that if I said yes, nothing between us would ever feel the same again. My name is Alex Taylor. I’m 26 years old and I work as a software engineer at a tech firm in Portland, Oregon. Most days, my world is a glowing screen, a pair of headphones, and bugs that never seem to end.
