Gemotions

"Did you hear from your parents?" Ben asked. He watched Chloe, carefully.

She paused, seemingly deliberating her answer. "Yes," she said finally, her voice softer than usual. "They're... they're doing well. They asked about you, actually."

The conversation felt stiff, formal, a vast departure from their usual easygoing banter. He hated how her voice softened when speaking with her parents, his parents were more important. He knew what language she was speaking in with her parents. Her family. Not his.

She picked up her phone, scrolling through it, avoiding his gaze. The silence stretched, a palpable weight in the room. He felt the familiar tightness in his jaw.