The room was filled with an intense silence, thick enough to cut with a knife. Jake and I locked eyes, each trying to read the other's thoughts. It was as if the air itself was holding its breath, waiting for one of us to break the uneasy stillness. I could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air, creating a tension that wrapped around us like a suffocating cloak.
Just as I gathered the courage to break the silence, Jake beat me to it. His voice cut through the quiet, shattering the fragile calm that had settled between us. "Veronica, I guess you don't know me enough to trust me and understand everything... I will let you be for now, pending the time you feel safe about talking to me about everything, but just make sure you are careful and vigilant in everything you do."
