Zinnia put her book down, her gaze steady on Samuel. "You're not just busy, are you? You seem… different."
"I'm fine," he said quickly, a little too quickly. "Just a lot on my mind."
"Samuel," she said softly, "you can talk to me. You know that, right?"
He hesitated, the tension of the day weighing heavily on him. "I appreciate it, Zinnia. I really do. But it's complicated."
She frowned, worry deepening in her eyes. "Complicated how? You can't keep pushing me away."
"I'm not trying to," he insisted, running a hand through his hair. "It's just… some things are better left unsaid."
"But that just makes it worse," she said, her voice rising slightly. "You can't just shut me out. I'm here for you!"
"I know," he said, frustration creeping into his voice. "But I need to handle this myself. I don't want to drag you into my mess."
Zinnia crossed her arms, hurt flashing in her eyes. "So you'd rather go through this alone?"
