That evening, Felix finally confronted Debbie.
"I can't do this anymore," he said, his voice raw.
Debbie's heart sank. "Felix, I—"
"I love you, Debbie," he interrupted. "But I can't keep fighting a ghost for your attention. You have to choose. Him or me."
Tears filled Debbie's eyes as she realized how much her indecision had hurt Felix. She wanted to tell him it was him, that it had always been him—but a part of her still felt tied to Pasco, like a thread she couldn't cut.