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You good?
yeah
why?
Felt it was a bad night
universe is crazy like that
You need to come over?
i have to stay
can i call?
Always
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"Sabie?"
"Hey," she whispers. "I'm on the balcony."
"Everything okay?"
"He's sleeping now, I think." She glances at the door but doesn't move. The breeze is calming. Peaceful, even. "I'll check on him in a second. Just needed to get out for a bit."
"You're not crying, right?"
"No. Just tired."
"Tired?"
"Yeah."
A pause. "The world isn't on you, you know?"
"I know."
"I don't understand."
"It's one of those things. O prior cego é aquele que não quer ver."
"The worst blind is the one who doesn't want to see."
"Maybe I'm afraid to . . ."
"You see fine."
It's true. She does. "That's what I thought, too."
"So?"
"I don't know." She picks at the flowers beside her—a beautiful mess of purple layers bursting from their stem. Hope, she'd been told. She'd hit Sebastian's arm, wild with excitement. Perfect for us, he'd said. "It'll get better."
Teo Elias is many things. A mincer of words, he is not. "No, it won't."
"How do you know?"
Pick. Pick. Pick.
"Well, are you hiding a magical wand somewhere?"
Pick. Pick. Pick.
"It's not fair. And don't tell me 'life isn't fair.' It should be."
"Should and is. Easy to confuse."
She chuckles. "Why does everything sound more cynical in a British accent?"
"Don't be silly. Do you understand what—"
"Thank you, Teo." Pick. "I think I should check on him."
He sighs into the phone, long and worn. "Stay safe."
