That afternoon was supposed to be ordinary.
Blair walked beside Kattie, their shoulders almost touching.
The Amsterdam air was starting to turn cold, but not sharp yet.
Shop lights flickered on one by one, footsteps mixing with the sound of people heading home from work.
“You’re zoning out again,” Kattie said, nudging Blair’s arm.
“I’ve counted.
That’s the third time.”
Blair flinched slightly.
“I’m not zoning out.”
“Classic,” Kattie grinned.
“If you’re not zoning out, then you’re thinking about someone.”
“No,” Blair replied too quickly.
Way too quickly.
“I’m just tired.”
Kattie looked at her for a long moment, then smiled with an expression that knew too much.
“Yeah, yeah.
Tired of life.”
They laughed softly.
Then, ahead of them, someone appeared from the opposite direction.
Pablo.
His steps slowed when he saw them.
Blair caught the brief pause.
Very short, but enough to make her chest tighten slightly.
“Hi,” Pablo said.
“Hi,” Blair replied.
Their tones sounded the same.
But Blair knew something was off.
Kattie reacted instantly.
Her eyes flicked from Blair to Pablo, then back to Blair.
Her smile widened, mischievous.
“Oh,” she said.
“So this is the one who’s been making you space out all day?”
Blair shot her a sharp look.
“Kattie.”
“What?” Kattie pretended to be innocent.
“I’m just observing.”
Pablo smiled faintly, awkward.
“Hi.”
Kattie nodded, then sighed dramatically.
“Okay, I think this is my cue to disappear before I become emotional interference.”
“Where are you going?” Blair asked.
Kattie pointed across the street.
“That little bar.
I know someone there.
Besides…” she looked between Blair and Pablo, “…you’re going the same way, right?”
Blair opened her mouth, but Kattie had already raised a hand.
“Relax.
I’m not kidnapping anyone.
An hour, max.”
She leaned closer to Blair, whispering loudly enough for Pablo to hear. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“Stop pretending nothing’s going on.
It’s really obvious.”
“Kattie,” Blair hissed.
Kattie laughed and walked away casually, leaving the two of them standing there, the distance between them suddenly feeling too close.
They started walking.
At first, silence.
Their footsteps were in sync, but the space between them felt different from usual.
Pablo was not as close as before.
Not distant enough to be avoidance, but far enough to be felt.
Blair spoke first.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Pablo glanced at her.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re weird,” Blair said plainly.
“Since earlier.”
Pablo chuckled lightly.
“I’m fine.”
“No,” Blair cut in immediately.
“You say that, but even the way you walk is different.”
Pablo stopped.
Blair stopped too.
“Blair,” he said softly, “you’re overthinking.”
“If I’m wrong, you can tell me I’m wrong,” Blair replied.
“But don’t say I’m making things up.”
Pablo exhaled.
“I’m just tired.”
“Tired of what?”
“Tired… just tired.”
The answer hung there.
Blair looked at him, unsatisfied.
They walked again.
A few steps later, Blair said lightly, deliberately, “You were busy last night, yeah?”
Pablo stiffened, barely noticeable.
“Why ask?”
“No reason,” Blair slipped her hands into her coat pockets.
“I just thought about it.
You usually go to the bookstore on Sundays.”
“I don’t always go there,” Pablo replied quickly.
Blair smiled faintly.
Sarcastic, but subtle.
“Right.
I forgot.
You have your own world too.”
Pablo stopped again.
This time longer.
“What are you actually trying to say?”
Blair looked at the street, not at Pablo’s face.
“I’m not saying anything.”
“You’re being sarcastic,” Pablo said.
“Maybe.”
Pablo let out a short laugh.
“Why?”
Then she said, “Last night felt… strange.”
“Strange how?”
“Like something was missing,” Blair answered honestly, then added quickly, “And before you misunderstand, I wasn’t waiting for anyone.”
Pablo smiled faintly.
“I wasn’t thinking anything.”
“That’s good,” Blair said.
“Because the last person who came to the bookstore last night wasn’t you.”
The sentence landed between them.
Pablo looked at Blair.
“Oh.”
“That’s not an accusation,” Blair added, almost defensively.
“I was just wondering.”
“Why were you wondering?” Pablo asked quietly.
Blair met his gaze.
“That’s the thing.
I don’t know either.”
They walked again.
“Carlo came,” Blair said suddenly.
“Just for a bit.”
Pablo nodded.
“Okay.”
Blair watched him.
“You look… normal.”
“How should I look?” Pablo asked back.
“Surprised?
Angry?”
Blair fell silent.
“Blair,” Pablo continued, his voice lower, “I don’t have a position to feel anything.”
The words made Blair slow her steps.
“I’m not asking you to have a position,” she said quietly.
“I know,” Pablo replied quickly.
“That’s exactly it.”
They reached an intersection.
Their paths were still the same for now, but soon they would split.
Blair stopped.
“Sometimes I feel like you’re pulling away.”
Pablo looked at her.
“Sometimes people aren’t pulling away.”
“Then what?”
“They’re just looking for a safe distance.”
“From what?”
Pablo smiled faintly.
“From themselves.”
Blair stared at him for a long moment.
“You’re complicated.”
Pablo chuckled.
“So are you.”
They fell silent.
Too many things hung in the air.
“See you,” Pablo said finally.
“Yeah,” Blair replied.
Pablo walked away.
Blair stood there for a moment, watching his back disappear.
Her chest felt full of something she had not yet managed to understand.
This was not a fight.
Not a confession.
But it was clearly not nothing.
And that was exactly what made it dangerous.