Ellie’s POV
The next morning, I opened the door and froze when I saw Claire standing there. She didn’t look like her usual self. Her face was serious, her eyes sharp, almost guarded, like she had made up her mind about something. For a second, I didn’t even know if I should let her in, but then I moved to the side.
“Come in,” I whispered. My voice sounded smaller than I wanted it to.
She stepped past me without a word. The silence that followed was so heavy it almost pressed on my chest. I walked into the small kitchen and poured her a cup of coffee, setting it in front of her on the table. She didn’t touch it. She just sat there, her hands resting on the cup, tracing the rim with her fingers over and over, her eyes fixed on me.
It felt like she was peeling me apart with that look, lik
