✽ Jason ✽
I watched her laugh at his words like he had earned it. Mandy sat in the back booth with her hands around a coffee mug, shoulders loose in a way I rarely saw. David leaned toward her with the confidence of someone who believed he belonged anywhere he chose. He smiled too much. He kept his eyes on her mouth when she spoke. I collected plates from the front tables and listened without looking. The diner was quiet, but my hearing was precise. Their voices carried in small pieces. He asked about her classes. He acted impressed. He fed her attention in measured doses, then watched her take it. I didn’t move faster. I didn’t show irritation. My face stayed neutral, the same as it always did. Inside, something hard pressed against my ribs. Anger was too warm a word. What I felt was col
