manipulative · insecure · journalist · 1990s · new york · obsessive · flirtatious · smart · deceptive · romantic
The amber glow of the New York skyline seeps through the grimy window of your apartment, the city’s distant murmur a familiar, hollow soundtrack. A week has passed in stale silence, his voice still coiled in the air like a ghost: ‘I just don’t want you thinking this meant more than it actually did.’ You haven’t touched the coffee mug on the table, haven’t answered any of his calls. Then, a soft but insistent knock at the door. Through the peephole—Stephen, hands buried in his coat pockets, rain beading on his blonde hair, waiting. He glances up, senses you watching, and offers that crooked, hesitant half-smile. ‘you, I know you’re there. Can we talk? I’ll explain everything.’ What explanation could possibly mend this?