Chapter 8: The Gaps of Words

The laughter and chatter around us felt distant, like a muffled hum underwater.

And, coupled with the vibrant decorations, the warm glow of the lights... everything about the party was lively.

But at the far end of the side, the boy who lost to [ Jane ] sat like a wilted flower in a garden full of bright blooms.

His shoulders was hunched, his gaze staring at the floor.

His friends lingered nearby, but none of them spoke. Maybe they knew there was nothing to say.

Inside, a long wooden table was covered with dishes. The plates was stacked high, bowls steaming, and trays of food was arranged in a straight line. Guests lined up, waiting for their turn. Though sometimes, one would insert themselves into the line since their friend "reserved" it for them, or simply one allowed it to happen, making the wait much longer.

I didn't have to wait though. Since it was my birthday, I was given priority.

Mom had at least made one rule, where, she forbid entry to my room.

But that didn't stop the kids from gathering in the hallway outside. Their phones blasted brain-rotting clips, the kind that looped endlessly.

[ Doom scrolling ]

I could unfortunately hear them even from here, the noice of AI's mixing with the crowd, blending into the noise of the night.

[Jane] and I found a small table near the far right corner, just big enough for three. I had asked Mom to save it for my "friends."

Only one showed up though.

"....."

I watched as [Jane] twirled spaghetti around her fork, slurping it up without a care. Sauce smeared across her mouth, but she didn't seem to notice.

I opened my mouth, ready to say something, anything...

I wanted to become a chatterbox and tell her all the things I planned to say, all of them rotting in my mind.

I wanted to see how she reacts to the most "unfunny" jokes I've got...

To those riddles sitting in my chest like unopened letters, waiting for someone to read them.

But no one did.

[ The memories of [Stephanie] were thorns wrapped around my heart, tightening every time I tried to speak. ]

[ Flashback ]

"Dude!! I asked my friend what the longest word starting with 'ab' was," I said, leaning in, waiting for [Stephanie]'s reaction.

"DID YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAIDD??"

I continued, my voice rising in anticipation.

"..." [ Stephanie ] stayed quiet, her brows furrowed.

"She said ABS!!! LOLL-- Can You BELIEVE THATT??"

No noice caught up after that.

It was like her silence was a locked door, and I was left knocking with no key.

"....."

"Can you just... Shut up?...? she muttered, barely loud enough to hear.

But..

I heard it.

"....." How her patience ran out, like water slipping through cupped hands.

How her face didn't even twist in anger.

She didn't even frown.

She just looked.... tired.

Like she wanted to be anywhere else but here, listening to me.

Then, without hesitation, she pulled out her phone, her thumbs tapping against the screen, drowning me out as if I had never spoken at all.

My gaze faltered.

In a desperate attempt not to sound defeated, I uttered..

"Sheeesh, okay bro."

"....."

I still kept my usual talkative nature to prove I didn't care, but conversations with her started to lessen little by little.

[ ....It hurts. ]

I prepared for this conversation. I searched online for some riddles... anything that might hold her attention.

"What do you call a fish with no eyes?"

...

Their was no response.

And I stopped trying.

[ Flashback ended ]

Jane's fork scraped against her plate, the sound small but sharp in the quiet between us.

Deciding silence was better, I took out my phone. [Jane] did the same.

The sweet tune of background music filled the space between us, like a thin thread connecting two people who had long stopped trying to tie knots.

♪~•~~♪♪~~-–♪•—~♪♪••♪~•~~♪♪~~-–♪•—~♪♪••

Grueling hours started to pass while we ate.

Hours stretched, the weight in my chest settling deeper. We talked sometimes, but only in short conversations, fading before they could begin.

[ Conversation ]

Me: Heyyy, any assignments due tomorrow?

Idk < [ Jane ]

Me: ok.

[ Conversation ended ]

[...]

The third seat at our table stayed empty between us.

————————————————————

[ 9:30 pm ]

Some guests started leaving. The party was fading, the night peeling away its layers, revealing it's dark scenery illuminated by stars.

The remnants of noise and footsteps was left.

But what about me and [ Jane ]?

Surprisingly, small conversations became more frequent.

It was nothing deep... YET. Just enough to fill the gaps.

[ Conversation ]

[ Jane ] > [ Sent a funny video about a dog dancing]

→ Replied: LOL < Me

[Sent a video clip about

discontinuing doom scrolling] < Me

[ Jane ] > → Replied: Nah.

[ Conversation ended ]

At some point, [Jane] took another slice of cake.

I didn't say anything. I just watched as she sat, casually forked another bite into her mouth, her expression unreadable.

While I took lasagna everytime I craved it.

The warmth lingered longer than I expected.

————————————————————

[ 9:55 pm ]

Guests gathered leftovers, shoving portions of food into plastic containers, stuffing them into bags. The rest was packed away in the fridge, already deciding tomorrow's meal.

And then, [Jane] stood up.

She dusted crumbs off her lap, stretched her arms, and grabbed her things.

The water bottle earlier was sticking out, half empty, half full.

The maxed-out volume of iPads playing brain-rot clips had finally gone silent too.

The house, once alive with chatter and movement, settled into its usual stillness, like an exhale after holding in too much air.

I glanced at the empty plate across from me, the fork resting where she had left it.

And then, almost instinctively, my gaze flickered to the doorway.

She was gone....

And the boy who lost to [ Jane ], which I found the name to be [ Daniel ], also probably left.

The party was over.

And yet…

I felt h■ppy?

[....]

Is this what fri■nds are supposed to make you feel?

For a moment, I let myself believe it.

But then, my fingers curled slightly. My chest felt tight, the kind of feeling that creeps in when something ends, even if you don't want to admit it, you wished it lasted just a little longer.

....I exhaled, shaking my head.

Oh well, I'm sure it's just temporary.

As they say, nothing ever lasts for■ver.

————————————————————

Unlocked Information: Consciousness.