Zainab had never been good at pretending.
They sat across from each other at their usual café, steam rising from their cups. Amara stirred her drink even though she didn't plan to drink it.
"You're unhappy," Zainab said flatly.
Amara sighed. "I'm just tired."
"Tired is temporary," Zainab replied. "This looks permanent."
Amara's fingers stilled.
"You don't talk about him the way you used to," Zainab continued. "You used to glow. Now you… dim."
"That's dramatic," Amara said weakly.
"Love shouldn't feel like loneliness," Zainab said. "Especially not when the person is right there."
Amara swallowed. "What if this is just how long relationships are?"
Zainab leaned forward. "No. This is what happens when one person keeps talking and the other stops listening."
The words landed hard.
For the first time, Amara allowed herself to wonder if she wasn't asking for too much—but settling for too little.