Page 78 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

I reached for the menu, opening it like I was actually interested. “Yeah,” I muttered. “No big deal.”

It was.

My eyes skimmed over the page, yet not a single thing registered.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I’m fine.”

A beat.

“I’ve seen your TikToks,” he added.

I paused, then slowly looked up.

“Have you?” I said flatly.

He nodded, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “Your romantic rants.”

I rolled my eyes, closing the menu halfway.

“Is that why you wanted to see me?” I asked. “Because you pity me?”

“No,” he said immediately.

Too quick. Too sure.

“I wanted to see you because I know you.”

Something in my chest shifted.

I hated that sentence, because Kyle had always been good at saying things that sounded simple until they stayed with you for days.

He leaned back slightly.

“And I know you don’t fall apart over just for anyone.”

I let out a quiet scoff.

“If only that were true.”

“No,” he said quietly. “It is.”

I frowned.

Kyle held my gaze.

“James, you’re not the guy who gets attached after three good conversations and a compliment.”

I looked away.

“You’ve always been careful.”

His voice remained calm.

“Annoyingly careful, to be honest,” he added. “Chasing you for six months.”

I hated how accurate that was.