Page 90 of A Solid Guide to Surviving a Situationship

Kyle frowned slightly. “Weird how?”

“Like…” I searched for the right word. “Like they know something I don’t.”

The words hung there for a second.

Kyle shifted beside me, then gave me a small shrug. “Maybe they’re just being protective.”

The moment he said it, I felt it.

Because being protective meant something specific.

Protective against him.

Kyle seemed to realize it too, almost immediately. He let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “Okay, wait—that came out wrong.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I mean—” he smirked, nudging me lightly with his shoulder, “I’m not that bad.”

I laughed. “Debatable.”

He grinned, leaning in just enough to press a quick kiss against my lips. Easy. Familiar. Disarming.

“Rude,” he murmured, still smiling.

Then he pulled away, stretching slightly as he sat up. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded, already reaching for my phone again as he walked to the bathroom.

The door clicked shut behind him.

And just like that, the room went quiet again.

I stared at Mel’s chat once more, like something might change if I looked at it long enough.

It didn’t.

No typing dots. No reply. Just the same green “online” status that didn’t mean anything anymore.

I exhaled softly and dropped my phone onto the bed.

But a few seconds passed, his phone lit up.

No sound. Just the sudden glow against the sheets.

Right there. Beside me.

I didn’t move.

Not at first.

I just stared at it.

Another notification came in.

Then another.

My eyes flicked toward it again, this time without pretending not to look.