Hayley Davies Pov -

When Liam looks at me, his eyes don’t linger. They pass right over, like I’m part of the furniture. A lamp. A rug. Jake’s little sister.

I don’t know if Liam will ever look at me the way I look at him—like I’m a book he can’t put down, a story he needs to finish. But for now, in the dark, with only my thoughts for company, I let myself pretend. hayley davies pov

Tomorrow, I will walk downstairs. I will pour my coffee. I will smile when Liam walks through the door. And I will keep every feeling locked behind my teeth, because that’s what Hayley Davies does. She endures. She waits. She loves from a safe distance. When Liam looks at me, his eyes don’t linger

I almost laugh. Words. Of course.

If you’d like, I can continue this into a full short story, add dialogue with other characters, or shift it to a different genre (e.g., thriller, fantasy, or a different emotional tone). Just let me know. But for now, in the dark, with only