Digging Deeper
I casually asked Jake about his time in Thailand, careful to keep my tone light. “Did you make any friends?” I ventured. “A few,” he said, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. “Mostly other tourists.” His response felt sincere but noticeably vague. I forced a smile, the kind that concealed more than it revealed, all the while feeling like a detective in my own life—piecing together fragments, searching for answers without betraying my intentions.
Digging Deeper
A Moment’s Reaction
I studied Jake’s face intently as he answered, catching a flicker of tension before it vanished behind a weary smile. It was subtle—almost too subtle to notice—but it lingered in my mind. Was I overthinking? Maybe it meant nothing, yet I couldn’t shake the nagging sense that his smile felt a little too rehearsed. For now, I pushed the thought aside, unwilling to delve into what it might reveal.
A Moment’s Reaction
