"Running had to stop sometime."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the empty rink through the glass. The ice was freshly resurfaced, smooth and unmarked. Waiting for someone to claim it.
Silver felt lighter than she had in days. Maybe weeks. Like admitting her feelings had released some pressure valve she didn't know existed.
But there was still something unsettled between them. Something she needed to address.
"Can I ask you something?" she said finally.
Eli's arm tightened slightly around her shoulders. "Anything."
"That night. At your dorm. When I told you I liked you." She felt him tense. "Why didn't you say anything back?"
The silence that followed was different from before. Heavier. Eli's hand stilled on her shoulder.
"I tried to explain that," he said carefully. "The pain meds. Everything was foggy."
