Jay stood just outside the door, listening to the soft thuds and frustrated sighs coming from within. Every movement, every sound, told him how tense she was. He knew that the next words he spoke could either calm the storm inside her or make it worse. He took a deep breath, gathering all his patience, and knocked gently.
"Liv… please, let me in. I just want to talk," he said, his voice low and calm, but carrying a hint of worry that made it sound almost fragile.
"Talk? Ha! What is there to talk about?! You left me alone, and now you expect me to listen?!" Liv's voice rang out sharply, echoing down the hallway like a clap of thunder.
Jay lowered his head slightly, forcing back the small smile that threatened to appear. Her anger, raw, unfiltered, yet honest, touched him in ways nothing else could.
"I didn't mean to upset you… I just wanted to give you space," he replied softly, choosing his words carefully, as if each one were a step toward bridging the wall she had built.
