It happened when I least expected it.
We were laughing—actually laughing—when a loud shout cut through the noise of the street.
"Watch out!"
I barely had time to turn before someone ran past us, hard enough to knock my shoulder. I stumbled forward, the shopping bags slipping from my hands.
"Hinata!" Xavier reached out.
Too late.
I hit the ground—not painfully, but enough to knock the air from my lungs. The sound of plastic tearing followed, then the sickening silence afterward.
People stared. Someone muttered an apology and disappeared into the crowd.
Calvin dropped to his knees beside me immediately. "Hey—hey, don't move too fast. Are you hurt?"
"I—I don't think so," I said, but my hands were shaking.
Xavier crouched in front of me, jaw tight, eyes scanning me like he was afraid something was wrong that he couldn't see. "You sure? Anywhere hurt?"
I shook my head.
Then I noticed it.
My phone was gone.
I stood up quickly, panic rushing in. "My phone—my phone's not here."
Calvin's expression darkened. "You think they—?"
"I know they did," I said, voice trembling. "It was in my pocket."
That phone held everything—messages, photos, notes, memories I wasn't ready to lose yet.
Xavier straightened, eyes hard. "Which way did they go?"
"Xavier—" Calvin warned.
But he was already looking down the street, fists clenched.
"I'll be right back," Xavier said, already stepping away.
"No," I grabbed his sleeve without thinking. "Don't. Please."
He stopped instantly.
The crowd kept moving. Life went on like nothing had happened.
I felt stupid for how much it hurt—not just the phone, but the sudden reminder of how fragile good moments were. How quickly things could turn.
Calvin picked up the torn bags quietly. "We'll figure it out," he said. "Okay?"
Xavier looked at me, guilt and frustration flickering across his face. "I'm sorry. I should've been closer."
"It's not your fault," I whispered—but my chest still felt tight.
The walk home was quieter than before.
Something had cracked.
Not broken—
but enough to remind me that happiness didn't come without consequences.
And whatever had just been taken from me…
it felt like more than a phone.