Chapter 29 - The Quiet That Stayed Too Long

Chapter 29: The Quiet That Stayed Too Long

Ivan had always been grateful for the stillness.

In a world of breakups, miscommunication, on-again-off-again drama, his relationship was a gentle river. No chaos. No cliffhangers. Just two people who knew how to be alone together.

But lately, stillness started feeling like distance that forgot to close back in.

He noticed it on a Thursday night.

They were out for dinner — same café, same time, same seat by the window. She was replying work emails. He was checking his GitHub issues.

There was nothing wrong.

But nothing felt quite right, either.

No inside jokes. No thoughtful questions. Just silence — the kind that didn’t feel warm anymore. Just… expected.

The next day, during an ABIX group call, Aleem said something that lingered.

“I used to think consistency was the goal,” he said, half-laughing, “but now I think it’s emotional awareness. Showing up even when it’s inconvenient.”

Crystal chimed in. “It’s easy to be present when everything’s okay. It’s harder when things are boring. That’s when love starts drifting if you’re not careful.”

Ivan stayed quiet.

Not because he disagreed — but because those words landed a little too closely.

That weekend, his girlfriend asked if he wanted to go hiking.
He said he had work.
He didn’t.
He just needed space to think.

In his journal that night:

Is loving someone for years enough if the version of me in love doesn’t grow?
We’ve become so good at not arguing, we forgot how to ask each other difficult things.
Like: Are you still choosing me today?
And if I asked… would I still hear yes?

Ivan met Crystal for coffee the next day.

She was catching a flight soon, but she made time — like she always did.

“You look like you’ve been thinking in paragraphs,” she said, sipping her espresso.

He gave a half-smile. “Just wondering if I’ve confused loyalty with growth.”

Crystal paused, softer now. “You think you’ve outgrown her?”

“No,” Ivan said quietly. “But I think we’ve forgotten how to meet each other again.”

She reached out, rested a hand over his.

“Then maybe it’s time to reintroduce yourselves.”

That night, he sat with his girlfriend.

They didn’t talk for the first ten minutes.
They just sat on the balcony, watching the sky fade.

Then, without turning, he asked, “Do you think we’ve been coasting?”

She looked over. “A little.”

Ivan nodded.

“I miss us,” she said, gently. “Not the routine. Just… the real us.”

He breathed in. Then out.

“Me too.”

And just like that, the silence turned warm again.