Chapter 37 - The Space Between Words

Chapter 37: The Space Between Words

The message came in on a Friday night, quiet and unassuming.

Hi Hana. Hope you’re okay with random messages. Just need a neutral ear tonight.

It was from Crystal.

Of all people, Crystal.

Hana sat up in bed, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Then smiled softly and replied:

Always okay. Want to call or just text?

Text, if that’s okay. My brain’s too fast and my mouth can’t catch up.

They didn’t talk about big things at first.

Just work.

Clients. Deadlines. Sleep debt. Small annoyances that stack like receipts you never asked for.

But slowly, Crystal’s tone shifted.

It’s weird. Everyone thinks I’ve got it figured out. That I’m thriving. But lately, I’m not even sure if I like the version of me they admire.

Hana didn’t rush in with comfort.
She just let the message breathe.

Then replied:

Is it that you don’t like her? Or you’re just tired of being her all the time?

A pause.

Then:

Maybe the second one.

It’s like I’ve become the Crystal everyone *needs, and I forgot how to be the one I *miss.**

Hana let out a quiet breath. Then typed:

I think we all carry versions of ourselves that help the world run smoother.
But the one you miss? She deserves space too. Even if she’s quieter. Even if she doesn’t close every deal.
You don’t have to earn rest by being irreplaceable.

No reply for ten minutes.

Then:

Can I be honest? I didn’t think I could talk to you like this.

Not because I didn’t trust you. But because… you’re Aleem’s person. I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to get too close.

Hana smiled.

Being Aleem’s person doesn’t make me anyone else’s stranger.
I see you, Crystal. Not as Aleem’s friend. Just as you.

They talked for another hour.

About pressure. About identity. About what it means to build a life that doesn’t always fit the version people expect from you.

Crystal didn’t ask for answers.

Hana didn’t give any.

They just held space, together.

Before they signed off, Crystal sent one last message:

Thank you for being the kind of person who sees through the strong parts and still stays.

Hana replied:

Thank you for letting me in.

The next morning, Crystal added Hana to a private Telegram chat.

Just the two of them. No label. No explanation.

Only the title:
“Breathers.”

In her journal that weekend, Hana wrote:

I don’t need to be in their group to feel the heartbeat of their bond.
Sometimes, all it takes is one message. And suddenly, you’re not just someone’s partner anymore.
You’re someone’s anchor too.