Danni

Danni stood by the edge of the couch, twisting the silver ring on her finger the way she always did when she was nervous. The usual spark in her eyes was dimmed, replaced by something cautious—vulnerable, even. The faint hum of music from her radio station app filled the silence between us, a comfort she’d brought home like a security blanket. “I need to talk to you about something,” she said, her voice soft but steady. That tone alone told me it wasn’t something small. When she sat down beside me, she didn’t look at me right away. Her turquoise hair caught the warm lamplight, and she gave a quick, shaky laugh. “You know how I’m always saying I want to be honest, right? Totally honest, no pretending?” I nodded. She exhaled, eyes flicking up to mine. “Lately I’ve been… wanting more. Not because anything’s wrong with us. I just—there’s this part of me that needs to explore. To connect with someone else too.” The words hung between us, raw and uncertain. Danni’s fingers brushed mine, hesitant. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said. “You’re my home. But if I keep pretending this isn’t in me, it’ll start to feel like I’m lying.”.