Sham Arrangement

Even the sound of the rain had changed while waiting for an answer from Caleb. It wasn’t pounding intensely anymore—it was softer now, steady, like it had grown tired too.

Caleb hadn’t said anything for nearly a full minute. The silence stretched so long it started to ache.

I leaned back, crossed my arms, and stared straight ahead at the rippling reflections of headlights passing by on the wet roa