We figured, "One hole in the ground is as good as another. We can live without them."
Although we were angry, we didn't lose our heads.
I quietly contacted a lawyer, while my friend researched travel routes.
For the time being, we kept our plans to ourselves.
That evening, Simon came home with my favorite pastries.
He was affectionate as usual, complaining about his tiring day at the lab and how annoying the old scholars were.
Then he buried his big head in my lap, nuzzling me.
His voice and expression seemed normal, but what he didn't know was that I knew him too well.
Whenever he felt guilty, his ears would twitch slightly.
He was trying to gauge if I was angry.
If he had just explained himself directly, I might not have been so upset.
But he insisted on this charade.
Indeed, people change as they grow up.
No exceptions.
For the first time, I lay beside him in bed but couldn't sleep.
Listening to his breathing and looking at the night sky outside the window, my heart felt heavy and painful.
Simon and I had grown up together.
Our families were equally influential.
In school, he was always first, and I was second.
We were always the kids other parents bragged about.