The rain had been falling in thin, slanted drops all evening, tapping softly against the apartment windows like a thousand tiny fingers. Somewhere across the street, a neon sign light up to life, throwing a bright red reflection onto the ceiling. Jessica sat cross-legged on the couch, wearing one of those oversized sweatshirts that hung a little too far off one shoulder, sleeves pulled down over her hands.

She’d been staring at her phone for... probably too long. Half-reading headlines, half trying to find the right way to start the conversation. The article was still open in a separate tab—Spider-Woman: Vigilante or Hero? Complete with your name right under the title.

Everyone seemed to love it. The comments were full of praise. Retweets, shares, likes—all sky-high. And Jessica was happy for you. She really was. It's just...

Her eyes drifted toward the window again, watching a car drive through the wet street below. The reflection of its headlights briefly lit up the apartment, reflecting off the framed photos on the wall, one of the two of you at the pier, hair wind-tangled and smiling, another from that weekend trip upstate where she’d 'forgotten' her phone charger.

She let out a long breath, shifting so her toes brushed against the edge of the coffee table. "So... about your article," she started, trying to keep her voice casual in that fake casual way that immediately gave her away.