Jay didn't slow down until the city swallowed him completely.
The evening had settled in fully, the streets alive in that restless, distant way that never quite quieted. Cars passed, lights shifted, people moved with purpose or without it, but none of it touched him. His mind was elsewhere, looping back to the same moment again and again—the hesitation, the contact, the words that refused to leave him alone.
He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face before reaching into his pocket. His fingers found his phone almost immediately, but for a second, he didn't unlock it. He just held it there, staring at the dark screen as if it might give him clarity.
He unlocked it anyway.
His thumb hovered briefly, then moved with decision.
Marcus.
The call rang once.
"Yo," Marcus answered, his voice steady, low, like nothing in the world ever rushed him.
"Where are you?" Jay asked, already moving as he spoke.
"At the spot," Marcus replied without hesitation. "Why?"
