The elephant in the room

*RYAN*

*“Okay, but how does someone even trip like that?”*

*Violet’s laugh rang out, light and melodic, filling the cozy silence of the living room. She was curled up beside me on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her and a half-empty bowl of popcorn resting in her lap. The guy on the screen had just face planted into a stack of pies, and while the scene itself was ridiculous, the real show was Violet—her laughter, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the way she hugged the popcorn bowl as if it were the funniest thing she’d ever seen.*

*“Did he grease his shoes beforehand?” she added, barely able to contain another burst of giggles.*

*I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’ve got to respect the dedication to slapstick. Not everyone can make falling on their face look that good.”*

*She smirked and lobbed a piece of popcorn at me. “Oh, please. You’d know all about making a fool of yourself.”*

*I caught it mid-air and popped it into my mouth. “Impressive aim,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe you missed your true calling. Professional popcorn sharpshooter—sounds like a solid career choice.”*

*Her smile widened, and for a moment, everything felt right. Just the two of us, the soft glow of the TV casting a warm light over the room, and the kind of easy laughter that made the rest of the world fade away.*

*But beneath it all, the weight of reality lingered. Graduation was just two days away. Two days before everything changed. We’d both been avoiding the topic, pretending like these fleeting moments were endless. Like time wasn’t slipping through our fingers.*

*I leaned back, draping an arm over the back of the couch as I watched her reach for another handful of popcorn. She was relaxed, her focus entirely on the screen, but my mind was anywhere but here.*

*“You’re taking this all pretty well,” I said finally, trying to sound casual.*

*She glanced at me, her laughter fading into a soft smile. “What do you mean?”*

*“I mean, you’re about to graduate in two days,” I said, my tone lighter than the knot forming in my chest. “You seem... calm. Suspiciously calm.”*

*Her gaze flicked back to the screen. “Maybe I’ve just accepted that it’s happening. No point in freaking out now, right?”*

*I turned my head to study her face. Her expression was easy, but there was something guarded in her tone, something hesitant. “Or maybe you’re just avoiding it.”*

*Her eyes darted back to mine, wary but teasing. “And you’re not?”*

*“Touché,” I admitted, smirking. “I guess we’re both guilty of that.”*

*She set the popcorn bowl aside, folding her hands in her lap as her gaze dropped to them. She was quiet for a moment, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sweater. “I just...” she trailed off, then exhaled softly. “I don’t want to ruin this.”*

*The knot in my chest tightened. There it was—the conversation we’d been avoiding for weeks, now creeping into the room like an unwelcome guest.*

*“Funny how it’s suddenly a big deal two days before we both leave,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.*

*Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s always been a big deal.”*

*“Not to you, apparently,” I shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’ve been avoiding it this whole time. We haven’t talked about it. Not once. Not seriously, anyway.”*

*“And whose fault is that?” she countered, her voice rising. “Every time I try to bring it up, you either brush it off or act like everything’s just going to magically work out.”*

*“I didn’t want to ruin our summer, Violet!” The words came out louder than I meant, but I couldn’t stop them. “I thought we could at least enjoy what little time we had left without worrying about... this.”*

*Her lips parted, but whatever retort she’d been about to throw back dissolved into a heavy sigh. She leaned back against the couch, her shoulders slumping as the tension between us thickened. The only sound in the room was the muffled chatter from the TV, until I grabbed the remote and turned it off.*

*She frowned, her eyes narrowing. “Why’d you turn it off? It was just getting better.”*

*“Because we’re not continuing anything until we talk about this,” I said firmly, turning to face her fully. “No more avoiding it. No more pretending it’ll all work itself out. Let’s figure this out now.”*

*Her eyes darted away from mine, her fingers twisting together in her lap. For a moment, I thought she was going to argue, but then she nodded slowly. “Okay.”*

*I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “So... what are we doing? How are we going to make this work?”*

*She was quiet for a long moment, biting her lip in that way that always drove me crazy. “I don’t know,” she admitted softly. “I mean, we’ve been together for a while now and now... it’s going to be so different. You’ll be hours away, and I’ll barely see you, and...” She trailed off, her voice breaking slightly.*

*My chest tightened at the sound, and I reached over, grabbing her hand. “Hey, look at me.”*

*She hesitated, then met my eyes, her gaze full of uncertainty.*

*“Do you want to be with me?” I asked, my voice steady. “Because if the answer’s no, tell me now. Don’t drag this out if you don’t think it’s worth it.”*

*Her grip on my hand tightened. “Of course I want to be with you, Ryan. I just... I don’t know if we can handle the distance. What if—”*

*“Stop,” I interrupted, shaking my head. “No what-ifs. We can make this work if we both want to. But you have to trust me, Violet. You have to trust us.”*

*Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back quickly, nodding. “I do trust you. I’m just scared.”*

*“I am too,” I admitted, my voice softer now. “But we’re not giving up without a fight. Long-distance isn’t going to be easy, but we’ll figure it out. We’ve faced worse things than this.”*

*She let out a shaky laugh, swiping at her eyes. “You’re right. We have.”*

*I leaned over, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “We’ll call every day. Visit as much as we can. And when things get tough, we’ll remember why we’re doing this. Because you’re it for me, Violet. College doesn’t change that.”*

*Her lips trembled, and she leaned forward, pressing her forehead to mine. “You’re it for me too,” she whispered.*

*“Good,” I said, my lips quirking into a small smirk. “Now, can we agree not to turn into one of those couples who write sappy love letters and cry over FaceTime?”*

*She laughed, and the sound was music to my ears. “No promises,” she teased, her voice lighter now.*

*I leaned back, reaching for the remote. “Now, can we agree not to turn into one of those couples who cry over FaceTime and write sappy love letters?*

*I grinned and pulled back, turning the TV back on.“Well, if you start sobbing over FaceTime, just remember—I told you so.”*

*Her laughter filled the room as the movie started playing, the tension between us finally beginning to ease. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was a start.*

*And for now, that was enough.*