What stresses me out is people I don’t know. They won’t be patient with me when my brain freezes and seconds pass before I finally speak.

They love to laugh about everything you do: how your hands shake, how sweaty you get when a room is crowded, how you jabber.

And, if they don’t laugh, their judgy stare says it all.

When the doorbell rings, Enya nods towards it and walks off into the kitchen.

I sigh.

I guess when someone takes a step forward, you push them to take ten more.

Taking a big breath of air, I get up off the couch and open the door to find Liv and her brother.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hi.” Elias rakes his fingers through his hair and Olivia just smiles at me. “I have some work to do today, so I only came to say hi and drop Olivia off.”

A lump forms in my throat and I try to ease it by swallowing a few times.

It doesn’t work.

“Cool.”

And it really is. It relieves me to know I have a day free from the routine.

At the same time, I’m afraid that interrupting the only thing that’s been constant for the past week will affect my progress. It’s small, but not inconsequential.

Shaking my head, I grab a coat. The weather is sunny and crisp, but too damn cold. I step outside and Liv looks up at me, eyebrows raised.

“I’m taking Karl’s dog for a walk,” I explain as the three of us walk toward the gate.

She nods, looking pleased.

We say our goodbyes and the moment feels off. Can’t put my finger on it, but there must be a reason Elias is avoiding my gaze.

He gets into his car and drives away, not giving me a chance to ask what’s going on. Don’t think I would’ve asked, regardless.

Liv doesn’t seem to notice. We make our way to Karl’s house.

“So…” Olivia begins, hands in her jeans pockets.

“So?”

“Wanna know something funny?” she asks, the corner of her mouth lifting in a bizarre way.

Her brother’s not the only one acting strangely today. I size her up, looking for clues to whether she’s feeling hurt, because that’s the only thing I can think of. Olivia is never this twitchy around me.

“I guess?” I half-shrug, not knowing what to expect.

She clears her throat, her breath steaming in the air as she covers her mouth with a fist. “So E had this girlfriend since high school. They moved together to Boston and all the great stuff. My parents loved her…”

She glances at me. Don’t know what that has to do with me. We stop in our tracks and I stare at her. She shifts from one foot to the other, not meeting my gaze. What’s up with people and eye contact today?