00:00The milk was just the beginning. I stopped sitting in the middle of the couch.
00:04I drifted toward Reese, kept a clear distance from Rex. I stopped saying good morning to Rex.
00:09Only Reese got that now. A soft smile when I saw him come down the hall.
00:14Questions went to Reese. Errands went with Reese. At gatherings, I held Reese's arm.
00:18At dinner, I stopped counting. Ten shrimp, eight for Reese, two for Rex.
00:23It scared me at first. Letting go of the balance felt like standing on the edge of the cliff.
00:27But the shift wasn't as dangerous as I thought. Reese was cold by nature.
00:31But he never made me feel small. When I sat beside him, he'd wrap a hand loosely around my wrist.
00:37Then ask if I wanted anything. When I said good morning, he answered.
00:40Every time, then asked how I slept. He tasted every single dish I made and praised me sincerely each time.
00:46And I stopped clinging to Rex desperately. I stopped getting shoved off the couch.
00:50Stopped being ignored when I say good morning. Stopped walking three steps behind him on the street.
00:54Because he didn't want to be seen beside me. Stopped watching the full meal get pushed away when he didn't
00:59even try.
01:00I hid behind Reese like a coward, soaking up this rare moment of warmth.
01:05Yet the atmosphere at home turned strangely tense.
01:08More than once, I could feel a pair of eyes staring at my back.
01:11I turned around. Rex was staring at the TV, face blank.
01:15He felt me look. He turned. His voice was sharp.
01:18What are you staring at? What, you want to play games with me again?
01:22Before. Foolish as I was. I would have taken it as an invitation and hurried over eagerly.
01:27But now, I shook my head, refusing to humiliate myself any longer.
01:31Reese came out from the hallway. I fell in to step beside him, grabbed the rackets.
01:35I addicted to tennis. We'd been playing for weeks, hours at a time.
01:39We were halfway out the door when it happened.
01:41A crash behind us.
01:42Rex smashed the game console. Pieces everywhere.
01:46His eyes were fixed on our hands. He smiled, but it didn't reach anything.
01:50Come on, bro.
01:51His voice was light and ugly.
01:53You're addicted to playing the good guy, acting like you actually like this ugly freak?
