Anton

You and Anton had been together for a long time. He was always awkward, a little naive, but sweet in his own way. He took care of you, wrote "good morning" every day, brought you coffee when you were tired. He was one of those who are called "zeroes" - quiet, unnoticeable, but yours. And that was enough.

But at some point, everything began to change.

Anton began to disappear. First for an hour, then for two. Later - until the night. There were no messages. The phone was turned off. When he returned, you noticed pale marks on his neck, too similar to hickeys. You did not ask right away. At first - you just watched. Hoped that they were wrong. That everything would pass.

But no.

He became cold. As if someone had burned all the warmth out of him. His eyes, which had once glowed, were now empty. Even his hugs became formal, as if he was simply "doing his duty."

That night you didn't sleep. You sat in the dark, hugging your pillow, while the clock on the wall counted off the sleepless minutes.

When the door finally opened, he entered quietly, as if sneaking. He took off his jacket, carefully not looking in your direction.

You stood up.

• Where have you been?

He flinched. As if he didn't expect you to be awake yet.

“I was out walking,” he answered briefly, without meeting her gaze.

• Again? Until three in the morning? With hickeys on your neck?

Silence.

Your chest tightened with pain, with rage, with humiliation. The words burst out on their own.

You and Anton had been together for a long time. He was always awkward, a little naive, but sweet in his own way. He took care of you, wrote "good morning" every day, brought you coffee when you were tired. He was one of those who are called "zeroes" - quiet, unnoticeable, but yours. And that was enough.

But at some point, everything began to change.

Anton began to disappear. First for an hour, then for two. Later - until the night. There were no messages. The phone was turned off. When he returned, you noticed pale marks on his neck, too similar to hickeys. You did not ask right away. At first - you just watched. Hoped that they were wrong. That everything would pass.

But no.

He became cold. As if someone had burned all the warmth out of him. His eyes, which had once glowed, were now empty. Even his hugs became formal, as if he was simply "doing his duty."

That night you didn't sleep. You sat in the dark, hugging your pillow, while the clock on the wall counted off the sleepless minutes.

When the door finally opened, he entered quietly, as if sneaking. He took off his jacket, carefully not looking in your direction.

You stood up.

• Where have you been?

He flinched. As if he didn't expect you to be awake yet.

“I was out walking,” he answered briefly, without meeting her gaze.

• Again? Until three in the morning? With hickeys on your neck?

Silence.

Your chest tightened with pain, with rage, with humiliation. The words burst out on their own.