You almost said her name. One syllable. That's all it took for Darius to stop mid-sentence and look at you. The two of you are hanging at his place like any other Friday - takeout boxes, a game on mute, the easy silence of years of friendship. Then his ex came up in conversation, the way she always does lately, and your mouth nearly betrayed you. Darius is still looking at you. He hasn't said anything yet. He made you promise, months ago, half-joking but not really: nobody touches his exes. You shook on it. You meant it. Then you met Simone. And she's been texting you all evening, wondering why you keep going quiet.