'
"Hey, Matt," I said as I parked my bike, stepping off and pulling off my helmet.
"Hi," he replied, strolling over with a casual whistle. He looked… oddly relaxed today, though I couldn't place why. Still, something about being around him always made me feel strange, like we were standing on opposite sides of a memory we couldn't touch without breaking.
"Um… your keys," he said, stretching out his arm with an unreadable expression when I didn't say anything.
"Thanks. How are you… coping?" I asked softly, wincing as the words left my mouth. I glanced down at my shoes, guilt knotting in my chest.
"I've been better," he replied bluntly. "Let's not get into it. I can tell it's just as uncomfortable for you as it is for me, so… I'll just do my job."
"Yeah. Thank you, Matt," I said, taking a small step back as he wheeled the bike away.
