I sat frozen, my mind racing. Was this a joke? A mistake? Sarah and I weren’t best friends, but I had never sensed hostility. Had I unknowingly done something to hurt her?The next day, I watched her more closely. She greeted me with her usual friendly smile,

but now, it felt different—forced, maybe even hollow. I considered confronting her but hesitated. What if I wasn’t ready for the answer?I still wear the ring. But now, when I twist it around my finger, I wonder: Was Sarah hiding something all along, or is there something about myself I’ve failed to see?