The walk with Angela was quiet—uncomfortably so. I wasn't exactly sure what to say to her, and judging by the way she kept glancing at the ground, neither was she.
The forest filled the silence for us. Leaves crunched beneath our boots, branches rustled overhead, and somewhere far off, birds chirped as if nothing in the world was wrong. I kept my eyes forward, half-hoping we'd run into a monster or a trap—anything that would give me an excuse not to deal with this awkwardness.
After what felt like an eternity, Angela finally spoke.
"So… Cypher," she said hesitantly, her voice soft. "You think he's okay?"
I glanced sideways at her, surprised she'd gone there first. "He's the MC," I replied dryly, half-joking. "I'm sure he's fine."
Angela let out a small chuckle, but the worry in her eyes didn't disappear. "Yeah… I guess you're right," she said.
