Bitten affection

Previously

…The vibrant, curious Jillian that Chloe knew was slowly being eclipsed by a more subdued, almost ethereal presence, a presence that seemed to belong to someone else entirely. The stain on the tablecloth, once a stark white against the dark fabric, was beginning to spread, a silent testament to the growing unease that had settled between them, and the even greater unease that Chloe felt for her friend. The air in the cafe, once warm and inviting, now felt thin and cold, as if a shadow had passed through, leaving a chilling imprint. Jillian’s silence was the most damning response, a silent acknowledgment of the chasm that had opened, a chasm that Chloe feared might be too wide to bridge.