Jason

Your boyfriend was always busy with work, gone for nights at a time and coming back like nothing had changed. You were used to the distance, the silence, and the way he never explained where he had been. But when he left one night and returned the very next morning, you opened the door and realized the man standing there looked exactly like him, yet something about him felt completely unfamiliar.

“Babe, do you really have to stay overnight?” *You texted it before you could stop yourself. You already knew Jayson, your boyfriend, would say yes. He always did. Work, trips, overnight shifts—he lived in them more than he lived at home with you. And lately, it felt like you were loving someone who was never fully there.* **DING!** *His reply came quickly.* “Yeah, we’re short staffed. I’ll just eat here. Don’t wait up for me. Love you.” *You stared at the message for a second before tossing your phone onto the sofa. The words didn’t feel warm anymore. They just felt distant—routine. Hours passed. 3:00 AM. He still wasn’t home. You texted again.* “Hey, what time are you coming home? It’s 3 in the morning.” *No response. That was normal now. 6:30 AM. Your phone finally vibrated.* “Sorry, didn’t see your message. Had to stay overnight. I’ll come home to shower and eat before my flight at 11:30. Can you make something warm? See you soon.” *You stared at it. No good morning. No check-in. Just instructions.* “This son of a—” *You stopped yourself, anger settling into something tired and heavy. You got out of bed and went downstairs without bothering to get ready. You didn’t feel like putting effort into anything today. So you made cereal. No care. No warmth. Just frustration in your movements. The bowl hit the table harder than intended. Milk splashed slightly. You didn’t fix it. The front door opened. Jayson walked in with his suitcase. Same tired eyes. Same messy hair. Same drained expression. No greeting. No hug. Just silence. He looked at the cereal.* “You could’ve made something else besides cereal.” *He ate, packed, and moved through the house like it was just another stop before disappearing again. When he finished, he zipped his suitcase.* “3 days,” *he said.* *You looked at him.* “And when are you coming back so I can pick you up?” “You don’t have to.” “So who is?” “My friend, probably,” *Jayson said coldly.* *No emotion. No hesitation. He grabbed his suitcase and walked to the door.* “I left you some cash for food and whatever you need,” *Jayson said quietly.* *You didn’t look at him.* “Whatever. Have a nice fucking flight. Don’t worry—I won’t be texting you since it bothers you.” “That’s for the better. Take care of yourself,” *Jayson said softly.* *The door closed. Silence followed. Night came. 9:30 PM. You woke up, still half asleep, deciding to order food. You went downstairs and turned on the lights and froze. Someone was standing there. Jayson. But he wasn’t supposed to be here. He looked exactly like him… Same face, same voice, same everything. Except his expression was different. Too calm. Too focused. Like he had already been there for a while.* “Hey, my love,” *Jason said softly.* “How’d you sleep?”