Signs and Shifts
Routine, Interrupted
Jasmine and I had settled into a rhythm—texts throughout the week, shared memes, quick phone calls. It was becoming something real. Comfortable. Familiar. But maintaining that closeness gets tricky when you’re living life on the go.
As an international businessman, travel is part of the package. And being gone all the time makes it hard to keep a connection warm.
Still, we were good.
Until we weren’t.
The Bar Crawl Shift
We crossed paths at a bar crawl—one of those city-wide events where everyone ends up on the same block taking shots, swapping stories, and dancing in the streets. She was with her crew. I was with mine.
It had been two weeks since we’d last seen each other, and it showed. The energy was off. She wasn’t cold, but she wasn’t leaning in either. The spark that made things click before? Fading.
We laughed. Took shots. Moved through the crowd like it was still all good. But I could feel it. There was space between us, even when we stood side by side.
We had been spending nights together for about a month, but that night, I asked if she wanted to dip out early, grab some food, and come back to my spot.
She said no.
I didn’t ask why. Just gave her a nod, said “cool,” and walked off. I grabbed some ramen and went home solo. A little buzzed. A little confused.
Red Flags and Realizations
I was leaving for South America the following week to close a deal on a new business. It was a big move—serious money and commitment. But as I sat with that bowl of ramen, I knew: if I didn’t see Jasmine again before I left, it was probably a wrap.
Then I remembered who she was with at the bar crawl.
DC is a small city. And the circles? Even smaller. Jasmine was posted up with someone who had already played a part in the downfall of a past relationship. Not a bad person—but messy. The type to speak on your life like she’s inside of it, even when she’s just a spectator.
In our world, loyalty and discretion matter. And Jasmine wasn’t part of that circle.
That night, I realized: she wasn’t the Blog Ender.
The Confirmation Call
Fast forward two weeks. I called a friend—just checking in after hearing he’d moved to a new place. We chopped it up quick.
Then he called me right back.
He told me straight: he and Jasmine had been seeing each other. He said he didn’t want me to be blindsided if I saw them out.
I laughed. Genuinely.
He said it with respect, and I gave it back.
“Have fun,” I told him.
Final Thoughts
There’s more I could say. But that’s for another post.
The Jasmine chapter is closed.
And the blog goes on.
To be continued…