n: Shadows i

la

r, the air seemed thicker. Heavy. As if the wal

heart. The house smelled the same - faintly of cedar and last n

voice calling o

eaded toward the living room, my foo

xed on the floor, hands folded tight in his

I said

tled, like I'd bee

ed, voice rough

wed hard

in the same room, the space

me I tried, something stopped me. The years we weren'

off before I went," I said. "

n't just about me or you. It's eve

t what if what I

d, torn between

e said, voice b

art l

ct like you're afr

step closer, but sti

s could do to all of us," he confe

shrink with his wor

break," I whispered. "Maybe

d down,

ready to brea

not e

ght of what we couldn't

uld be dangerous, twiste

lso knew I wasn't

s la

held a storm I couldn't quite read - guilt, longing, fear - all ta

the boundaries we'd tried so hard to build. But my hands tremble

back?" I whispered, stepp

back to my eyes. "Because every time I

ht he'd hear it. "But what if what

esn't make it right. It j

e strand of hair behind my ear. His skin was w

said, voice shaking. "Sometimes

ible battle. When he opened them, his voice was raw. "I'v

pen - the part I'd tried to k

tween us thickened, charged with eve

some magnetic force,

ric, sending jolts of

hed, "we shouldn'

pered, "but I do

s on my palm, a silent promise

d outside the room fa

ted, a sudden knock at the door shat

oth

ispered, he

f burned, stepping back and

but the truth linger

he future held - but

no turning