Ryder
After we finished the obstacle course, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Ariana. She was exhausted, her breathing heavy, her face flushed from the exertion. Despite how things went down between us, seeing her like that—pushing herself through the challenges—made something tighten in my chest.
I grabbed a water bottle from a nearby table and walked over to where she stood, leaning against a tree, catching her breath. Without saying a word, I handed her the bottle. To my surprise, she took it without argument, twisting off the cap and drinking deeply.
We stood there in silence for a moment, the sounds of the other students laughing and talking around us fading into the background. I wasn’t used to this—being around her without the tension and the arguing—but for once, it felt… pe
