Natalia:
The forest had always been quiet at night, but tonight it felt alive, the air heavier, every whisper of wind carrying the echo of what we weren’t saying.
And after everything that I had gone through with my parents, the number of conflicts, and the conflicted feelings that I had… this quiet was something that I found myself embracing. At least, it is real, and though many might not find themselves liking it, I was grateful f or it.
We’d stayed by the lake longer than we meant to. The moonlight spilled across the water, soft and silver, and Nolan stood close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him. He hadn’t let go of my hand since we’d left the house, and even now, his thumb traced slow circles against my skin.
“You’re quiet,” he said finally. “And I know that you
