Elle’s POV
I walked toward the woods behind the house.
The trees stood tall and quiet, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth. I breathed it in slowly, letting it fill my lungs.
It felt nice to just… walk.
To not think. Or talk. Or pretend everything was okay.
The woods felt peaceful in a way the house hadn’t. The trees didn’t expect anything from me. They didn’t ask questions or look at me with sad eyes. They just stood there, tall and strong.
I kept walking, my shoes crunching gently over leaves and twigs. Somewhere, I heard birds calling to each other. A squirrel darted across the path up ahead, disappearing into a bush.
The walk felt peaceful. The cool air brushed against my cheeks and the leaves made soft crunching sounds b
