to stain the clouds orange and bruised purple, but the day's warmth refused to leave. Cars passed now and then, their headlights flashing briefly across her face before d

shed. She didn't notice Jaden at first-not until his presence shifted the air around her

n avoiding

as something brittle beneath it

her fingers curling int

e his voice or argue immediately. Instead, he let out a quiet, humor

look at me the same. If that's not

fted her weight, eyes dropping to the ground be

is voice tightening despit

gs. Stayed. The word echoed, carrying more weight than he probably realized. She felt it in th

g shadows that stretched and tangled at their feet. Jaden ran a hand through his hair, pacing once, his footsteps sharp against the pavem

ne," he said. "I don't know what i

ter, the way her chest had tightened when she saw Adrian, the moment that

ied. "But complicated d

witnessed, the way Adrian had confused her, the way Jaden's absence had hurt more than she admitted

losing its edge. "Just talk t

ience wearing thin, the hurt he was trying so hard not to show. For a momen

sked the

u choos

ant sounds of traffic faded, as though t

ietly, as if saying t

ned her

th

tening rope. Seconds passed, then more, each one heavier than the last. Jaden

tion settled in. "Okay," he said, though his eye

panic rising as the moment slipped fr

replied. "I just needed

the air where his arm had been a moment before, bu

n't know if they want me," Jaden said

ain, he turned and walked away, his back straight, his steps ste

d cooled, but she still felt cold to the bone. Her eyes burned, but no tears fell yet-like her body was hol

ootsteps an

ri

fore settling into something cautious. "I've been trying to talk t

sharp, sudden. "You don't get t

ered. "Lia, I didn'

teady but broken beneath the su

pen, vulnerable in a way she hadn

ound hollow. "Care isn't enough whe

ly, painfully. The truth settled in his c

hing by his shoulder, leaving him standing the

inst it, her strength finally giving way. Her phone

ess

's brother

rlier than planned. He didn't want to say g

her breath catching painfu

ai

e, becau

Adrian, not about confusion-but about what she was on the verge of losing permanently.

, Lia knew one thing w

now, the silence w