the threat of rain lingering in the air. Below, the hum of the city's nightlife was faint, a constant reminder of the world

romising to return later. She had asked him to give her space, and though he

t her chest. Walking away from him had been the easiest part. The hardest part was facing the consequences of that choice. There was no going back now. She

hollow emptiness that seemed to stretch endlessly within her. D

it up without looking at the screen. It was instinct-she had expected it to be a call from Arvid,

e on the screen, her bre

was

one she turned to for comfort, the one whose warmth had temporarily filled the void that Arvid had left in her heart. B

Leo," she said softly, her voice betraying non

e was an edge to it-something she couldn't quite place. "Where are you?

fted back to the city below her, her fingers tightening ar

is tone softer this time. "I know what you've been through, Daria. You don't

steady. "I'm not pretending. I'm just... sor

hrough, without doing anything. You're important to me, Daria. You always hav

en there for her-when Arvid was too cold, when she needed someone to listen. But she had pushed him away, just like she had pushed everyone else. S

h something she couldn't identify. Anger? Resentment? Or was it f

low, almost hesitant. "Maybe I'm not trying to fix you, Daria. Maybe I'

he needed him. She needed someone to remind her that there was more to life than the suffocating expect

to say it. Not yet. Not after

o," she said, her voice fal

d Daria could almost feel Leo's disappoint

anywhere, Daria. Whenever you're read

hat were threatening to spill. "Thank

ken were somehow etched into it. She had always told herself that she didn't need anyone, that

zed how deep the damage ran. Arvid had taken everything from her-her self-worth, her happiness, her se

running from the truth. She couldn

ld rebuild. Slowly, piece by piece, she would reclaim her life. She would learn who she was again, without Arvid, without Leo,

easy. The road ahead was uncertain, and there would be moments when she would want to tur