ld be simple. As if age had anything to do with the way emotions crawl int

the light touched her face, the curve of her smile when she talked about her childhood, and how m

ere was a silence growing between us. Not the kind you notice right away. The kind t

doing anything in particular, just... existing. That was something I'd grown to admire about her-how she could just be.

asked, crouchi

idn't mean yes. It meant "I don't want to tal

ed out in front of me, watching

e said, "Do you t

k at her. "What

eople. Feelings. M

rs were busy weaving a small crown out of leave

Or at least... they leave

s quie

from her hands, gently placing it on

, soft and real. Bu

ng," she said, her voice

her, never heard her talk about them much, so I didn't even k

because it was the on

that means anymore. Everyone says that when they're tryin

ss her knee. "I just... I thought may

l her into a hug. But something kept me still.

you think it changes

eyes were tired, older th

to hold back. Like if you never go all in

t. Was she talking about her par

and everything, I felt something when I was with her that I'd never felt before. But

, dusted off her dress, a

e sun had started to dip behind the hill

stepped out, s

s for

hat?"

ven when you don't

he was

watching the road she walked unt

t said. About how sometimes love isn't in the grand gestures, but in the sm

ere young. I wanted to believe that some moments did last-t

et and scared. Sometimes it looked like two people sitting under a guava tree,