y sprawled below, set against an endless tapestry I feared I might wake from. In the distance, the Eiffel Tower sparkled in the night, its lights twinkling conspiratorially at our presence. Beside me

he narrow staircase. It was peaceful up here – only the sound of the two of us and the gentle doll of the wind, the whispers of the city barely masking the noise. The scent of jasmine and ink swirled around us, and for a moment I could forget the ache in my chest, the shadow attached to me like a perverse echo. I placed my glass on the ledge, my clumsy fingers shaking as I re

of night when the crickets were deafening and thoughts were overpowering. But Alex's eyes are kind and trusting in a way I've never seen before, and my heart craves to show him the person who drafted those dreams, even a tiny bit. "Alright," I replied, trying to sound confident but failing. "Can you promise you won't laugh?" "Cross my heart." He promised, in a tone that was serious yet heartwarming. I gazed at the city in front of me, my hands gripped firmly on the railings. "I want to see the northern lights. Or dance at a jazz club in New Orle

d back and swallowed back the bile forming at the back of my throat. My fingers fumbled over my scarf, hiding my hand. Alex was by my side in an instant, his voice tainted with fear, "Emma, what's wrong? Talk to me." "I'm fine," I forced through gritted teeth, pressing the smile to my face, "I just...choked. My wine- I'm fine." My body weakened, but I forced the blood away from my scarf and wiped my lips. I could feel the tears welling up and hated myself even more. This was getting worse-the signs were clearer. I could

and started playing a soft tune. The music made my body relax, and I let it seep inside me to cherish everything about that moment. Even so, my hand remained inside my scarf, covering the blood, hiding the truth. "Emma," he began talking after a while, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't have to face it––whatever it is––all by yourself. I'm here." I looked at him, feeling a puddle of tears forming in my eyes. He meant it