The moment I felt that I was left alone, a shadow was cast over me.
It was different. It wasn't from the sun or a tree.
It felt heavier, almost as if it had been waiting for me.
I stopped moving. My chest tightened, and I could hear my own heartbeat too loud in the quiet.
For a second, I thought about not looking up. Just keeping my eyes fixed on the ground, pretending I didn't notice. But something inside me twisted, sharp and cruel, urging me to look.
So I did.
And the second my eyes landed on the person standing there, my lips parted on their own. My throat worked, dry and shaky, as the name slipped out before I could stop it.
"D… Dave."
The sound of his name on my tongue felt foreign, heavy.
His face was unreadable at first, but then I caught sight of it.
The storm is building behind his eyes. His jaw clenched, tight enough that I thought his teeth might break.
