-Caspian Grayson:
"I almost didn't come back."
Kyle stays quiet after I finish speaking.
Not the kind of quiet that feels awkward or distant.
More like he's actually holding onto my words for a second, turning them over in his mind instead of reacting too quickly.
His eyes don't leave me.
Not intensely in a way that feels overwhelming.
Just steady.
Present.
Then he smiles.
It's small at first, almost like it happens before he even fully decides to show it. Soft at the edges, warm in a way that makes my chest feel slightly lighter without me really understanding why.
"But you did come," he says again, quieter this time, like he's reminding himself as much as me.
His gaze stays on mine, unwavering.
"So can I know why?" he adds after a moment, tilting his head slightly. "What changed your mind?"
I inhale slowly.
