Evaline:
"Okay. When you are, I'm here," He said with a soft smile, one that was filled with warmth.
I looked at him, like really looked at him. Rowan wasn't like the others. He didn't carry the same edge or fire. He was calm. Steady. Kind in a quiet way that didn't make me feel judged.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"You want me to stay up for a bit?" he asked. "Or do you want space?"
"Just… stay. A little while."
He nodded again and shifted so he was sitting beside me, his shoulder barely touching mine. "You don't have to explain anything. Just breathe."
So I did.
I breathed.
In and out.
The room was still dim, and the only light spilling in was through the sliding glass door of the balcony.
The two of us sat in silence for a while, side by side on my bed. Not touching, not speaking. Just being. And strangely, that was enough.
Until it wasn't.