The Wind That Softened Her Walls

Alea sat on the edge of the cracked fountain,knees pulled up to her chest.

Rayzen stayed quiet beside her,his presence calm,almost… grounding.

The silence wasn't awkward anymore.

It was safe.

"You ever just wanna disappear?" she asked suddenly.

Rayzen turned to her, caught off guard.

"Sometimes," he said. "But then I think—who's gonna take care of my dumb friends if I do?"

She smiled.Small.But real.

He grinned. "There it is. A smile."

She rolled her eyes, but her heart felt lighter.And he noticed.

"C'mon," Rayzen stood up, brushing dust from his jeans."Let's go."

"Where?"

"Anywhere," he said, pulling out his keys. "Let me take you for a ride. Not far. Just… enough to forget today sucks."

Alea hesitated.But when she looked into his eyes—not the cocky bad-boy ones,but the quiet, sincere ones underneath—

She nodded.

The motor roared as they rode through the edge of town,past buildings that blurred into streaks of light.

Alea held onto him.

Not too tightly.

But not too loose either.

The wind danced in her hair.The world felt different here.Less cruel.

And for the first time,she wasn't thinking about tomorrow.Or about Selia.Or Kael.Or fear.

Just this.

Just him.

They stopped by the riverside, where the moon painted the water silver.

Alea stayed quiet for a while.

Then whispered, almost too softly to hear—

"Thank you."

Rayzen didn't reply with words.

He just sat beside her,shoulder barely touching hers,like he knew—

some walls don't need to be broken.

They just need someone patient enough to wait outside.

To be continued…