What the Heart Carries

Luana Flores is twenty, loud, and just a little too alive for her own good.

She swears too much, laughs at her own jokes, and always shows up late - barefoot, hair a mess, beer in hand.



Island life is sweet and predictable: work at the beach café, talk trash with Louise, dodge her grandma's prayers, and maybe flirt with fate just a little.



And then he walks in.



Not tall. Not flashy. Just him - black shirt, khaki shorts, slippers that have seen better days, and eyes that fold into half-moons when he laughs. The kind of boy who’s quiet but kind, who loves bitter coffee and always notices the small things - like when her hands shake, or when her smile doesn’t reach all the way.



Luana doesn’t mean to fall.

She really doesn’t.

But when it starts to feel like flying, how do you stop?



So she keeps the flutter in her chest a secret.

Tells no one.

Not even him.



Because love feels a lot like freedom.

But what if her heart’s already too tired to keep up?