if you knew my name. Or would the m

e le

e ni

intimate than the last. And yet

ere she lived. And somehow, they were pl

that morning, her hair damp from sleep,

d it ten ti

till smile at me if

n? Was it someone

e sea. Mist curled low along the rooftops. The wind whi

mething

asn't

n time to see her bedroo

caught in

ad just b

didn't want

mention it

, Mrs. Whitlock had found Aria daydreaming in the

ad in the clouds la

nd said, "The stars ar

arrowed her eyes as Aria

love, are you

t dropped

hat?

aned in. "You've

t lo

fore I ruined my

rvously. "That'

oom & Vine, she couldn't st

roan - just the subtle shift of air and the unmistakable cl

: Mrs. Whitlock, the handyman, and the landlord's daug

art tw

really

that too

et order sheet. No deliv

grabbed a cluster of dried

e old stone well and the bridge draped in ivy. Aria rarely went

it wa

er and a few scattered students. But tucked away behind a maze of tal

d over a thick leather n

pau

e had always been intense - stubborn, sharp-tongued, and secretly brilli

emember what star

ht filtering through the glass, a par

lways wrote. He always knew how to slip

ed forwar

before she eve

ssion did

ing?" he ask

rprised to see yo

ways sa

d

dn't

own acros

then closed

ying," she

ve fool

th. "Do you stil

him. His brow l

hy

wond

pa

n't sleep," he sai

notebook. "You still wr

way

letters had a crease pattern t

tching the way his hands tapped the table in a rhyt

ou want to ask me, Ar

hesi

"No. Just... missing

t her for a

e, are you?" he asked. "You'r

t I'm looking for

back, arm

ers," he said calmly, "be care

idened. "H

d his journal, and

aid. "But I know you. You'r

he

ere, her he

ld anyone abo

a

t, Kai

t, she di

rough her window, her blanke

steps.

ppeared on the sill - not with a knock or whispe

trembled as

do. I wish I didn't. I don't want you to stop talking

rs, s

ed at th

felt di

nger

elt... po

't tell if it should