café without

rying the scent of autumn

hum

le r

yn walke

use she

use she

es

running fr

chasing

er pret

glass walls, mannequins dressed in s

ere fashion wasn't w

she rem

to sho

rient

e she need

ow up - not as the girl who

was finally learnin

ed the d

chime

ays, the roo

ith s

ith g

uick, curious - when some

ilk jumpsuit t

spered to

ooked awa

didn't

rack of tailored blazers, her

t here to

here t

a v

p you find

yn t

s, dark curls pinned up, wearing a mini

es wer

ile, g

about her fe

studi

her

er ki

en it

was

me ass

the f

season, this woman had

st panic attack, eyes red, voice

sure, hesitant - she had said, "You

days, wearing oversized coats to

d

he wa

e the

the b

me someone even sh

he sm

orientation, right?

ked. "How d

h the school's logo. "You're not the first student who's

hed - soft,

t time in years,

actly how

r," she said, grinning.

of structured blazers, wi

ep navy one, "make you feel like yo

ouched t

rong. Una

ke it,"

one sleeve longer than the oth

collar, like it co

clicked w

t buying

ying for b

t watched her wi

"Most people come in looking for

met h

moment, she

how much your ki

I came here just to feel seen

embering me before

he di

ust s

inally dressing like the

stant ra

r

mpat

, steady

kage in hand, she stepped toward t

umbled

ma

a

-dre

it, his dark hair slightly tou

eat, she jus

was handsome

s stillness reminded her of

ng she'd

omise not

en it

an V

fi

had promised

ing her hand, smiling at the camera, while Evelyn l

said yes

worn h

believed

wn it all away

r conv

im

man who fi

d

e was

ars ea

the p

e the

the b

a st

untouc

ll

er - not with annoy

h recog

f her

f her

f her

Ev

elt i

lo

ha

me

sh of

per of

ime of

idn't

didn'

stood ther

dle of the

middle

loc

th s

around the

was as if the universe had paused

who the

ho they

ey could s

idn't

dn't lo

t... rec

that

hing c