Ashley's POV
The pale light of dawn crept into the sky, breaking the oppressive darkness of the night. Relief flooded me as I opened my eyes and stretched, the stiffness in my muscles from the previous day slowly easing.
"Yes! Finally! Let's go home!" I exclaimed, standing up and brushing the dirt off my clothes.
Steven, who had been leaning against a tree, stood up with a groan. "You seem unusually happy to see the morning," he muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
"After everything that happened yesterday, this sunrise feels like a blessing," I replied with a grin.
Steven raised an eyebrow. "Spending a whole night alone with you almost made it the worst night of my life," he said with a smirk as he started walking ahead.
"Trust me, the feeling is mutual," I retorted, jogging to catch up with him.
As we walked, the silence of the early morning surrounded us. The occasional rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds were the only sounds accompanying our s
