The principal's office smelled like freshly brewed coffee and tension. Matthew sat across from the man, fists clenched on his lap, eyes fixed on the polished desk. The silence stretched until it was unbearable."I'm sorry, Lucian," Principal Santiago finally said, voice low but firm. "We have to let you go."Matthew didn’t flinch. He had seen this coming the moment his knuckles met Jayson’s smug face."You punched a student," the principal continued, as if Matthew needed reminding. "No matter the reason, the parents are furious. They’re demanding a public apology—or else they’ll sue.”Matthew breathed slowly through his nose, jaw tightening. The door burst open without warning. Mr. and Mrs. Vegas stormed in like they owned the place. Matthew didn't need to guess who they were. The woman’s shrill voice confirmed it."That's him? That’s the man who laid a hand on our Jayson?" she sneered, eyeing him like he was dirt.Her husband was worse. “You should be scrubbing toilets in jail, not
The salty breeze whispered around them as Elisse and Matthew walked along the shoreline, their bare feet sinking slightly into the wet sand. Waves lapped at their ankles, but neither of them seemed to mind. Elisse’s fingers were laced with his—her grip warm and light, yet playful. She was swinging their joined hands gently, like a child giddy with disbelief.She laughed under her breath, eyes focused on the sea. “I still can’t believe I kissed you while you were fully awake…”Matthew chuckled, eyes never leaving her. “I was awake, yes… but not ready for how soft your lips were.”Elisse covered her face with her free hand, groaning in embarrassment. “Matthew! Don’t say that, please. I’m trying to pretend that kiss didn’t happen.”“But it did,” he said softly, slowing their steps until they both came to a halt. “And I don’t want to pretend.”Elisse turned to him, cheeks warm, heart pounding.He was smiling at her—not the unsure, guarded smile he used to wear. This one was real. Gentle.
Matthew stood near the faculty office, casually chatting with one of the younger teachers—Ms. Reyes. She was kind, easy to talk to, and had a laugh that filled the hallway with warmth. They weren’t exactly close, but Matthew didn’t mind her company. It helped pass the time between janitorial rounds.“So, the maintenance in the lab was finished last night?” Ms. Reyes asked, leaning slightly toward him with a grateful smile.“Yeah, I fixed the wiring too. You won’t be getting any surprise sparks again,” he said with a small grin.She laughed. “You’re a lifesaver, Matthew.”Just then, two other teachers walked in through the hallway, carrying folders and coffee cups. They slowed when they saw the two.“Well, well,” one of them teased, a smirk forming on his face. “What’s this? Mr. Janitor and Ms. Reyes looking a bit... cozy?”The other chimed in with a chuckle. “Should we give you two some privacy? There’s definitely chemistry here.”Ms. Reyes chuckled, cheeks turning faint pink. “Oh, st
The salty breeze rolled off the ocean, cool against Matthew’s skin as he stood by the shore, not far from Elisse’s house. The sky had begun to darken, streaked with shades of orange and purple, but he hadn’t moved from his spot. He was leaning against an old wooden boat pulled slightly onto the sand, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the distant waves.Elisse still wasn’t home.He wasn’t sure why he was waiting. He told himself it was just coincidence—just a walk to clear his mind. But he knew it wasn’t true. He’d been glancing at the path every few minutes, hoping she’d show up alone.Footsteps approached from behind. He didn’t turn.“Hey,” a familiar voice called.Matthew straightened, looking over his shoulder. His jaw tensed slightly when he saw her—Elisse—with a man beside her. The guy looked around her age, clean-cut, with a casual smile on his face as if he belonged by her side.“What are you doing here?” Elisse asked, her voice light but not quite playful. Her eyes darted between Ma
The world no longer felt like a blur of broken dreams and missing pieces. It was still cracked—but the edges didn’t cut as deep.Matthew sat by the window of his hospital room, blanket draped over his legs, sunlight pooling on the floor like something sacred. And across from him, with a book in hand and hair slightly messy from rushing over, sat Elisse.He watched the way her lips moved as she read silently. The small frown when she hit a difficult word. The way she glanced up every few minutes to check on him, even when she thought he wasn’t looking.He used to only see Eloise in dreams, her face like a ghost behind fogged glass. But lately... it was Elisse who filled the silence. Her voice. Her scent. Her presence.It scared him how easily she slipped into the quiet spaces Eloise used to occupy.And yet, he didn’t push her away.Not this time.Matthew turned his head slowly, gaze still fixed on her. “Where’s Maren?”Elisse looked up from the book, closing it gently. “She’s outside.
MATTHEW The hospital hallway smelled like antiseptic and cold air. Maren sat beside Elisse, both of them quiet, both watching the closed door to Lucian’s room. The ambulance ride had been tense—Lucian had barely been conscious, sweating, mumbling, gripping his head like it was going to split open.When the doctor finally stepped out, Maren stood immediately. Elisse stayed in her seat, her hands clenched in her lap."Doctor, how is he?" Maren asked, voice tight.The doctor sighed, removing his mask and folding his arms. "Physically, he's stable now. But there’s something else… more complicated."Maren blinked. “What do you mean?”The doctor motioned for her to step aside. They moved a bit farther down the hallway, just out of Elisse’s earshot.“He’s exhibiting signs of memory trauma," the doctor explained quietly. "Not just amnesia. His brain waves are fluctuating erratically, especially in the areas related to long-term memory. That high fever might have triggered it—or worsened some
It was an ordinary afternoon—sunlight dripping lazily through the college trees, a soft wind teasing the scattered leaves on the pavement. Matthew was carrying a box of supplies to the maintenance room, minding his own business, when something—someone—caught his eye.Elisse.She stood across the quad near the old gym, her arms folded, weight on one leg, eyes narrowed. She was talking to someone—arguing maybe. But from where Lucian stood, he couldn’t see the guy’s face. Just the back—tall, lean, dressed in a gray hoodie and dark jeans.Elisse looked like she was giving the man an attitude. Her hand sliced through the air as she spoke, her brows drawn tightly together. The guy didn’t seem bothered. He just stood there, calm, his head tilted slightly like he was waiting for her to finish.Lucian couldn’t hear what was being said, but the tension was obvious.And strangely… something about the way Elisse looked at the guy made Matthew’s chest feel tight.Not jealousy—he wasn’t the type to
Four Years LaterThe wind swept gently through the open fields, carrying the scent of fresh earth and wildflowers. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over Annie’s farm, where rows of crops stretched endlessly and chickens clucked somewhere in the distance.Lucian stood by the fence he had helped rebuild years ago, sleeves rolled up, a thin sheen of sweat on his brow. He leaned against the wooden post, watching the horizon like he always did at the end of the day. Not searching anymore. Just… appreciating.He had stopped calling himself Matthew.Not because he hated the name. Not because he had forgotten.But because Lucian felt more like home now.The past had come in flashes over the years—little pieces of a life he once lived. But they never stayed long. And somewhere along the way, he stopped chasing them.He had peace here.He had a purpose.And he had people.“Lucian!”He turned to the voice. Elisse.She was walking toward him with her usual bounce, carrying a bas
The sound of crashing waves.That was the first thing he heard.Then came the sting of salt on his lips. The burn in his lungs. His body felt heavy—like it had been dragged out from the depths of the sea.He gasped sharply, coughing up water he didn’t remember swallowing. His eyes blinked open slowly, vision blurred by the blinding light above him. Everything looked white. The sky. The sand.A face hovered over him—panicked but strangely soft.“Hey, hey… you’re okay,” the woman said gently, pressing a hand to his chest as if trying to keep him grounded. “You’re safe now.”He blinked again, throat raw as he struggled to speak. “W-Who…”“Shhh... don’t talk yet,” she whispered. “You nearly drowned. I found you on the shore. You’ve been unconscious for hours.”He tried again, fighting through the haze in his head. “What… what happened?”She hesitated. “You don’t remember?”He searched his mind. Anything. A name. A face. A reason.But it was blank.Utterly blank.“I don’t know,” he whisper