LOGINGianna.I took his hand and led him toward the poolside.He followed without resistance, but his fingers were tense in mine, stiff like he might pull away at any second. The night air felt cooler here, the water reflecting broken pieces of moonlight. We needed to sit. I needed him to sit.“Who’s Roselyn?” I asked softly.The question hung between us.He took a slow breath. Then another. His chest rose and fell like he was bracing himself against something unseen. For a second, I thought he wouldn’t answer. A part of me expected him not to. Ivan had never been this… anxious before. Not the controlled kind. This was different. This was raw.He shifted beside me, shoulders drawn inward, like he was folding in on himself.“She’s…” His voice faltered. He swallowed. “She was my friend. My best friend.”The words came slowly, carefully, as if each one cost him something.“I loved her,” he continued quietly. “So much.”Something tightened in my chest.“We did everything together,” he said, a
Gianna.The doorbell rang as I hurriedly made my way downstairs, my socks sliding slightly against the polished floor. I didn’t bother slowing down. I swung the door open, breath already lifted in my chest.“Hi guys!!!” I said, a wide smile spreading across my face before I could stop it.“Hiiiii!” Rue and Cassie practically collided with me, arms wrapping around my shoulders, the familiar warmth of them sinking straight into my bones. Rue smelled like vanilla lotion, Cassie like whatever fruity gloss she always wore.“How are you?” Rue asked as we pulled apart, her hands still gripping my arms like she needed to be sure I was really there.“I’m very good, are you guys okay?” I asked, searching their faces.“Yupp,” Cassie said, popping the p as usual, her grin already stretching ear to ear.“Come on, the room’s all set up for our binge watching,” I said, already turning, already excited, already lighter than I’d been in days.Upstairs, my room felt different. Softer. Alive. Snacks wer
Gianna. I woke up to sunlight spilling over the bed board, brushing the floorboards with golden streaks. My legs tangled in the sheets for a moment longer—I wasn’t quite ready to leave the warmth—but I had a plan to step out, to move a little, breathe a little, feel the morning. I freshened up and left the room.The grounds were quiet as I padded down the hall, the soft thump of my bare feet against the wood echoing slightly. But there was a low hum of voices drifting from the training yard, and curiosity prickled at me. I crept closer, careful not to be seen, and froze when I recognized Ivan’s voice.“…found outsiders near the northern borders,” one of the soldiers said, tension cutting through his words.Ivan’s voice was calm but razor-sharp. “How many?”“Three. They were armed, but unprepared. They turned back when they caught our scent.”My stomach tightened. Outsiders? Close to the borders? The hairs on my neck stood on end, half from fear, half from that strange surge of excit
Gianna. The welcome felt overwhelming in a way I couldn’t explain.Smiles came from every direction, warm hands brushing my arms, voices greeting me like I already belonged. I nodded, smiled back, murmured polite responses, but my shoulders stayed slightly drawn inward, like my body didn’t fully trust the warmth yet.When I finally reached my room and closed the door behind me, I rested my forehead against it for a brief second.Quiet.I turned around and took in the space. Sunlight filtered through the window, dust drifting lazily in the air. The bed looked untouched, the room simple but inviting. Safe.I set my bag down and began unpacking slowly, folding clothes with deliberate care. The repetitive motion calmed me. Each folded shirt felt like reclaiming a small piece of control.Then I heard it.Soft voices. Mutters. The sound of whispers trying to be quiet and failing.My hands stopped moving.I tilted my head, listening. Another whisper. A suppressed giggle.I moved toward the
Gianna.I woke up feeling lighter, there was still this ounce of heaviness in my chest but it felt… lighter.Not gone. Not healed. Just shifted. Like something heavy had been moved slightly off-center, no longer pressing directly on my lungs. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, letting myself breathe without rushing the feeling away.I sat up rubbing my eyes and then his smell hit me.I was still in his hoodie.My fingers curled instinctively into the fabric as my brain scrambled to catch up. I looked around, slowly processing everything. My room. My bed. My window. Morning light.I was already back in my room, did he bring me back?Obviously.The thought made my chest tighten in a way that wasn’t painful. Just… full.I stood up and went to shower, yesterday's event still replaying in my head.He stayed with me.He stayed with me.I repeated it like my brain was trying to process what I was saying, like if I said it enough times it would finally sink in. My shoulders lo
Ivan.The rain hadn’t fully stopped by the time I pulled into the driveway.It drummed against the windshield in a way that felt almost accusatory, like it knew I’d found her too late. Gianna sat beside me, curled inward, my hoodie clutched in her fists like it was the only solid thing anchoring her to the seat. She didn’t look at me once during the drive. Her shoulders stayed hunched, chin tucked, breaths shallow. I cut the engine and the sudden silence felt too loud.For a second, neither of us moved.I got out first, the cold biting through my clothes, and jogged around to her side. When I opened the door, she flinched slightly, as if she’d been somewhere else entirely and I’d yanked her back.“Hey, you good?” I murmured, keeping my voice low.She nodded once, still not meeting my eyes.I offered my hand. She hesitated, then placed hers in mine. Her fingers were freezing. Not just cold. Numb-cold. The kind that made something tight twist in my chest.I stepped closer as she got o







