Chapter 9: Eric's POV

I checked my phone and realized it was already late, so I walked out and headed back to my apartment in Paris.

I got home, lost in thought. After a quick shower, I changed into something comfortable.

I laid on the bed staring at my phone again and again. A sharp pain shot through my chest, as if a knife had been driving straight into my heart, I stood up to grab a water and gulp it down my throat

I collapsed back onto the bed, drenched in sweat. Suddenly, I saw a boy, around fifteen, standing beside a little girl who held a tennis racket, her face lit up with a cheerful smile. The boy gently held her hand, speaking softly, though I couldn’t make out the words. Then, with a shared look, they made a pinky promise—sealing a vow only they understood.

I was smiling, even laughing softly, but as I slowly opened my eyes, the warmth faded—I realized it had all been a dream.

I lay back on my bed and slowly drifted into another round of sleep.

__The Next Morning__

Rays of light flickered throu