Kieran beats me to our table. When I arrive–still ten minutes early–with an armful of books, he's already sitting into the chair opposite mine, his cane leaning against the desk. He's wearing another button-down shirt, but eggplant colored this time.His dark eyes watch me approach, an unreadable expression on his face, and when I drop the stack of books onto the table with a thud, I notice why.There's a muffin by my spot. A fresh, golden muffin, giving off a warm, buttery scent that makes my stomach growl.I sit, head fuzzy. Is that for me?"I didn't know if you'd have coffee already."I make a weird noise. God, someone gives me a single muffin and I lose all social skills. It's just that–well, no one gives me things. In the foster system, you guard your possessions with your life, even the shitty ones, because gifts are rarer than a decent school counselor. And I'm out of the system now, an independent adult, but apparently I still fall apart at the smallest gift."Sarah." Kieran's
Last Updated : 2025-10-01 Read more