~ELENA’S POV~I stood over the workbench, shoulders relaxed, more at peace than I had been all week. Derek stood by me, leaning casually against the counter, his eyes tracing a half-finished necklace design.“Wow, Elena, this is incredible,” Derek said, sincerity threading his voice. “You've always had a gift, Lena, but this…” he gestured to the sketchbook, “This is on a whole new level.”I smiled. I felt a small nostalgic flutter awakening in my chest. No one has called me Lena in months now. “Thank you. I've evolved a lot since high school.”“You remember how we used to sit in the art lab until the janitor kicked us out?” Derek laughed. “You'd carve gemstones into miniature hearts, and I'd pretend I knew what I was doing with clay.”I laughed softly, “You weren't pretending. You were actually good.”“And you were brilliant,” Derek remarked, his tone deepening, “Back then, I always knew you were going to do something special with your life.”I looked at him–really looked at him. And
Last Updated : 2025-10-22 Read more