The clock above the café counter ticks softly, but my eyes are fixed on the way Lina’s thumb brushes the face of her watch—a vintage silver piece with a cracked glass, its…
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The bell above the bookstore door jingles, and I look up from the stack of poetry collections I’m arranging—only to freeze. There’s Adams, standing in the doorway, the afternoon sun streaming behind…
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The morning sun glints off the turquoise waters of Couple’s Bay, turning the waves into tiny shards of light. I grip the raft’s rope, my heart racing—not from the gentle current ahead,…
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The car radio hums a soft melody as I grip the gift bag on my lap, my heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage. Tonight is Liam’s birthday party—his 28th—and…
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The first time I noticed the ring, we were sitting on the vine-wrapped bench, Marisol’s black curly hair falling over her shoulder as she stirred her iced tea. The sunlight caught something…
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Lila’s eyes lit up. “Grandma loved ivy,” she said, reaching out to touch a tendril. “She used to grow it on her porch. Said it was ‘proof that love clings on, even…
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The afternoon breeze carried the salt tang of the ocean as Lila and I walked along the shore, her purple cap pulled low over her eyes, our hands swinging between us. We’d…
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The sound of tiny paws tapping on the wooden porch woke us up—soft, eager, like someone couldn’t wait to start the day. Lila rolled over, laughing, and I pulled back the curtain…
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The moon hung low over the ocean, silvering the waves, when Lila stepped onto our beach house terrace. She was wearing that 米色 (beige) belly dress she’d found at the village market—loose,…
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The bedroom lamp cast a warm glow over the sheets, and I paused in the doorway, watching Lila. She was sitting cross-legged on our bed, her beige belly dress swapped for a…
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