I braced myself, acutely aware that this conversation with Evan was not going to be a simple one—if he even chose to speak to me at all. The weight of unspoken words hung heavily between us, a thick fog of unresolved issues enveloping the air. As I caught his gaze, the intensity of his expression sent a chill down my spine; his eyes were clouded with a mix of frustration and hurt that hinted at the depth of our troubles. I could feel the time stretching before us, an uncharted expanse where emotions simmered just beneath the surface, ready to spill over. It was clear that we had a lot to unpack, but the tension in his stance suggested that reaching any sort of clarity would require patience and understanding—something we both would need in surplus.
He leaned heavily against the rough, co
