Early evening, just as the sun was setting, I sat near the lake, the surface rippling with faint light from the half-eaten moon. I could feel it moving under my skin, calling me like a low drumbeat that never stopped. The water reflected streaks of crimson and silver, and for a second, I swore I saw my reflection blink back in a different rhythm.
Asher found me there, quiet steps crunching through the grass. He sat beside me without saying a word at first. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm but rough. “You don’t have to face it alone.”
“I know.” I said, staring at the reflection of the moon. “But it feels like it’s already inside me. Like it’s waiting.”
He reached for my hand, thumb brushing against my knuckles. “Then we’ll wait with it.”
I smiled softly. “You always make it sou
