Kimberly
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at nothing in particular, lost in the whirlwind of memories that had been stirred by Aiden’s sudden reappearance in my life.
It had been years since I last saw him—years since we had walked the halls of our old school together, laughing, teasing, and sharing our dreams for the future.
Back then, Aiden had been my best friend.
My safe space.
The one person who had made me feel like I wasn’t just another girl living in the shadow of my father’s expectations.
We had been inseparable.
I could still remember the way we would sneak out of classes just to sit by the old oak tree behind the school, talking for hours about everything and nothing.
“One day, we’re going to be free,” Aiden had said once, his voice filled with the kind of certainty
