One day had become zero.
The Willow Creek Summer Festival opened its gates at dusk, and the town square had transformed into something truly magical. Thousands of fairy lights twinkled like captured stars overhead, casting a warm golden glow across the vibrant booths. Laughter and music filled the air, mixed with the sweet scent of cotton candy, fresh popcorn, and Mrs. Delgado’s famous lemon bars. Families wandered between games, children squealed at the fishing pond, and the main stage pulsed with the first local band warming up their instruments.
We arrived as a family — Amina bouncing with nervous energy in a cute sundress, Elias in a crisp button-down that made him look unfairly handsome, and me in a simple summer dress that suddenly felt too revealing under his constant gaze. The th
