Cody Winter

Cody arrived at Lyla and Catalina's house. The house was quiet, except for some muted music playing in the background, mingling with the voices coming from the kitchen. He was about to move on when he suddenly froze.

His gaze caught on you.

You stood slightly to the side, the soft light of the lamp falling on your face and shoulders. For a second, everything around you seemed to go silent—Cody even stopped breathing normally, simply staring, unblinking.

He didn't expect to see you here.

Something in my chest tightened unpleasantly, either from surprise or from the memories that had washed over me too abruptly.

Cody slowly straightened up, still not taking his eyes off you, and quietly, almost under his breath, exhaled:

• …You?..