The moon hung high in the sky, a silver crescent surrounded by a sea of stars. The night was quiet, the air cool and crisp, tinged with the scent of pine. Opal wandered through the clearing, her heart heavy, her mind spinning. She couldn't sleep, not with everything weighing on her. Not with Ash's anger still cutting through her like a knife.
She found him by the edge of the forest, sitting on a fallen log, his shoulders hunched, his head bowed. The moonlight bathed him in silver, casting shadows across his face, making him look older, more worn. More broken.
Opal's chest tightened, her heart aching. She remembered when they were kids, when Ash was always the strong one, the protector, the one who could make her feel safe just by being there. Now, he looked so lost. So angry.
She took a deep breath, gathering her courage, and walked over, her footsteps light on the grass. "Hey," she said softly, her voice hesitant. "Can... can I sit with you?"
