Finding a map was that eventually you had to decide whether to follow it.
Friday morning arrived beneath crisp autumn skies.
The courtyard buzzed with its usual energy.
Students laughed as they crossed the campus.
Some stopped at the recommendation wall.
Others gathered beneath The First Chapter Bench, where the Visitor's Notebook had gained three new pages overnight.
Life at Westwood High continued.
But inside Noah's backpack—
the little wooden box quietly changed everything.
As he reached the bench, Lily was already waiting.
She smiled.
"You brought it."
He nodded.
"I couldn't leave it at home."
She looked toward the backpack.
"I've been thinking about the map."
"So have I."
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
The breeze carried the scent of fallen leaves through the co
