The city air was heavy that evening, thick and a little damp, the kind that stuck to my skin and made every step feel slower than it should. My heart beat faster than it needed to as I climbed the familiar stairwell to Leah’s apartment. I told myself I was just here to check on her, to see how she was after her trip. But deep down, I knew the real reason: my secrets had grown too heavy to carry alone.
The door swung open after my second knock.
“Ava!”
Leah’s voice came before her face, but then she was there, throwing her arms around me with so much force I nearly lost my balance.
She smelled like vanilla lotion and peppermint gum, the same as always. Her hugs had never been casual. She hugged like she was patching people back together, like maybe she believed she could stop someone fr
