The crisp morning air felt lighter now, though Camellia walked with her usual guarded posture, arms folded tightly across her chest.
The laugh she had shared with Williams still echoed faintly in her mind.
Williams matched her pace, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, eyes subtly watching her every move. Calm, collected... but there was a quiet intensity in him that kept her alert.
“So," he said, breaking the silence, "friends, huh?”
Camellia kept her gaze on the path ahead.
"Yeah. Friends."
“Friends who talk?" he pressed, one eyebrow quirking, voice teasing yet gentle.
She finally stole a quick glance at him. “Maybe."
Williams' smile was slow, deliberate. "Maybe's a start," he said, voice low, almost like he was testing the air between them.
For a few moments, they walked silent
