My fingers were drumming anxiously on the steering wheel, a rhythmic tapping that betrayed the nervous energy surging through my body. The beat wasn't intentional—it was like my nerves had taken over and started playing their own song. I tried to keep my eyes on the road, tried to stay focused on the yellow lines stretching out in front of us, but every few seconds, my gaze would flicker to the passenger seat. I couldn’t help myself.
Cora sat there, calm and composed, her posture relaxed as she gazed out at the night-draped landscape passing by. Every time she caught me looking at her, she'd flash that soft, sweet smile—the one that had haunted my dreams for years. That smile didn’t ask for anything. It didn’t make promises. But it made hope swell in my chest in a way that nearly knocked
