Cierra:
The rain had gone thin, the kind that didn’t bother falling anymore—just hung there, suspended between sky and earth like the city couldn’t decide whether to cry or breathe.
Dane stood too close. Not close enough to be dangerous, but enough that the air felt heavy between us. The lamplight above us buzzed, flickering like it was struggling to stay alive. I knew the feeling.
He said something soft—I don’t even remember what—and then he did it.
He kissed me.
Not a question. Not a rush. Just a clean, deliberate press of his mouth to mine, like he’d made peace with whatever came next.
My first thought wasn’t even coherent. It was just—really?
And then, God help me, I laughed.
It came out sharp, cracked around the edges, and more disbelief than amusement. The kind of laugh that
