The brilliance and noise of the award night already felt like something from another life.
Debby turned down every interview and invitation that followed and slipped back into her quiet campus routine.
That calm didn't last. One deep autumn evening, it broke.
She had just stepped out of her dorm building when she saw a familiar figure standing outside.
Ethan was leaning against the wall, cigarette butts scattered at his feet. He had clearly been waiting for a long time.
He looked thinner than a year ago. His jawline was sharper, his face marked by exhaustion and a kind of heavy darkness he couldn't hide. Even an expensive coat couldn't cover how worn down he looked.
Debby didn't slow her steps. She walked straight past him like he was just part of the scenery.
"Debby!" Ethan called
