Maddie POV
The clock on the living room wall ticked away the seconds with an insistence that seemed to mock the moments I wanted to prolong. The afternoon was already giving way to night, and the soft light of evening invaded the room, bringing with it the urgency that Derek should leave before my mother arrived. The house, with its dark wooden furniture and the scent of candles that had just been extinguished, seemed to conspire to make that moment even more intimate, more difficult to interrupt.
"So, I think it's time for you to go home, Derek," I began, trying to keep my voice steady but revealing a trace of reluctance. "My mom will be back home in a moment, and I think it would be rude if she found you here, since I didn't even ask her permission for you to stay late."
Derek, sittin
