[Hazel]
The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of Diamond Apartments, its tires crunching gently over the uneven gravel at the curb. The sky had already begun its slow shift—blue fading into streaks of warm amber, casting long shadows across the street. It was just past five in the evening, the golden hour. The hour that made even cracked sidewalks and rundown buildings glow like something sacred.
I undid my seatbelt, reached for the door handle and unlocked it with a soft click. Just as I pushed it open a few inches, Elijah cleared his throat. It was subtle, but intentional—the kind of sound people make when they’re either about to ask something important or say something they’ve been holding back.
I paused, my hand still on the door, and turned to look at him.
“You wanna say somet
