Serenity
The door swung open, and I heard Veronica’s voice—sharp, unmistakable, cutting through the silence like a knife.
“Is Serenity here?”
I froze. The warmth from the coat, the fragile bubble of connection that Luca and I had managed to create in the last few moments, evaporated into the cold air. I didn't move. Didn't even breathe. Something inside me clenched tight.
Luca stood at the door, his back to me, his silhouette tense. I could feel the shift in him. The way he tensed when Veronica’s name was spoken. He didn't immediately respond. He just stood there, facing her. For a moment, it felt like the whole world had stopped, suspended in the uncomfortable silence between them.
There was a pause, just a heartbeat, but long enough for me to feel it. Long enough for me to wonder wh
