For the first time since moving to Maple Street, Ava felt lighter.
Not because anything had changed.
Not officially.
No confession.
No kiss.
No relationship.
Nothing she could point to and explain.
Yet somehow everything felt different.
Because the secret wasn't really a secret anymore.
Noah knew.
She knew.
And most importantly—
They both knew the other knew.
The realization should have made things easier.
Instead, it made every moment feel more intense.
Because now there was nothing left to hide behind.
The following days passed in a strange blur.
Summer continued slipping away.
The air felt cooler at night.
The sunsets seemed shorter.
The leaves at the edge of town had already begun changing color.
Small signs.
Subtle reminders.
Time was moving forward.
Whether th
