After the barbecue, Ava couldn't stop thinking about the future.
It followed her everywhere.
Into her dreams.
Into her books.
Into every conversation she had with Noah.
The question refused to leave.
What happens when summer ends?
The problem wasn't that she didn't know the answer.
The problem was that she did.
Life would continue.
School would start.
Schedules would change.
People would expect them to move forward.
To adapt.
To behave normally.
And maybe they would.
Maybe they could.
The thought felt like heartbreak.
The next week arrived quietly.
August seemed to be slipping away faster than it should.
Every sunset felt important.
Every afternoon felt temporary.
Ava hated it.
Because suddenly every moment with Noah felt like something she needed to memorize.
The w
