Isla
The rest of the lunch passed like a shadow over calm water—still, but never still enough. My stomach twisted with every bite, my eyes betraying me as they flicked again and again toward the window. But the figure had vanished. Or rather, it had chosen to vanish.
Lily noticed something off, of course. She always did. But she let it be. Maybe she trusted me too much.
As the waiter collected our plates, Lily stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"Same time next week?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yeah... definitely."
She smiled, but her eyes lingered on me a second longer than they needed to. Then she pulled me into a quick hug and walked ahead toward the parking lot. I followed slowly, my limbs heavier than they should have been. The heat had dulled, replaced by an odd, breathles
