Stolen Glances and Late night talks
485 Words
The night air in Evervale carried a chill, the kind that whispered secrets through the rustling leaves. Ashley pulled her jacket tighter around her as she walked down the empty streets, her mind spinning with the weight of what she’d found—the letter, the locket, and the unmistakable face of Mr. Whitmore inside.
The town was silent, save for the soft hum of an old streetlamp flickering above her. Most of Evervale had settled in for the night, but something about this place felt restless, like the past was waiting to be uncovered.
She was about to turn back to her cottage when a voice startled her.
“You shouldn’t be out this late.”
Ashley spun around, her pulse quickening. Standing beneath the dim streetlight was Aiden Whitmore, hands shoved in his pockets, his expression unreadable. She had seen him around town before, always on the edges of things—watching, listening, but never speaking much.
“I could say the same to you,” she replied, steadying herself.
Aiden’s gaze flickered toward the notebook in her hands. “Still chasing ghosts?”
She hesitated. “That depends. Are you one of them?”
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No. But you’re not going to like what you find here.”
Ashley crossed her arms. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
Aiden exhaled, glancing up at the sky as if searching for the right words. “Because Evervale has a way of keeping things buried. And people here… they don’t like when someone starts digging.”
She studied him in the dim light, noticing the way his jaw tensed, the way he avoided her gaze just a little too long. He knew something.
“Aiden,” she said carefully, “I found an old letter. It was hidden in the chapel. It talked about two people—lovers who weren’t allowed to be together. And I found this.” She pulled the rusted locket from her pocket and held it out. “Recognize him?”
His expression darkened as he took the locket, his fingers running over its surface like it was something fragile. When he finally looked up, his eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw something beneath the guarded exterior—hesitation, conflict… maybe even fear.
“Where did you find this?” he asked, his voice quieter now.
“By the lake. Under the willow tree.”
Aiden let out a slow breath, turning the locket over in his palm before closing his fingers around it. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them felt heavier now, charged with something unspoken.
Then, finally, he said, “Meet me tomorrow night. There’s something you need to see.”
Ashley’s heartbeat quickened. She knew this was the moment where everything changed.
- Writer
