JADE's POV
The city lights blurred past as Silas and I walked toward his family’s house, hand in hand. The cold night air should have been refreshing, but instead, it settled in my chest like a quiet, creeping weight. The further we walked, the tighter my grip became around his fingers. He must have noticed because he squeezed my hand in return, his warmth grounding me.
"You seem nervous," he murmured, his voice gentle, careful.
I exhaled through my nose, forcing a small smile. "More tense than nervous, I think."
He hummed as if considering my words. "If you’re not ready, we can tell them that. We don’t have to do this just because they expect it."
The reassurance helped—but only a little. The truth was, we were still figuring things out. The fights weren’t as frequent, the silences w
