RYKER'S POV
I found her exactly where I should've looked first.
The old botanical garden behind the university.
The place almost nobody visited after sunset.
The place where the city noise faded into silence.
Lila sat alone on a wooden bench, her backpack resting beside her. Earphones were in, but no music was playing.
She was just... staring.
Lost in her own thoughts.
For a few seconds, I simply stood there.
Watching her.
Watching the girl who had somehow become the center of my life without me even realizing it.
I had planned this moment a thousand times while running here.
I was going to apologize.
Explain.
Tell her Ethan wasn't right.
Tell her we shouldn't end whatever this was.
Instead...
The moment I actually saw her...
Every prepared sentence disappeared.
"Lila."
