Afterward, they collapsed in a late-night ramen shop, slurping noodles like they hadn’t eaten in years.
“You know,” Ava said, mouth full, “I really thought I’d never see you again. I checked hospitals, asked around. You just… disappeared.”
Tessa Marvins stirred her broth quietly. “Life got… complicated.”
Ava gave her a look, a mix of exasperation and worry. “Complicated as in—secret boyfriend who doesn’t want me to know? Or complicated as in—you joined a witness protection program?”
Tessa Marvins laughed softly. “Somewhere in between.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “You’ve always been terrible at lying to me. But fine. Keep your secrets. Just.. don’t vanish again, okay? If you disappear, I’ll actually go feral. You’ll see me on the news.”, she spoke seriously
Ava noticed that Tessa Marvins m
