The sun had sunk lower, streaking the sky with deep shades of orange and pink as we walked along the shoreline. The waves lapped gently at our feet, leaving traces in the wet sand that quickly disappeared.
Eventually, we slowed, and I sank onto the sand, brushing my hands through it. Nathan sat beside me a few feet away, close enough to be present but giving me space. The quiet stretched between us, filled only by the rhythmic sound of the water.
“I… don’t talk about this much,” I began, voice soft, almost swallowed by the wind. “But… sometimes I think about my parents, and how much control they’ve always tried to have over me.”
Nathan said nothing, only turned slightly toward me, his presence calm and steady. That was enough encouragement for me to continue.
“They’ve decided everythin
