The four of them stood together on the deck, the ocean stretching endlessly around them. Jake marvelled at how much had changed in just a few days. When he'd boarded this ship, he'd been sleepwalking through a life someone else had designed for him. Now, surrounded by people who understood the courage it took to choose authenticity over expectation, he felt truly awake for the first time in years.
"So what happens now?" he asked, the question directed at all of them.
"Now," Amity said, taking his hand, "we go home and build the lives we actually want."
"Together?" Jake asked, needing to hear her say it.
"Together," she confirmed, her smile radiant in the moonlight.
As the ship continued its journey through the night, carrying them toward whatever adventures awaited on dry land, Jake k
