Eric's POV:
I couldn't even describe what it felt like when Cheryl whispered my name and asked me to take her home.
It was as if a feather had brushed against my chest—light, soft, and oddly... irritating.
I took a slow, steady breath, my hand gently patting her back to calm her down. "I'm here. Nobody's going to hurt you."
Cheryl seemed to relax a little at that, gripping me tighter, repeating my name over and over like a mantra.
It had been so long since she'd called me like that. It made something in me stir, something I hadn't felt in a while. I could've stayed like that forever, hearing her call me, each time with a bit more desperation, a bit more trust. "I'm here," I whispered back each time, letting her feel the reassurance I couldn't put into words.
When I stepped out of the
