River
I knew from the way she looked at me—Ayla had misunderstood.
And worse, she walked away before I could explain anything.
I grabbed the hoodie hanging behind the door and threw it on in a rush.
“Where are you going, River?” Hana asked, grabbing my arm.
“I need to find her,” I said quickly, brushing her off.
“River, wait—”
I didn’t hear the rest.
The elevator refused to open no matter how many times I hit the button, so I took the stairs instead—two steps at a time. My chest tightened with something that wasn’t just exhaustion—it was fear.
By the time I reached the lobby, I saw her.
Ayla was half-running out through the glass doors, her steps unsteady.
“Ayla!” I shouted, but she didn’t look back.
The sky turned gray in seconds. Then the rain came—sudden, heavy, loud—with th
