They met at the seawall just before sunrise.
The air smelled like salt and something new.
Christina wore a hoodie and no makeup. Felix held a thermos in gloved hands.
“You're early," she said.
“I didn't want to miss anything."
She smiled, soft and unhurried. “Me neither."
They sat side by side, legs dangling over the stone edge, the ocean stretching vast and untouched before them.
He handed her the thermos. “Chamomile. No caffeine."
She sipped. “Still listening, I see."
“Still here," he replied.
---
They watched the sky change.
Gray to silver. Silver to pink.
Christina broke the silence first.
“I used to think love meant saving someone. Carrying their weight. Bleeding to prove you cared."
Felix didn't speak. He let her finish.
“I don't want that anymore," she said. “I don't
