Chapter 16 – A Forced Escape & A New Encounter

I should have expected it. After weeks of watching me fall apart, my family finally had enough. The conversation started gently, my mother sitting beside me on the couch, speaking in that soft but firm voice she always used when she was about to make a decision for me.

"Aurora, you need a break," she said, placing her hand over mine.

I didn’t react. I barely even looked up.

Dad was less gentle. "We’re not asking. You’re going."

My fingers twitched around the fabric of my sweater, my only source of comfort lately. "Going where?"

"To visit your grandparents," Mom explained, her eyes filled with concern. "Just for a little while. You need to get out of here, sweetheart."

Noah flopped onto the couch beside me, grinning like an idiot. "It’s a good idea. You can sulk somewhere new."

I shot him a glare, but deep down, I knew there was no point in arguing. They had already made up their minds. And honestly? I didn’t have the energy to fight them on it.

The next morning, I packed a bag. Not because I wanted to, but because resisting felt pointless.

---

My grandparents’ home was exactly as I remembered it. The warm scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, and the sight of my grandmother bustling around the kitchen should have been comforting.

But nothing felt comforting anymore.

I went through the motions. I smiled when expected, nodded when spoken to. I let my grandmother fuss over me, let my grandfather tell his stories. But inside, I felt the same.

Empty.

The world was moving, but I wasn’t.

Days passed, and I remained lost in my thoughts. My cousins came and went, chatting about life, laughing, doing normal things. I tried to join in, but it felt like watching a movie I wasn’t part of.

I wanted to be alone.

My grandmother had other plans.

"You need fresh air, my dear," she said one morning, placing a cup of tea in front of me.

"I’m fine," I replied automatically, even though we both knew I wasn’t.

She smiled knowingly and patted my hand. "You’re going out today. With your cousins. And Noah."

I sighed, but there was no point in arguing. When my grandmother made up her mind, there was no changing it.

---

The lakeside café was lively, filled with the scent of coffee and fresh pastries, the sound of music and laughter. It should have felt relaxing. Instead, it felt like I was walking through a world I no longer belonged in.

I sat at the table, stirring my drink, barely listening to my cousins chat around me. The warmth of the sun on my skin didn’t bring me comfort. The peaceful lake, the clear blue sky, none of it mattered.

Then, someone sat across from me.

"You look like you don’t want to be here," a voice said.

I blinked, looking up.

A tall guy with messy dark brown hair and striking green eyes was watching me with an easy smirk. His confidence was evident in the way he leaned back, arms resting casually on the chair.

I frowned. "And you look like someone who makes it his business to point out the obvious."

He chuckled. "Fair enough."

I expected him to leave, but instead, he pulled out a chair and sat down.

I narrowed my eyes. "I don’t remember inviting you."

"You didn’t," he admitted, smirking. "But I’m taking my chances."

Before I could respond, Noah leaned over. "Aurora, meet Ethan Carter. He’s an acquaintance."

Ethan laughed. "Acquaintance with benefits."

Noah rolled his eyes. "Ignore him. He thinks he’s charming."

Ethan turned his attention back to me. "And what do you think?"

I gave him a blank stare. "That you’re annoying."

His smirk widened. "Good. That means you’re still capable of feelings."

I stiffened. Because I knew exactly what he meant.

He could see it.

The heartbreak. The emptiness. The way I was barely existing.

And I hated that he noticed.

---

Despite myself, I found Ethan impossible to ignore. He was persistent, but not pushy. Playful, but not cruel. He didn’t try to force me into conversation, didn’t try to fix me. He just existed in my space, cracking jokes and making casual conversation.

And somehow, against my will, I found myself responding.

It wasn’t much. Just a few words here and there. But after weeks of silence, it felt like something.

Then, it happened.

A small, weak, barely-there smile.

The first one in weeks.

Ethan noticed. His smirk softened, something unreadable flashing in his eyes. Like he knew how much that tiny reaction meant. Like he understood.

I looked away quickly, clearing my throat. "Don’t get used to it."

He chuckled. "No promises."

---

That evening, after returning home, I stepped outside for some fresh air. The night breeze was cool, wrapping around me as I wandered through my grandparents’ garden.

The world was still. Too still.

Then, the sensation hit me.

That feeling.

The one that made my stomach tighten, my skin prickle.

The feeling of being watched.

I stopped walking, my breath catching. Slowly, I turned, scanning the area. The trees stood still, the shadows unmoving.

Nothing was there.

And yet, the unease remained.

I took a shaky breath, wrapping my arms around myself.

It was nothing. Just my imagination.

Right?

But as I turned to head inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling.