River sat on the edge of the old wooden dock by the lake, legs dangling over the rippling water. The sun was melting into the horizon, painting the sky with bruised purples and fiery oranges. The kind of sky that made you want to forget everything and just breathe.
Lila settled beside him, careful not to break the fragile silence. For a long moment, neither spoke. The only sounds were the distant calls of birds and the soft lap of water against the wood.
Finally, River exhaled, a shaky breath escaping his lips.
"I didn't want to tell you everything," he said quietly, voice rough like he'd been holding it all inside for years. "Because it's messy. And I didn't want to drag you into it."
Lila turned to him, eyes steady and patient. "You don't have to carry it alone."
He swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on the lake. "Jace… he's not just someone from my past. He's the reason I left everything behind — the reason I ran."
She reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from his face. "Tell me."
River's hands clenched into fists. "We grew up in the same neighborhood. It was the kind of place where every mistake follows you like a shadow, no matter how fast you run. Jace and I—we were close. Too close."
Lila's heart tightened, sensing the weight in his words.
"Back then, we got mixed up in things. Drugs. Fights. Bad decisions that no sixteen-year-old should have to make. I wanted out — needed out — before it swallowed me whole. Jace… he stayed."
He turned to her, eyes dark with old pain. "He's been trying to pull me back ever since. Threatening me. Saying I owe him. That I can't just walk away."
Lila's hand found his, fingers lacing together like a lifeline. "You don't owe him anything. You're not that person anymore."
River let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Sometimes I wonder if he's right. If I'm just running from the truth."
"No," Lila said firmly. "You're fighting for your future. For us."
He looked at her then, really looked — vulnerability raw in his eyes. "I'm scared, Lila. Scared I'll lose you because of who I was. Scared that no matter how hard I try, the past will always catch up."
Her chest ached at the honesty in his voice. She leaned closer, pressing her forehead to his.
"You're not your past, River. You're the boy sitting here with me, who's brave enough to open his heart. That's who I love."
He closed his eyes, a tear slipping free despite his best efforts. "I want to believe that. I want to believe in us."
She wiped the tear away, fingers trembling. "Then don't let fear win. Let me in — all of it."
They stayed there as the sky darkened, wrapped in the kind of silence that speaks louder than words.
---
Later, back in her room, the rain had started again — gentle pattering against the windows. River sat on the edge of her bed, watching her as she unpacked her sketchbook.
"What are you drawing?" he asked.
"Scenes from today. The lake. The sky. You."
He smiled, small but real.
"Can I see?"
She handed him the sketchbook, and he flipped through the pages. Each drawing was raw and beautiful — strokes of color capturing moments and feelings he never expected to be part of.
"This one," he said, pointing to a sketch of two figures beneath cherry blossoms, their faces just shadows. "It's us."
Lila nodded. "I wanted to capture how fragile it feels — but also how strong."
River reached out and traced the lines softly. "I think it's perfect."
She blushed, looking down.
"Thank you for letting me be part of your life," she whispered.
He stood and crossed the room to her, wrapping her in his arms. "Thank you for saving me when I thought I was already lost."
They kissed then — slow and sure, a promise stitched between every touch.
---
As the rain faded into the early hours, Lila drifted to sleep with River's arms around her, feeling something she hadn't dared to before.
Hope.
Because maybe, just maybe, some ghosts could be laid to rest.
And love could be the light to guide them through.