Lily

The man guided me onto a traditional wooden cart, its wheels creaking as it rolled through the forest. I didn't care where we were going or how long it would take. My face was soaked with tears, my chest heaving with sobs I couldn't control.

I didn't see the trees, didn't hear the birds, didn't feel the wind brushing against my face. All I could see was Callan-his eyes, his touch, the way his forehead had rested against mine as if we were the only two people in the world.

The cart stopped, and I vaguely registered that we were switching vehicles. Then it stopped again, and another stranger took me further. At some point, I was blindfolded. I didn't resist.

"Stay quiet," someone instructed gently, but I barely heard them. My fingers brushed the necklace around my neck-the one Callan had given me.

They hadn't taken it. Not one person questioned it. That tiny defiance of the rules, that small act of rebellion, made me want to laugh and cry all at once. It was the only piece of him I had left.

Eventually, we stopped moving, and when the blindfold was removed, I stood in front of a ship.

A real ship.

Not one of their beautiful, impossible vessels, but a ship from my world. The sight should have filled me with relief. I was free now. I was going home.

But I couldn't stop crying.

I stepped aboard, my legs trembling beneath me, and sat down on one of the benches. The waves lapped against the ship's hull, a sound that should have soothed me. As I stood on the deck, the man guiding me hesitated. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

I nodded, even as tears streaked down my face. "I'll be fine," I lied, my voice cracking.

He didn't push further, but his eyes softened. "Sometimes, leaving isn't the hardest part. It's knowing you can never go back."

My breath hitched, and I turned away before he could see me break.....

*******************************

The house hadn't changed. The same white shutters, the same garden path lined with overgrown roses. It looked like time had frozen here, waiting for me to return.

The door opened before I could knock.

"Lily?" My mother's voice broke, and suddenly she was pulling me into her arms, sobbing.

My father was right behind her, his face pale and etched with worry that melted into relief. "You're home," he whispered, his voice trembling.

"I'm home," I managed, my own tears flowing freely again.

And then my younger brother barreled into me. "We thought you were gone forever!" he cried.

I hugged him tightly, my fingers tangling in his hair. "I'm here. I'm okay."

The warmth of their love have filled the emptiness inside me, Not entirely.

Later, friends came over, their voices bright and full of questions.

"What happened, Lily?"
"Where were you?"
"How did you survive for six months?"

I couldn't tell them the truth. I couldn't describe the kingdom, the village, the people-or him. Callan.

So I gave them a story that sounded believable. A story that explained why I had been gone and how I had survived. They accepted it, smiling and laughing as they hugged me again and again.

I smiled back. I told them I was happy. I told myself I was happy.

*********************************

Later that night, Sarah stormed into my room, dressed in ripped jeans, a leather jacket, and bright pink sneakers. She always looked like she'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine's "edgy" section. Her dark hair was up in a messy ponytail, and her eyeliner was so sharp it could've cut glass.

"Six months, Lily!" she shouted, throwing her bag on my bed. "Six freaking months! Do you know how worried I was? I thought you were dead, or kidnapped, or, I don't know, eaten by a bear!"

I blinked at her. "Hi to you too, Sarah."

"Don't 'hi' me!" she snapped, jabbing a finger at me. "Do you have any idea what it's like to stalk someone's social media for updates, only to see nothing for half a year? I was about to start a true-crime podcast about your disappearance!"

I snorted, despite myself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to what, Lily? Wander off into the wilderness like a Disney princess and forget to come back?"

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "Something like that."

Her eyes narrowed, and then they flicked to the necklace peeking out from under my shirt. "Ooh, what's this?" she asked, tugging at the chain. "Did some Tarzan dude give this to you while you were out playing survivalist?"

I swatted her hand away, my face heating. "It's personal, okay?"

Sarah smirked. "Ah, so there was a Tarzan. Spill."

"There's nothing to spill," I said quickly, but my voice betrayed me.

"Oh, you're such a bad liar," she said, flopping onto my bed. "Come on, Lil. You were gone for six months, and you come back with a mysterious necklace and a haunted look in your eyes. Who is he?"

I hesitated, my fingers brushing over the stone. "He's... someone I'll never see again."

Sarah's playful demeanor softened. "Oh," she said quietly. "That kind of someone."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah."

For once, Sarah didn't push. She just reached over and took my hand. "Well, whoever he is, he clearly meant a lot to you. And if you ever want to talk about him, I'm here."

I gave her a watery smile. "Thanks, Sarah."
*********************************

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, I found Noah sitting on my bed, waiting for me.

“What are you doing here, squirt?” I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

“Making sure you don’t disappear again,” he said simply, crossing his arms.

I sighed, walking over and sitting next to him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?” he asked, his voice small.

I hesitated, staring down at my hands. “I’ll do my best.”

“That’s not a promise,” he said, frowning.

I ruffled his hair, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re too smart for your own good, you know that?”

He shrugged. “I just don’t want to lose you again.”

“You won’t,” I said softly, pulling him into a hug.

For a moment, we just sat there in the quiet. His small arms wrapped around me, his head resting on my shoulder.

“I prayed every night,” he whispered.

My throat tightened, and I blinked back tears. “I know, buddy. And I heard you. I think it’s what brought me back.”

He pulled back, his eyes wide. “Really?”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Really.”

**********************************

But when the room was quiet just me, the memories would come flooding back.

The kingdom. The village. The people.

Him.

Callan.

I would sit on the stool in the corner, staring out the window at the bustling street outside, and feel my chest ache with longing.

"Get over it," I whispered to myself one day, my voice shaking. "He's gone. He's not real anymore."

But he was.

No matter how much I tried to convince myself that Callan had been a dream, something too perfect to exist in the real world, my heart knew the truth.

I missed him.

*********************************

One year later

The café was my sanctuary. A tiny space with mismatched furniture and shelves lined with books and plants. It smelled like coffee and vanilla, and most days, it was enough to keep me grounded.

Most days.

"Lil, table three is asking for more sugar," Sarah called from the counter, balancing two cups of coffee on one arm like a pro. She'd started helping out at the café a few months ago, mostly to keep an eye on me.

"On it," I replied, grabbing the sugar packets.

Sarah leaned closer as I passed her. "You know, you could smile more. The mysterious, brooding vibe is good for tips, but it's not great for your mental health."

"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile.

"Sure you are," she said, not buying it for a second.

After the last customer left, Sarah locked the door and turned to me with a look that said she wasn't letting me off the hook this time.

"You're still wearing it," she said, nodding toward the necklace.

"Of course I am," I said defensively, touching the stone.

"Don't you ever wonder if he's out there? If he's thinking about you too?"

I froze, her words cutting through me like a knife. "Every day," I admitted. "But it doesn't matter. He's in his world, and I'm in mine. That's just the way it is."

Sarah crossed her arms, her expression softening. "You don't have to pretend, Lil. I see you, you know. You're running this place like a boss, but when you think no one's looking, you're miles away."

I looked down at the necklace, my thumb tracing the stone. "It's all I have left of him. This and the memories."

She sighed, pulling me into a hug. "You deserve to be happy, Lily. Whether it's with Tarzan or someone else, you deserve it."

"Thanks," I whispered, my voice trembling.

As she pulled back, she gave me a sly grin. "But for the record, if he ever shows up, I'm going to interrogating him."

I laughed, the sound bittersweet. "Deal."