Callan

I had prepared myself for the possibility that she'd moved on. That maybe, after a year in her world, I'd become nothing more than a memory-something distant and insignificant. But as I stood there, rooted to the spot, every doubt I had was crushed the moment she saw me.

Her reaction-God, I'll never forget it. She ran to me. She didn't hesitate, didn't stop to think about the people watching. She ran.

And when she threw herself into my arms, I almost forgot everything. The ache of missing her, the sleepless nights, the fear that I'd lost her forever. All of it disappeared the moment I felt her warmth against me. Her scent-soft and familiar-hit me like a wave, and my grip tightened around her as if she might vanish again.

"You're real," she whispered, her voice trembling, and my chest constricted painfully.

I buried my face in her neck, letting the feeling of her being here, in my arms, take over. "I thought I'd never see you again," I murmured. My voice shook, the words nearly breaking apart. "I thought I lost you, Lily."

I didn't realize how badly I needed to hear her say my name until she did. Over and over, her lips forming it like it was the only word that mattered. And to me, it was.

I held her tighter, afraid that if I let go, she might vanish like she had a year ago. My face pressed against her hair, and I inhaled deeply, grounding myself in her presence.

For that moment, nothing else existed. Not the curious stares of strangers or the noise of her bustling world. Just her. Always her.

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

When we finally regained some semblance of composure, I reluctantly let her down. My hands instinctively reached up to wipe her tears, my thumb brushing her cheek, a watery laugh escaping her lips as she sniffled. I couldn't stop staring, couldn't stop drinking her in like a man dying of thirst.

Her friend clears her throat dramatically, pulling us back to reality.I turn toward them, narrowing my eyes at the boy who's standing far too close to her.

"This is Sarah," Lily begins nervously, "and Leo."

Sarah steps forward, her eyes widening as she takes me in. I catch the flicker of recognition when her gaze lands on the necklace.

"Wait a minute." Her voice rises an octave. "Oh my god, is this-the necklace guy?"

Leo frowns. "Who's the necklace guy?"

Sarah turned to him, grinning. "The guy who owns that necklace," she said, pointing at Lily's chest. "And, you know, her heart or whatever."

Lily shifts uncomfortably, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Sarah..."

But Sarah isn't done. She crosses her arms, taking a good look at me. "Okay, hold up. Let's backtrack. You've been talking about this guy-the mysterious Callan-for a year now, and you didn't tell me he looks like a freaking Greek god? Like, I know you said he's handsome, but you seriously undersold it."

I arch an eyebrow, glancing down at myself. I'm wearing the plainest clothes I could find-a black hoodie and jeans-trying to avoid drawing attention in her world. Yet, somehow, this girl is gaping at me as if I've arrived in full royal attire.

Lily groans, her face turning red. "Sarah. Stop."

"No, seriously!" Sarah gestures wildly at me, then at Lily. "This is unfair, Lily."

Leo mutters under his breath, "Do you ever stop talking?"

Sarah shoots him a glare. "Don't be jealous, Leo. You can't compete with literal perfection."

My jaw tightens as I catch Leo's annoyed look, but I say nothing, letting them bicker.

"Okay, okay!" Lily steps between us, her hands raised. "Can we all just... calm down? Sarah, enough with the Greek god stuff. And Leo, stop glaring at Callan like he's an invader."

The tension in the air was palpable, but Sarah, ever the disruptor, stepped in with a laugh. "Okay, this is fun and all, but I think Leo and I should give these two some alone time. Don't you think, Leo?"

Leo hesitated, his jaw clenching, but Sarah grabbed his arm and started pulling him away. "See you later, Lily," she called over her shoulder. "Don't do anything . Or maybe do."

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

After Sarah and Leo leave-finally-I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Lily grabs my hand, pulling me toward a small park nearby. I smiling , her fingers warm against mine, and I can't help but follow her.

We sit on a bench beneath the fading light, the quiet hum of the city around us. She turns to me, her eyes searching my face like she's afraid I might vanish and for a moment, neither of us spoke.

"How did you find me?" she asked finally, her voice soft but insistent.

I glanced at her, taking in every detail of her face-the curve of her jaw, the slight furrow of her brow, the way her lips trembled just enough to betray her emotions. "Lily." I reach out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I would have found you anywhere."

She shook her head, her fingers gripping the edge of the bench. "But... how? How did you even-Callan, my world is so different from yours. You don't belong here."

She wasn't wrong.I glance down at the hoodie and pants I'm wearing. They're stiff and uncomfortable compared to what I'm used to, but I've done my best to blend in. "I had help. People from the island have connections here. They arranged everything-secured a place for me to stay, made sure I wasn't... noticed."

She blinks. "Wait. Where are you staying?"

"A hotel."

Her eyebrows shoot up. "You're living in a hotel?"

I shrug. "I bought it. It seemed... easier that way."

Her mouth falls open, and for a second, she just stares at me. Then she bursts into laughter, her head falling back, the sound filling the air.

I watch her, my chest tightening. It's been a year since I've heard that sound. A year since I've seen her smile.

She said . "You bought a hotel. Of course, you did. Why does that not surprise me?"

Her laughter fades, leaving a fragile silence. And then, it happens-her shoulders tremble, and a choked sob escapes her lips. My heart stops.

"Lily?" I say softly, but she doesn't answer.

Her hands cover her face as tears fall freely, her body shaking with the force of emotions she's been holding back. It's raw, unfiltered, and it shatters something deep inside me.

"Hey," I whisper, pulling her closer, my arms wrapping around her like a shield. "Let it out. I'm here."

Her tears soak my hoodie as I hold her, rocking her gently. My hand strokes her back, my fingers threading through her hair, but none of it feels like enough. I can't take away her pain, can't undo the loneliness she must have felt all this time.

Each sob feels like a blow, sharp and unrelenting, and all I can do is hold her tighter.

"I missed you," she chokes out between sobs, her voice muffled against my chest.

I close my eyes, the ache in my chest unbearable. "I missed you too, Lily. More than you know."

When her crying subsides into quiet sniffles, she finally looks up at me. Her tear-streaked face, her swollen eyes-they're enough to undo me completely. She's so vulnerable, so heartbreakingly beautiful, and so impossibly close.

My hand brushes her cheek, my thumb wiping away the last of her tears. Her eyes search mine, and for a moment, everything else fades-the city, the people, the world itself.

I lean in, my hand slipping to the back of her neck. Her breath hitches, and her eyes flutter shut as if she's waiting, wanting.

And just as my lips are about to claim hers-

A loud throat-clearing breaks the moment like a slap.

My jaw tightens as I glance over my shoulder to see a stranger walking past, their gaze averted but the interruption unmistakable.

Lily jerks back, her cheeks turning crimson. "That... that was awkward," she stammers, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.

But I don't laugh. I don't move. I hate this world. This world where strangers can so easily shatter what little time we have together.

She looks at me, her eyes sparkling with nervous amusement. "Don't look so angry. It's not their fault."

But it doesn't feel that way. My blood hums with frustration, my fists clenching at my sides. All I want is her, but even here, even now, her world keeps pulling her away.

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

"It's late," she says softly, breaking the silence between us. "I should get home."

I nod, though the thought of her leaving-of being apart from her even for a few hours-makes my chest tighten.

We walk in silence through the city streets, her world bustling around us, bright and overwhelming. Her shoulder brushes mine occasionally, and each accidental touch sets my nerves on edge.

I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, the way her hair catches the glow of the streetlights, the way she holds her arms tightly around herself as if shielding herself from the world.

"Callan?" she says suddenly, her voice tentative.

"Hmm?"

She hesitates, her gaze fixed ahead. "Do you ever... wish things were simpler? That we didn't have to fight so hard for this?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stop walking, turning to face her. "No," I say firmly.

She looks up at me, startled.

"I don't care how hard it is," I continue, my voice low but intense. "I'll fight for you, Lily. Every damn day, if I have to."

Her lips part slightly, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she steps closer, her eyes searching mine.

We continue walking, the tension between us thick and palpable. By the time we reach her door, my restraint is hanging by a thread.

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

Her hand lingers on the doorknob as she turns to me, her expression conflicted. "You'll be okay at the hotel?"

"I'll survive," I say, though the thought of leaving her makes my stomach churn.

She smiles faintly, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod. "First thing."

She hesitates, then steps forward and wraps her arms around me. It's not like the embrace from earlier-this one is soft, tentative, and yet somehow just as powerful.

I bury my face in her hair, inhaling her scent, and for a moment, I let myself imagine a world where we didn't have to say goodbye.

When she finally pulls back, her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "Goodnight, Callan."

I watch her disappear inside, the door clicking shut behind her.

But I don't leave. Not yet. I stay in the shadows, my eyes fixed on the light in her window.

Because even though I'm supposed to be miles away, supposed to let her go for the night, I can't.

Not when every fiber of me is screaming to hold onto her, to never let her out of my sight again.

And so, I stay. Because being near her, even from a distance, is better than being without her.