The next morning, Ariana realized something terrifying.
Her bracelet was gone. đż
A small silver bracelet her mother had gifted her. She searched her bag, her pockets, even under her bed, but it was nowhere.
She made her way to the university gardens, her heart weighed down.
Maybe she'd dropped it in the rain yesterday.
She searched through the grass, glanced beneath benches, walked the winding pathsânothing.
A voice she recognized called out. "Looking for this?"
She turned quickly.
Kian waited beneath the willow, the bracelet swinging from his hand.
A wave of relief washed over her. "You found it!"
"It was caught on a branch. I thought it must be yours."
She stepped closer, and he placed the bracelet in her hand.
"Thank you, Kian. Really."
He held her gaze, not looking away.
"Be more careful," he said softly. "It hurts to lose things."
The way he said it made her chest tighten. đ
As he walked away, Ariana wondered;
Was he just talking about the bracelet?
Or something deeper? đś