Elena's POV
!!!Please note, I repeated the same chapter 3 times and I can't delete it, please go to chapter 87, that's the next chapter!!!
Naomi's perfume lingered faintly in the air long after she left. That soft floral scent reminded me of all the sleepovers, late-night talks, and reckless teenage laughter we had shared. For the first time in weeks, my chest didn't ache from missing her. Instead even if I didn't remember her sometimes, I felt whole like pieces of my past and present had finally come together in one place.
The door clicked softly shut behind her, and silence wrapped around the room again. A different kind of silence now, warm, gentle, comforting. I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes for a moment.
Justin shifted beside me. His arm was still around my shoulders, grounding me, and when I finally opened my eyes, he was watching me. That steady gaze again. Not heavy, not possessive, just watchful, careful, as though checking for cracks I might be hiding.
