Asher had never felt so alone.
The world around him was broken, a puzzle missing half its pieces. Streets flickered in and out like broken film reels. Sometimes he heard voices, but they were muffled, as though coming from underwater. And no matter how far he walked, he always ended up back at the clock tower.
He sat on its cracked stone steps, running a hand through his hair.
"How long have I been here?" he whispered.
The tower didn't answer.
What hurt most wasn't the silence. It was the emptiness.
He remembered Aria's laugh, bright and unafraid. The way she waved too eagerly whenever she saw him in the halls. The smell of fresh bread that always clung to her clothes.
And then he remembered her voice — just before the light swallowed him.
I'll find you.
He closed his eyes, gripping the memory tight. "Please… don't give up on me."
A soft wind brushed against his cheek, and for a moment, he swore he heard her laugh echo faintly in the air.
---
Meanwhile, in Aria's world, she was doing everything she could not to break down.
The day had passed in a blur. Teachers talked, students laughed, but none of it felt real. All she could think about was the boy who wasn't there.
When classes finally ended, she found herself standing in front of the old oak tree. The one where she and Asher had shared their first real conversation. She touched its rough bark, her heart heavy.
And then, something strange happened.
Carved into the trunk, faint but fresh, were words she hadn't noticed before:
Don't stop searching. —A
Aria's breath caught. Her hands trembled as she traced the letters. "Asher…?"
It wasn't possible. She'd been here yesterday. The carving hadn't been there.
Tears pricked her eyes, but this time they weren't only from fear. They were from hope.
"Asher," she whispered, her voice breaking into a smile, "you're still out there."
The wind picked up suddenly, rustling the branches above her. For a second, she thought she heard his voice, soft and steady:
I'm waiting.
Her chest ached, but not with despair — with determination. She wasn't going to lose him.
Not to time.
Not to the cracks.
Not to anything.
As the sun dipped low in the sky, Aria pressed her hand to the carved words. "I'll find you," she said firmly. "No matter what it takes."
And for the first time since the world had started falling apart, she smiled.