Chapter 15:everything feels right

The warm glow of the city at night stretched across the streets like a soft blanket. Abigail and James walked side by side, shoulders brushing occasionally, boots crunching lightly on wet pavement.

“I still can’t believe you dragged me to an art exhibit on a Saturday night,” Abigail said, half-laughing, half-incredulous.

James grinned. “You’ve got to admit, it was worth it. The paintings? Incredible. And the people-watching? Even better.”

She shook her head. “I think I’ll stick to snacks and movies from now on. Less… judgmental eyes.”

“You mean more judgmental eyes?” he teased, bumping her shoulder gently.

She laughed, the sound light and unburdened. For the first time in weeks, she felt like the grief that had wrapped around her heart was thinning, just enough to let happiness slip in.

They stopped outside a small café for hot chocolate. The windows steamed up from the heat inside, fogged lines making shapes Abigail traced with her fingers.

“Let’s sit,” James suggested, holding the door open. “I have a surprise for you.”

Abigail raised an eyebrow. “A surprise? For me?”

“Yes. And don’t worry—it’s nothing dangerous this time.”

Inside, the café was nearly empty, except for one small table near the fireplace. On it was a tiny plate of pastries shaped like stars and hearts, and a single candle flickering in the center.

Abigail’s heart fluttered. “You did all this?”

James shrugged, pretending modesty, though his eyes sparkled. “I may have asked the barista to help. But yes. I did all this.”

She sat down, her fingers brushing the flame of the candle. “It’s…perfect.”

“Not as perfect as this moment,” James said softly, sliding into the seat across from her.

Her chest warmed, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. “James…”

He reached across the table, taking her hand. “Abby…look at me.”

She met his gaze. There was honesty there, vulnerability too—the kind that made her heart ache in the best possible way.

“I know everything has been…weird lately,” he said quietly. “But with you? It all feels…right. Like it’s supposed to be this way.”

“I feel the same,” she admitted, squeezing his hand. “Even when my friends…even when everything else feels off…you make it feel okay.”

James smiled, a soft, genuine curl of lips that lit up his entire face. “That’s because it is okay. We make it okay. Together.”

The warmth between them was tangible. They ate pastries, drank hot chocolate, and shared little jokes, but beneath it all, the feeling of something fragile yet enduring wrapped around Abigail like a shield.

Later, they walked back through the quiet streets, snow beginning to fall in gentle flakes. Abigail leaned against James, resting her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want this night to end,” she whispered.

“Then it doesn’t have to,” he replied. “Not ever. We can have as many nights like this as we want.”

Her heart lifted, and for the first time in months, she felt…whole.

But as she glanced up at the snow-lit street, she noticed a shadow across the corner of her vision. For a heartbeat, she thought she saw another figure, watching them from the distance, someone who looked exactly like James, then disappeared into the falling snow.

She shook her head, blaming it on fatigue or imagination. She clung to him tighter, choosing warmth over suspicion.

And in that choice, the seeds of doubt that would soon unravel everything quietly planted themselves.