10. Reminder

"I would rather enjoy your company than stay at a party where you aren’t," Jayden said, his voice soft but earnest. As soon as the words left his mouth, panic gripped him. *What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if I’m reading this all wrong?* His palms grew warm, and a nervous sweat pricked at the back of his neck. "I… I’m sorry," he added quickly, his voice trembling as self-doubt clouded his mind. Rose didn’t respond right away. Instead, she exhaled a shaky breath, her shoulders sagging under the weight of something unseen. "I recently lost my brother in an accident," she began, her voice quiet but laced with pain. "My parents sent me here hoping I could have a fresh start, but…" She lost words as her gaze dropped to her hands, trembling in her lap. "Since I arrived, you’re the only thing that makes me forget, even for a little while." Her confession hung heavy in the air, raw and vulnerable. Jayden could see the grief written on her expression, the tears welling in her eyes threat