The highway unwound before her like a silver ribbon, splitting the midnight countryside in two. Each mile marker was a quiet metronome, counting off the seconds since she had last said his name aloud. Cody. Even now, with the radio silent and the windows down, the aftertaste clung to her tongue—a bittersweetness that was uniquely his.
The ache behind her eyes throbbed in time with her pulse, but the cold air kept her alert, grounding her in the present. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, knuckles pale under the moonlight. Her phone buzzed on the passenger seat, the screen flaring to life for a moment. No new messages. She didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed. She told herself she wouldn’t check if he’d reached out. She would not let herself spiral, not tonight, not when the world seemed so fragile and new.
The road twisted past an abandoned gas station, its sign hanging crooked above cracked concrete. She remembered nights long ago—her and Cody laughing in the half-light, sharing secrets over melting ice cream and the static of distant thunder. Those memories pressed at the edges of her mind, simultaneously comforting and unbearable.
She slowed as she neared the old stone bridge, the one that arched over the narrow river that cut through the valley. The headlights swept over the mossy stone, illuminating the spot where they had once carved their initials. She pulled over, heart hammering. The engine hummed as she sat, breath shallow, a thousand words suspended between past and present.
She stepped out of the car, gravel crunching beneath her boots. The night was alive with the hum of insects and the distant cry of an owl. She walked to the bridge, fingers trailing along the cool stone. The world felt suspended here, time folding in on itself, memories bleeding into the present. She crouched down, searching for the faded letters: C + L. They were still there, half-swallowed by moss and weather.
A shiver traced her spine. Her breath plumed in the air as she whispered, “Are you still out there, Cody? Do you remember?”
A branch cracked in the darkness beyond the bridge. Her heart stuttered, the sound impossibly loud. She straightened, peering into the gloom. The shadows coiled under the trees, and for an instant, she imagined she saw a silhouette—a tall figure, just out of reach of the moonlit path. Hope and fear warred in her chest. No one should be out here, not at this hour. Not unless—
The figure paused, lingering at the edge of the trees. She could just make out the glint of eyes, reflecting the cold, silvery light. Her breath caught. The air thrummed with possibility, thick with the weight of unsaid things. Was it him? Could the universe be answering her plea after all?
She stood frozen at the bridge’s edge, pulse racing, every nerve alight with anticipation and dread. The figure took a tentative step forward, breaking the spell of stillness. The next move was hers.