bAurora’s /bPOV

It was early morning when we reached the gates. The air was still, save for the soft rustling of leaves and the asional bird call. I stood with Caleb, fade, and Caroline, the four of us clustered together, watching as Damien walked toward us. His steps were deliberatei, /ihis expression calm, but there was something in his eyes flicker of emotion he tried to keep buried.

You’re really leaving, huh? Caleb broke the silence, crossing his arms over his chest. His voice was casual, and I was sure that he had meant it as a tease, but I could see the seriousness in his eyes. Caleb and Damien’s rtionship had been on the mend.

Damien nodded, stopping just a few feet away from us. I have to. The arrangements are in ce, and staying any longer would onlyplicate things.

Jade nced at Caroline, his brow furrowed slightly. “You’ll be back, though, right? After all, we’re now part of a family.

Damien’s gaze shifted to Caroline, and for a moment, it felt like time paused. “I’ll be back,‘ he said softly, his words directed entirely at her. “But I’d like to visit more often. If that’s okay with you.”

Caroline hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. “It’s… okay. But you need to be discreet. Avoid ces my parents might go. They’re- She stopped, biting her lip before continuing. “You know how they are.b” /b

Damien gave a small nod, understanding shing in his eyes. “I’ll be careful. I promise. His voice carried an unspoken assurance that seemed to put her at ease, even if only a little.

Caleb cleared his throat, breaking the moment. “Well, just don’t go getting yourself killed out there. That’d be a waste of all the drama you stirred up.”

Damien smirked faintly. ‘I’ll keep that in mindb./b”

The distant sound of a car approaching made my heart tighten. I didn’t want to admit it, but I’d miss him. Even though I didn’t know him all that well, Damien had a way of making things… interesting.

He turned to me, his gaze steady. ‘Aurora, I’ll see you on your birthday.”

My eyes widened slightly. “My birthday?” It hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“Yeah,” he said, his tone matter–of–fact. ‘June, right? I haven’t forgotten.”

As the words sank in, a realization hit me like a wave. It was June. And soon, both Caroline and I would have our birthdays. Time had moved so fast that I hadn’t even noticed.

“Right, I muttered, feeling a mix of surprise and embarrassment. I guess that’sing up.”

Damien smiled, a rare softness in his expression. “I’ll be there. Just try not to get into too much trouble until then.”

The car pulled up, the driver stepping out to load Damien’s bags. He turned back to us onest time, his gaze lingering briefly on each of us before settling on Caroline.

“Take care, all of you. And Caroline… thank you.”

She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “You too.”

With that, Damien climbed into the car, the door shutting behind him. We stood there in silence as bthe /bcar drove away, disappearing down the road.

It wasn’t until the sound of the engine fadedpletely that I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Well, that was… something.”

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah. Something.”

But my mind was elsewhere, spinning with thoughts of birthdays, ns, and the strange way things had a tendency to shift recently.

Birthdays had never been my thing. The thought of celebrating my owis made my stomach churn. Not because I didn’t want to be celebrated but because I didn’t know how. I couldn’t remember thest time I’d cut a cake or even received a gift. It felt pointless, like putting up a show for an audience that didn’t exist. And it had always been a sore topic at my household.

But Caroline’s birthday was different. She deserved more than just a cupcake and a pat on the back. She deserved the kind of celebration I’d never had, and L. bwas /bdetermined to make it special.

bChapter /bComments

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