-willow tree-

what happened,happened.

As Adaline and Jane inched closer, the world around them faded into a blur. Their hearts raced in sync, an electric anticipation building between them. With a shared breath, they closed the gap, their lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss that spoke volumes of their pent-up feelings. In that fleeting moment, everything felt perfect, a promise of love blossoming between them.

But just as the warmth of their kiss enveloped them, the tranquility shattered. Adaline's father came barreling down the hill, his face twisted with fury. "Adaline!" he yelled, his voice booming across the open space. "What are you doing? Stay away from her!"

The joy of their kiss evaporated, replaced by shock and fear. Adaline pulled back, her heart racing for an entirely different reason now. "Dad, please! I'm sorry!" she pleaded, her voice trembling as she tried to process the sudden chaos. "It's not what you think!"

Jane stood frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief, and in that moment of uncertainty, the tears began to flow. Adaline's heart sank as she saw the hurt in Jane's eyes. "I can't," Jane sobbed, her voice breaking under the weight of the moment. "I need to go home!"

Before Adaline could reach out to comfort her, Jane turned and ran, her footsteps echoing against the ground as she fled up the hill. "Please, don't go!" Adaline shouted, desperation lacing her words, but Jane was already disappearing into the distance, her silhouette growing smaller with each passing second.

"Adaline, this is unacceptable!" her father bellowed, his voice filled with authority as he approached her. "You need to stay away from her. She's bad news!"

Adaline felt a fierce determination rise within her. "You don't understand! I love her!" she cried, desperation clawing at her throat. Yet, her father's face remained set, his mind made up. As he stood there, imposing and furious, Adaline felt the walls closing in around her, caught between her love for Jane and the anger of her father, the future she had dreamed of slipping away like sand through her fingers. Adaline's heart raced as her father's words hung heavy in the air. She could see the determination in his eyes, a resolve that sent chills down her spine. As he stepped closer, the reality of his intentions became painfully clear.

"Adaline," he began, his tone hardening, "I've had enough of this. You're going to that camp—conversion camp."

The words hit Adaline like a physical blow. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to comprehend what he was saying. "No, Dad! You can't do that!" she cried, desperation flooding her voice. "You don't understand what I feel! You can't just send me away because you don't agree with my love for Jane!"

But her father's expression remained unyielding. "I'm doing this for your own good," he insisted. "You're too young to know what you really want. This is for your future, to help you see things clearly."

Adaline felt a wave of despair wash over her. The thought of being sent away, isolated from everything she loved, was unbearable. "You think this will change who I am? You think it will make me stop loving Jane?" she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Love doesn't work that way!"

Her father's eyes softened for a brief moment, but the hard lines of his face quickly returned. "You need to understand that this is not acceptable. I can't let you throw your life away on something I know is wrong."

As he spoke, Adaline felt a mix of anger and fear bubbling inside her. She couldn't believe that her father, the person who had always been her protector, could turn into someone who would try to erase a part of her very being. "I'll fight this, Dad," she said fiercely, her voice steady despite the tremor in her heart. "You can't take my love away from me."

But deep down, Adaline knew that her father's plan was set in motion. The looming threat of conversion camp felt like a dark cloud overshadowing her life, and in that moment, she realized that she would have to find the strength within herself to stand up for who she was and the love she shared with Jane, no matter the cost.