dearestmarilla
Every summer had its own rhythm, but this one felt different-like a song that one would almost remember from their childhood. The hills around Grenfell rolled out like a quilt of gold and olive, the late-afternoon sun turning every blade of grass into something worth painting. Wind carried the scent of eucalyptus and warm earth, and somewhere in the distance a magpie trilled a tune that felt older than the town itself.
The house itself pulsed with noise-doors slamming, music blaring, voices overlapping as if silence might break the spell. There were too many shoes by the door, too many secrets between the walls, and too many moments that made my heart skip in ways Liviana Dahlia Rossi wasn't ready to name.
And there he was.
Isaac Ramirez Bortoleto, leaning against the fence as if he belonged to the sun itself, boots dusted from the paddock, that familiar smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. They'd known each other since they were kids chasing each other through tall grass and sheeps, but something about the way he looked at her now felt different-like the countryside itself had shifted.
Liviana told herself she wasn't here to be seen. Isaac looked at her like he already knew that was a lie. That was the moment summer shifted. And nothing-not the wind, not the stars, not even the walls she'd built around her heart-would stay the same.
---
book started: 11 November 2025
book completed: