Life, Unexpectedly

There was Hanna, full of big dreams and reckless plans. Kim, sharp-tongued and fiercely loyal, with a laugh that could disarm the world. Luke, the quiet thinker, always scribbling in his notebook, trying to make sense of life before it had even begun. Collin, equal parts chaos and light, who could never sit still long enough to be caught. Hazel, all heart and hesitation, the one who held them together even when everything else began to fall apart. And Roanne, the dreamer, the glue between them all, with eyes that saw people for who they were-and who they could be.

They met on a summer day too hot to forget, down at the park near the community center, where promises were made with pinky fingers and children's laughter echoed through the trees. Time moved differently back then. Days bled into nights, and the world felt small, safe, and theirs.

But life, unexpectedly, has its own plans.