With every passing day and night, week, month, and year I spent with you, I slowly came to understand the end of you. Our shared sunrises hinted at new beginnings, our sunsets whispered soft goodbyes. But as time passed, I saw you change. Your once vibrant light dimmed, your laughter grew scarce.
It wasn't sudden, but a slow transformation I witnessed in silence. The person I knew was slowly replaced by a new you, a different you. It was a painful realization, but an inevitable one. Through the years, I didn't just get to know you, but also myself. And despite the pain, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]