As Sofia sat huddled on the floor, the coldness of the room slowly began to fade as Damien's voice echoed gently in her mind. He didn't push her for answers. Instead, he simply began to talk.
"Remember that summer at the creek, Sofia?" His voice was soft, nostalgic. "You tried to catch a frog and ended up falling face-first into the mud. You came up looking like a swamp monster, but you were still trying to look dignified. I laughed so hard I nearly choked on my sandwich."
A small, unexpected laugh slipped from Sofia's lips. She wiped a tear away with her palm.
"You didn't just laugh, Damien. You took a picture and threatened to show the whole school."
"And I never did," he reminded her gently. "I kept it in my wallet for a year because I thought you looked cute, even with mud in your hair."
