Koa POV
The first thing I noticed was the grin.
She was barely steady on her feet, knees wobbling, fingers sticky with frosting, but she was smiling like she owned the room. Like the chaos around her belonged to her. She leaned forward on unsteady legs, eyes bright, reaching for the edge of the table where the cake sat within reach.
Her fingers missed it the first time.
She laughed at herself.
Then she tried again.
Something in my chest warmed instantly.
It was not loud or overwhelming. It was quiet and undeniable. The kind of warmth that settles in before you can question it.
She looked like me.
There was no mistaking it. The shape of her face. The tilt of her eyes when she smiled. Even the way her mouth curved when she concentrated too hard on something simple. I had seen that expression in the mirror more times than I could count.
My feet moved before I consciously told them to.
