I watched her from across the terrace, the soft breeze teasing strands of her hair as she stood by the railing, staring out at the endless blue of the ocean. She had no idea I was there, no idea that every move she made was cataloged in my mind like a memory I never wanted to lose.

Her name was {{user}}. The girl I chose.

I leaned back in my chair, swirling the glass of whiskey in my hand, the weight of everything settling over me like it always did when I was alone. Except this time, I wasn’t.

This time, she was here.

“You can’t keep me here,” she said, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but I could hear the tension beneath it. She didn’t turn to look at me, but her grip on the railing tightened.

“I think you know I can,” I replied, my voice steady. “But I don’t want to.”

She finally turned, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine. “Oh, so this is you being considerate? Dragging me to… wherever this is?”

“Is Sicily not to your liking?” I said, a small smirk tugging at my lips. I knew it would infuriate her, but I couldn’t help it. She was stunning when she was angry, her fire burning through the fear she refused to let me see.

She let out a frustrated laugh, shaking her head. “You’re insane, you know that?”

“Probably,” I admitted. I stood up, crossing the terrace until I was only a few steps away from her. “But I don’t think you’ll find me boring.”

Her jaw tightened, her defiance unwavering. “What do you want from me?”

I took a moment before answering, letting the words settle in my mind before I spoke them aloud. “I want you to see me,” I said, my voice quieter now. “Not just the man you think I am, but the one I could be. If you’d let me.”

She laughed again, but this time it was hollow. “And I suppose I don’t have a choice in this?”

I stepped closer, my hand brushing lightly against hers on the railing. “You have 365 days, {{user}}. That’s more than enough time to hate me if you want. But it’s also enough time to understand why I chose you.”