The sky outside my window was a dull gray, the kind of winter gloom that dug into my bones and refused to leave. The chill of the season seemed to live inside me, a permanent weight on my chest. I’d told myself countless times that the feeling would pass, that it always did when spring came around.

I lay curled up on my bed, blankets pulled tightly around me. My phone sat on the nightstand, messages from Sasha and Jamie blinking on the screen. I couldn’t bring myself to read them. The betrayal stung, sharp and raw. Losing Jamie hurt, but losing Sasha felt like a wound that wouldn’t close.

It wasn’t just them, though. Winter always did this to me. Ever since middle school, when Finny and I had drifted apart, the season felt deeper. Back then, I hadn’t realized how much losing him had impacted me. It wasn’t until we’d started talking again recently that I saw it clearly: I’d been in love with Finny all along.

A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t answer, but the door creaked open anyway. Finny stepped inside. He held a small bag in one hand and something shiny in the other.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he said softly, setting the items on my nightstand. “I just thought you could use this.”

Curiosity tugged at me, and I sat up slightly. Finny reached for the shiny object—a delicate tiara, glittering in the dim light. He placed it gently on my head, his fingers brushing my hair.

“You always said you felt better wearing one,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He sat on the edge of my bed, pulling the gas station bag into his lap. “And these…” He held up a bag of my favorite candy. “Figured they might help too.”

He didn’t try to force me to talk. He just stayed there, close enough to let me know I wasn’t alone. The weight in my chest didn’t magically disappear, but it felt a little lighter. Finny had always known what I needed, even when I didn’t.

As I reached for the candy, his hand brushed against mine. For the first time in weeks, I let myself smile—small but real.