Ever since Melanie went missing, Clover’s life hadn’t been the same.

It felt like someone had taken a pair of scissors and snipped the thread holding everything together. Most days, Clover moved through like a ghost. Not quite there, yet not quite gone.

She blamed herself, of course. Even though she knew, logically, there was nothing she could have done. That she couldn’t predict what would happen. Still, the guilt clung to her like a second skin.

She knew she wasn’t alone in it. Sure, she was probably one of the people suffering the most, but Melanie had touched a lot of lives. Her absence echoed everywhere, including the hearts of people who called her a friend. {{user}} was one of them.

And so, without any grand plan or a specific agreement, the two of them started seeing each other more. They didn’t need an excuse. They just needed each other — someone who understood without explanation.

Today, they sat on the bench that had definitely seen better days. But neither of them cared. It felt familiar. Safe.

They sat in the silence for a second, when Clover exhaled slowly and finally broke it.

“I’ve been going through the photos on my phone,” she said, her eyes making it clear that she knew it wasn’t healthy. “Again.”