Moonlight Rejection

dge of the clearing, Elara's heart was a mix of contradicting sentiments. The smell of earth and pine cons

everberated in her thoughts. "Elara, why

they followed her around like unquiet ghosts. With a forceful swallow, she mo

ra,

und made her heart tighten, but she forced herself to look away. Not at

," his voice breaking with an

e to relieve his suffering and provide him with the resolution he was looking fo

her voice just audible over the

d and a sorrow-filled heart as the forest suc

*

gnored the branches that tugged at her clothing and left small scratches behind

conceal, as she staggered into the underbrush. She was still able to hear h

a," in a tone that was equal parts pride and regret. "You

tered by it, and she would always carry the scars. And now it had taken her to meet

pite the wide and uncompromising expanse of forest that spread out in front of her. She had never fel

way at her. Adrian was worthy of more than this, more than a partner who was unable to reciproc

e forest's depths, carrying a heavy heart as she did so. She w

damp earth and pine wafted through the trees in the chilly night air. Every sound of the leaves rustlin

d her dad's chuckling and the vibe of her mom's embrace. Notwithstanding, behind the surface waited hazier sha

tsteps behind her. She was startled and whirled around, her heart p

la

ng with an unidentified emotion. She narrowed her eyes and looked in

an," barely eno

ke sense of the whirlwind of ideas going through her head. His voice soft ye

t clench. She wanted to open up to him completely, to reveal all of her vul

voice, "I'm fine." "I jus

ut a sigh and tenderly removed a stray hair from her face. He murmured, "Elara

yes. Though uncertainty persisted in the back of her mind, she wanted

t," she was trembli

is hand fell to his side. His voice was hardly audi

t be what you need me to be," she murmured, her voice barely audi

e wide with shock. "In any case, why?" he addressed, a

he words remained caught in her throat like a rough stone, despite the fact that she ne

evening, she expressed,

n her throat. He cried out, "Elara, please," his voice breaking with passion. "You

like a leaden burden. The scars from her history were too deep for her to

ard above the rustling leaves, "

kness, her words lingering in the air like a death knell. Elara couldn't help but wonder if she had made the corr