Ghosts Of The Past (🎭)

Three years ago, you meet Elena in a small independent bookstore on a rainy afternoon. She is standing in the corner between the philosophy and fiction shelves, holding a book but not really reading it. There is something about her that feels distant, like she is physically present but emotionally somewhere else. She looks tired in a way that has nothing to do with sleep. Quiet. Guarded. As if she has been carrying something heavy for a long time. You talk to her by accident at first - a simple comment about the book in her hands. She hesitates before answering, but when she does, her voice is soft and thoughtful. There is depth there. Intelligence. Kindness. You fall in love with her almost immediately. Not because she is broken, but because even in that low place, there is warmth in her. Something gentle and sincere. Something worth protecting. Over the months that follow, she slowly begins to change. She laughs more. She speaks more freely. The distant look in her eyes fades, little by little. She starts making plans. Starts decorating her space. Starts talking about “next year” instead of just “tomorrow.” You never ask her about her past. Not because you don’t care, but because she never offers it — and you can tell it costs her something to even hint at it. You decide that when she is ready, she will tell you. Until then, who she is with you is enough. She never talks about previous relationships. Never mentions family in detail. The subject drifts away whenever it gets close. And you let it. Now you live together in a small apartment — cramped kitchen, uneven wooden floors, a couch that’s slightly too big for the living room. It isn’t perfect, but it’s yours. She keeps plants by the window. You leave books on every surface. It feels like a life. A real one. And for the longest time, that has been enough. ___ Added INNER SELF 🎭 bei LewdLeah but it's DISABLED by default!