Seren hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she nodded.
With her answer, Lennon pulled her into his arms.
He held her tightly, his chin buried in her hair.
Seren froze.
She felt the heat of his skin where they touched, and his breath was steady and close against her ear.
She glanced down; the black of his coat made his neck look all the paler and more graceful.
She was almost never this close to anyone. Instinctively, she straightened her back, her hands hovering in the air, unsure what to do.
Lennon's voice was low and restrained, his words brushing the shell of her ear.
"Hiding your pain all these years must've been hard, hasn't it?"
Seren blinked, thrown off for a second. She shook her head.
"It was hard before, but now that I've said it out loud, it's not so bad."
"It's not healthy to bottle things up, even if you don't say them out loud. Next time you feel hurt, talk to me. Don't keep it to yourself."
"Okay."
He never once said the word "sorry," but every sentence was full of tenderness.
His embrace was warm, the faint scent of cedarwood lingering at her nose—familiar and safe, something she could lean on.
All at once, Seren relaxed, letting her chin rest on his shoulder.
Her hands dropped naturally, fingers grazing his waist through the fabric of his shirt, feeling the warmth beneath.
Outside the car window, a tall sycamore tree stood guard. The wind picked up, and yellowed leaves broke free, spinning toward the pavement.
For a moment, everything stilled, the scene painted in thick, vivid strokes.
Time slowed. The world went silent.
Seren had never been greedy, but in this moment, she wanted to hold onto this quiet tenderness, to let it last forever.
Feeling her melt into him, Lennon only held her tighter.

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Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Watching You Burn In Regret
Why is it stopped at 69.. please update...
Lovin' this!...