The first golden light of sunrise spilled through the blinds, paintingthe room in shades of warm amber. He was already awake — had been for a while —his mind buzzing with the image of her smile. No matter how he tried, itlingered stubbornly, brighter than the morning itself.

He glanced at the clock. The hands seemed to mock him, inching forward asif the day had all the time in the world. But he didn’t. Every second stretchedout, long and slow, as if the universe itself were conspiring to keep him fromseeing her.

and the story continues...