The weekend came unexpectedly—for Vince, at least.
He found himself riding a bus to nowhere in particular, sitting beside Vanessa as the city rolled past the windows.
Earlier that morning, she had called him out of the blue, asking him to meet her near the school bus stop. His heart had jumped at the thought—a date, maybe. Something light. Something normal.
But the moment she arrived, that hope faded.
There was a sadness in her expression she didn't try to hide. Not obvious enough for strangers to notice—but enough for Vince to feel it settle in his chest.
Now, seated beside her, he kept glancing her way, his thoughts spiraling.
What happened?
Did Darian do something again?
Or is this about something deeper... something she still hasn't told me?
The bus hummed along, tires rolling over asphalt, the city blurring into streaks of color beyond the glass.
Without turning her head, Vanessa spoke.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked softly, her gaze still fixed on the passing streets.
Vince hesitated, then let out a small breath.
Because whatever this trip was...
he could already tell it wasn't just a casual ride.
And whatever she was carrying with her today—
she hadn't come to carry it alone.
"Was it that obvious I was staring?" Vince asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Vanessa didn't look at him at first.
"Anyone would notice that steady gaze of yours," she said calmly. "And yes... it's exactly what you're thinking. I'm in a sad mood."
His smile faded.
"So you are sad. Did something happen?"
She shook her head slightly.
"Not really. It's just... today's important to me."
Then she finally turned to face him, her eyes meeting his without hesitation.
"Today, I'll give you a chance to know a little more about me. So it's your job to either cheer me up—"
A pause.
"—or cry with me."
Vince didn't hesitate.
"Being here with you is already enough," he said quietly. "So I'll do my best to make sure you never cry."
She scoffed softly.
"Always with the cheeky comments..."
She leaned back against the seat. "We're getting off at the last stop. Wake me up when we do."
Her eyes closed.
"Okay," Vince replied.
He glanced at her as she drifted into sleep, the sunlight filtering through the bus window and catching in her blonde hair, softening her features. Her breathing evened out, peaceful in a way that felt undeserved after everything she'd been carrying.
He swallowed.
"How can you be this beautiful even when you're asleep..." he murmured under his breath.
The city slowly thinned beyond the window—buildings giving way to open roads, noise fading into something quieter. Vince leaned his head back, letting the hum of the bus calm his thoughts.
For the first time in days, everything felt distant.
The fights.
The tension.
The constant weight of Darian's shadow.
But one question lingered.
Where is she taking me?
This was the first time Vanessa had taken the lead—first time she'd reached out like this. Vince wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved... or uneasy.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
When the bus finally slowed, the sun sat lower in the sky. Vince blinked and realized nearly two hours had passed.
He looked up.
They had reached the final stop.
No crowds.
No buildings.
Just an empty stretch of road on the outskirts of the city.
Middle of nowhere.
"Hey... we're here," Vince said gently, shaking Vanessa awake.
She stirred slowly, blinking a few times. Even half-asleep, there was something soft about her—like the world hadn't caught up to her yet.
"Ah... we're here," she murmured. "Let's go."
She stepped off the bus first.
Vince followed, glancing around.
"So... where are we?"
She didn't look back.
"A special place."
She led him off the main road and onto a narrow dirt path. With every step, the scenery changed. Tall sunflowers began to rise on either side of them, stretching endlessly toward the sky. Yellow petals swayed gently in the breeze, surrounding them until it felt unreal—like a scene pulled straight out of a film.
Vince slowed, awe settling in.
"Beautiful..." he muttered.
Vanessa didn't answer.
She walked ahead in silence, a small smile on her lips—but it wasn't a happy one. It worried him. It felt practiced. Fragile.
At the end of the path, the sunflowers parted.
There, tucked quietly among them, stood a small gravestone.
Vince stopped.
Carved into the stone was a name.
Hanna.
Below it, an engraving of two girls playing together.
Vanessa knelt in front of it, her movements slow and familiar—like she'd done this many times before.
Vince stayed back, hands in his pockets, chest tightening.
"Ah..." he murmured softly.
"So this is why you were sad."
Vanessa reached out, brushing her fingers over the stone.
Her voice trembled.
"Happy birthday, Hanna."
Tears slipped down her cheeks, silent but heavy, soaking into the earth beneath her knees.
Vince said nothing.
He just stood there, surrounded by sunflowers and silence, finally understanding that the weight Vanessa carried wasn't recent—
It was old.
And it had never left her.