Watching Autumn walk toward her house is harder than it should be.
She steps out of the car slowly, closing the door with a quiet click that feels louder than it actually is. The porch light casts a warm glow across the path leading to her front door, and for a moment she just stands there with her hands tucked into the sleeves of her sweater.
Then she turns.
Halfway up the path she glances back at me. She smiles.
And for a second — a dangerous second — I almost get out of the car.
Almost.
Instead I grip the steering wheel tighter and stay exactly where I am.
Because getting closer to Autumn is already risky enough.
And I've never been particularly good at protecting people from the kind of trouble that tends to follow me around.
The porch light flickers on as she reaches the door. A few seconds later an upstairs window glows softly. She's probably in her room now.
Thinking.
Overanalyzing.
Trying to understand why she keeps getting involved with someone like me.
My phone buzzes in the cup holder.
I already know who it is before I even look.
Marcus.
I sigh and answer the call.
"What."
"You disappeared tonight," Marcus says immediately.
"I went for a drive."
"With the girl?"
I don't respond.
There's a pause on the other end of the line before he laughs quietly.
"Man," he says, "you're getting attached."
"Don't start."
"You know how this ends."
"Yeah."
"Do you?"
I stare at Autumn's house, the quiet street suddenly feeling too small.
The truth is… I do know how stories like this usually end.
People like me don't get peaceful endings.
"Just drop it," I mutter.
Marcus exhales slowly.
"You should be careful, Luca."
"I always am."
"Not when it comes to girls."
I hang up before he can say anything else.
Because the truth is—
He's probably right.