"Here's the first time we met." she spoke, her finger tracing the words.
"Your smile caught my eye, Ryder, and my heart fluttered. I was too timid to speak, but you made me feel noticed."
She turned the page, her eyes misting. "And here's our summer evening at the park... Your hands guiding me on the swing, the wind tangling my hair, and Grandma's warm smile watching over us." Tears trembled on her lashes.
"Ryder…" she whispered, her voice trembling with hurt. "How did we drift so far apart? When did you stop truly seeing me?" She flipped through the journal's pages, each memory tugging at her heart. 'Was I too vulnerable? Too caught up in my own hopes to notice us slipping away?' she wondered, her thoughts echoing in the quiet room.
Her gaze drifted, lost in thought. "Or did you ever truly see me at all?" The question hung, a haunting uncertainty.
