To everyone who made it here—to the final page, the quiet pause after the last sentence—thank you.
Thank you for sitting in the silences with Kade.
Thank you for walking through fire with Viera.
Thank you for believing in the small, tender things that so often go unseen.
This story was never about grand gestures or perfect endings.
It was about the slow courage of showing up for someone.
About laughter that returns when it's been gone too long.
About softness surviving in a world that tries to harden you.
If you saw yourself in the shy kid who kept his head down,
or the fierce girl who refused to apologize for loving too loudly—
then this story was always yours.
So thank you.
For reading. For feeling.
For remembering that even quiet hearts beat strong.
— With all my love,
Me, thank you so much