Chapter 2 Sky Blue

Yes, that's me. Chloe Becker.

She walked toward the counter, about to take her ticket. She was so excited. It was the first time she'd ever taken a train. Growing up, she didn't travel much with her parents-they just stayed in Jasper. But now, finally, she had the chance to go on a little adventure.

The train was headed to Old York Station.

She'd taken a bus just to reach the train station, and all the while, she missed her parents. She even wondered if she should turn back. But no-she held on to her belief. She needed a change. So she kept going.

On the train, she slept. She woke up. She got tired again. She scrolled on her phone-but not too much. She didn't want to stumble across pictures of her parents and grow weak. The journey took about three-no, four-hours before she finally arrived at Old York Station.

The door opened, and a new kind of air filled her lungs.

It was like magic. Yes, that was the word-magic.

She wondered, What awaits me in this new world?

Yes, maybe it was a bit dramatic to call it a new world, but to her, that's exactly what it felt like.

And just as she was about to lift her box and step out of the station-she bumped into someone.

"Oh-hey!" she was about to yell, until she saw who it was.

A boy.

A face as smooth as fresh silk caught in sunlight.

Lips-not red, not pink-just the perfect color.

And eyes... blue. So blue that the sky seemed fake-this felt real.

Before she could say another word, he reached out a hand to help her.

"Sorry about that. Let me help you with your things."

She was stunned. Couldn't reply.

It took her about two seconds before she could finally speak.

"Oh-yes. Thank you."

She took his hand, and as they began to talk, something stirred inside her. For the first time in a long while, her heart was beating in that romantic kind of way. It wasn't the first time she had liked a boy-or even met one who seemed interesting-but this was different.

It was the same feeling she had when she stared at the blue moon.

Something new.

Something in her heart began to rush.

Something different.

---

"So..." he said, his voice light but curious, "are you just visiting Old York, or planning to stay?"

She smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear as she looked up at him. "I just moved here. Like-literally just now."

"Welcome to Old York, then," he said with a small nod. Then he paused, tilting his head ever so slightly. "Do you plan on staying for long?"

Chloe looked around for a moment before answering, eyes catching on the tall clock tower, the old brick buildings, the swirl of life moving through the station.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Something about this place... it just feels like magic."

At that, the boy's smile faltered. Just a little. His gaze lingered on her longer than expected-curious, almost analytical, like he was searching for something just beneath her words.

She blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Oh-nothing," he said quickly, shaking it off. "Nothing."

He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Chloe. I'm Lace."

"Lace?" she repeated, caught off guard by the softness of the name. "Oh... sorry. I didn't mean to call it out like that."

He laughed, and she did too-something warm blooming in the awkwardness.

"So," he said, reaching down to grab the handle of her bag again, "where are you headed? I can help you find a cab or something."

Chloe hesitated. Truth be told, she wasn't headed anywhere. She had made a rough plan in her notebook to find a cheap motel for a few days, but beyond that, she had no roadmap.

"I... don't really know," she admitted. "I was just going to find a motel or something nearby. I didn't exactly map out the details."

"Well," he said with a casual shrug, "I know a few decent ones. But... actually, if you want, you could crash at my place tonight."

She blinked. "Seriously?"

He laughed again-holding his palms up like surrender. "No, no! I'm not trying anything-I promise. I just... I've got a big place, and you seem cool. I don't even know why I asked that. Maybe just forget I said it."

Chloe tilted her head, narrowing her eyes in amusement. "No. It's fine. I... actually don't mind."

His eyebrows lifted, surprised. "Oh, really? Then sure-come along. We'll sort things out."

As they stepped away from the platform together, Chloe found herself thinking: Why do I feel so open around him? It wasn't just comfort-it was something else, something deeper. Like a quiet pull in her chest, a whisper without words.

Like something in her was... awakening.

"Lucky for you," Lace added as they reached the exit doors, "I've got more rooms than I know what to do with."

"I hope there's no waitlist," she teased, shooting him a glance.

"None," he said. "You just skipped ahead."

They both laughed, and the tension in her shoulders began to fade.

Chloe exhaled-half relieved, half overwhelmed. She glanced around the station: the noise, the strangers, the rushing trains, the city that hummed with life. Then she looked at Lace, already a few steps ahead, leading the way like some kind of graceful guide.

This wasn't Jasper.

Nothing was still.

Nothing was familiar.

And yet... something about this place,

something about him,

made her feel like she could breathe again.

No...

Made her feel like she could roar.