A Story That Won't End

Ayla

"Help... me..."

I froze mid-step at the sound of that voice. It was coming from the river beneath the bridge I was crossing. My heart shot straight into my throat.

Leaning over the wooden railing just past the concrete guardrail, I squinted at the water. At first, all I saw were ripples and sunlight flashing on the surface.

Then-an arm. A small hand reaching out desperately, followed by the head of a boy breaking the surface before vanishing again.

Without thinking, I bolted down the rocky path to the riverbank. My shoes slipped off, my backpack hit the ground, and I dove straight into the freezing water.

It was autumn, and the cold cut through me like shattered glass-but I didn't care.

The boy kept gasping every time he surfaced. I had to get to him.

"Grab my hand!" I yelled, stretching my arm toward him. He looked younger and smaller than me.

The second his fingers latched onto mine, I kicked hard, dragging with everything I had until I hauled him to the muddy bank.

We collapsed there, breathless and shaking. He curled up, knees to his chest, coughing up water.

I sat next to him, squeezing water from my hair, my eyes glued to his face.

He was a chubby kid with a round, freckled face. His skin was ghostly pale, his lips tinted blue.

"How'd you almost drown out here?" I asked, still catching my breath.

He wouldn't meet my eyes. "I was, uh... looking for a goldfish," he muttered, his voice trembling.

I blinked. "A goldfish? Seriously? In this river? Let me guess-some older kids set you up, didn't they?"

His silence was enough of an answer.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." I sighed, grabbed my backpack, and pulled out a jacket. "Here, wear this. It's my brother's, so it's huge, but you'll freeze if you don't."

He hesitated. "Thanks, but... what about you?"

"I'll be fine," I said with a shrug, trying to sound tough even though I was shivering like crazy.

He studied me-really studied me-and I could tell he knew I was lying.

But I smiled anyway.

For some reason, watching him breathe evenly again made me feel bad for him, especially after he admitted he'd been tricked.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I thought I was gonna die."

"God's kind... at least until we grow up and figure out how to get revenge on people who mess with us. Honestly, I'd just buy a goldfish."

He gave a tiny laugh, even though I wasn't joking. I meant it-it made way more sense to just buy one.

"Uh... can I know your name?" he asked softly.

"Hope," I said. "And you?"

"River."

**

"River, hey! Zoning out again?"

My voice broke the silence as we drove across the same bridge, six months later.

River stared blankly out the window, lost in thought.

He blinked and turned to me. "Huh? Oh... sorry," he muttered with that shy smile I'd gotten used to.

I sighed. "We're five minutes from the airport and you've barely said a word."

He shrugged. "Guess I'm just... thinking."

"Thinking? About what? Your epic goldfish quest?" I teased, grinning.

"Ha-ha, hilarious," he muttered. "I just... I'm sad you're leaving."

That hit me right in the chest. I softened. "Hey, I'm not flying to another planet. It's just Sicily. You know we can still text, right?"

He chuckled, but the sadness stayed. "Yeah, but it's not the same. You're my best friend, Hope. Who else is gonna save me from the jerks at school?"

"Um, maybe you?" I nudged him. "Try standing up for yourself a little. But yeah, I'll still check in on you. And don't you dare go goldfish-hunting without me. Promise?"

"Promise. But you better come back a lot."

"I promise."

And then-everything exploded at once.

The car jolted hard-brakes screeched. We were thrown forward, my head snapping.

"What the heck, Claude?!"

"Miss Marsh-down!"

Glass shattered. Something hot slashed across my forehead. Blood. I touched it, stunned, then ducked as another gunshot rang out.

I turned to River, crouched beside the seat, trembling. I grabbed his shoulder, trying to keep us both calm.

"I'm scared, Hope," he whispered.

"River, listen to me-sing! Right now!"

Gunfire ripped through the air. My ears rang, but I clung to his hand.

"Sing 'Never Say Never.' Loud!" I ordered. "Block it all out, River-focus on me, not the bullets!"

Tears streamed down his face. His lips trembled, but then he began to sing-soft at first. I joined him, forcing my shaky voice out, trying to drown out the sound of death around us.

Claude's voice shouted from the front, panicked. "Hold on, Miss Marsh! We'll take care of them!"

I fumbled for my bag to call my dad, but it was gone. My chest squeezed tight with panic. We were only ten years old. Just kids. What could we possibly do?

Then a voice I didn't recognize cut through the chaos. Cold. Ruthless.

"There are two kids in the back."

The door ripped open. Claude wasn't moving-his blood covered the seat.

A rough hand yanked me out.

"Let me go! My dad's gonna tear you apart for this!" I screamed, thrashing.

"Shut up, brat! You're worth a fortune," the masked man snarled.

I sank my teeth into his shoulder. He cursed and dropped me. I bolted, desperate to get back to River.

But something hard slammed into the side of my head.

Everything blurred. My legs buckled. My lungs seized.

Through the haze, River's terrified face flickered before me-his hand reaching, desperate.

"River... don't forget your promise..." I whispered, right before the darkness swallowed me whole.

Ayla

I leaned my forehead against the car window, letting the cold glass sting my skin. The road to Da Vinci College was buzzing like always-students dragging suitcases, cars lined up, everyone rushing around like the world was ending.

Normally, I loved this kind of chaos. The first day of a new semester always felt like cracking open a fresh page. A clean slate.

But this time... I felt nothing.

Since morning, it was like something had slipped away from me-something I couldn't name. Even the sharp bite of autumn air couldn't pull me out of this hollow feeling.

"Miss Monroe, are you ready?" Nate, my driver, broke through my thoughts.

I gave him a small nod.

When the car stopped in the campus lot, I noticed everyone else stepping out like they owned the place. Some in leather jackets, some leaning against their bikes like they were starring in some college movie.

Me? I just wanted to keep my head down and get to class without being noticed.

I've had weird dreams since I was a kid. Always the same one, over and over. A cold river. A small hand gripping mine. A soft voice whispering one name to me: Hope.

I'd wake up every single time with my chest pounding and cold sweat running down my neck. But I never saw his face. It was always blurry.

The dream never went away. Even last night, it clung to me like a shadow I couldn't shake off.

Maybe it was just new semester jitters. Or maybe... a part of me really was missing.

I walked into Advanced Architecture. Funny thing was, I wasn't even an architecture major. I only signed up for the class as an elective because people said the professor was calm, the vibes were peaceful. Exactly what I needed right now.

I grabbed a seat by the window, opened my laptop, stacked two books for my elbow rest. Most of the time, I used books as a shield anyway-pretending to be busy so the world would just... leave me alone.

"Is this seat taken?"

I looked up.

A guy was standing there. Dark brown hair, messy but in that on-purpose way. Warm, tanned skin. And his eyes... silver-gray, sharp but not threatening. He carried a big sketch pad in one arm, his aura calm almost enchanted.

I nodded, and he sat down.

A few minutes later, before the professor showed up, he glanced at me. "You still like drawing flowers with the stems curving to the right?"

My heart practically jumped out of my chest. My pulse went crazy, like some hidden alarm went off inside me.

"What?" My voice shook.

He gave me a small smile. "Just a guess."

I forced a laugh. "Well... your guess is right. Do you always throw random guesses at strangers?"

"Sometimes," he said casually. "Name's River. And you?"

"Ayla."

When his hand touched mine, something sparked. Warmth, but also like a tiny electric shock crawling up my arm. My skin tingled, and I quickly pulled my hand back, pretending to mess with my laptop.

Even when the TA came in, my head wasn't in class. River's words wouldn't stop echoing in my mind.

How did he know about something I used to do as a kid?

Finally, Dr. Wyatt walked in-middle-aged, graying hair, soft-spoken but commanding enough to pull everyone's attention.

He started a lecture on 'Organic Architecture,' going into Frank Lloyd Wright, talking about how buildings should blend with landscapes.

I tried listening. I really did. But my thoughts drifted again, back to the river, back to that faceless boy from my dreams. Until-

"Miss Monroe."

I snapped my head up.

Dr. Wyatt was staring at me. "In your opinion, how does Wright balance the relationship between interior and exterior in his design of Fallingwater?"

My brain froze. Empty. "Uh... maybe... lots of windows?"

Silence. Every eye on me.

"Interesting," Dr. Wyatt said politely. "Though it could use a little more depth."

River leaned forward. "If I may, sir?"

Dr. Wyatt gestured for him to continue.

"Wright believed buildings shouldn't fight nature, but flow with it. In Fallingwater, he used local stone and concrete, creating terraces that echoed the rock formations by the river. It was his way of making the house feel like part of the landscape instead of something dropped on top of it."

Dr. Wyatt smiled. "An excellent answer, Mr...?"

"River Callahan, sir."

"Thank you, Mr. Callahan. Well said."

Class ended, and we walked out together. Under a maple tree, I found myself blurting, "You were amazing back there, the way you answered him."

He shrugged. "I just... like structures. Shapes. They make sense. Unlike people."

I let out a soft laugh. "Funny. I took this class to escape people. Architecture feels like... a way to redesign things. Maybe even redesign myself."

His gaze lingered on me-deep, understanding, almost too much. It made me uneasy, but at the same time... weirdly safe.

Then another voice cut through.

"Ayla."

I turned.

Rhett. My cousin. My overprotective, leather-jacket-wearing, knife-eyed shadow.

His stare flicked over River, head to toe. "What exactly do you want with my cousin?"

River stood slowly, calm as ever. "We were just talking."

"Talking?" Rhett narrowed his eyes. "Architecture student suddenly cozying up to Ayla? Sounds suspicious to me."

I groaned. "Seriously, Rhett? He literally did nothing."

Rhett ignored me. "I don't care about your intentions. I care about the consequences."

River didn't flinch. "I'm not here to hurt anyone."

The air tightened, tension crackling between them like static. My chest constricted.

"Enough!" I snapped. "Rhett, please. I can handle myself. I don't even know who I really am yet, so let me figure it out without you trying to control every step I take."

Rhett's jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything. His eyes, though, stayed hard as stone.

I couldn't take it anymore. I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked away, leaving both of them behind.

My legs carried me fast through the hallways, my hands trembling from anger at Rhett-and from something else.

It was River. From the way he looked at me. From the strange familiarity in everything he said.

That half-smile. Those silver eyes. The comment about the flowers. All of it felt... too close to the dreams that haunted me since childhood.

This was odd. I didn't know him. I was Ayla. That was the only truth I had.

So why, every time I thought of his gaze, I heared a voice whispering inside my head.

'Never say never.'

I stopped, staring at my reflection in the glass doors of the campus.

Why did it feel like... I'd lived another life before this one?

Ayla

I slammed the girls' bathroom door so hard it echoed across the tiled walls. Two girls at the mirror scattered instantly, as if even my anger could burn. I marched into the last stall, dropped onto the seat, and buried my face in my hands.

Why did Rhett always have to ruin everything?

Today was supposed to be simple. First day of the new semester, new faces, new energy. But no-Rhett had barged into my space, hovering like a shadow I could never escape. Always protective. damn controlling. He 's always too much.

I groaned, pressing my palms into my eyes. But no matter how hard I tried to push it away, River's gaze lingered. That steady, unreadable gray stare. It had warmed me and unsettled me all at once, like he could see deeper than I wanted anyone to.

I didn't even know him. But it didn't feel like meeting a stranger. It felt like remembering someone I'd lost.

"This is insane," I whispered. "Why do I even care?"

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Five missed calls from Rhett. My chest tightened, but I hit the lock screen and shoved it back. If I kept answering him, I'd lose myself completely.

I reached for toilet paper. Empty roll. Of course. Damn it.

"Unbelievable." I tilted my head back and laughed bitterly. The universe really was mocking me.

I texted Yuna: West bathroom. Out of tissue. Help.

Less than ten seconds later she texted back: On my way.

That's Yuna for me-like she's got 5G wired straight into her brain. My best friend's basically Pietro Maximoff, only calmer.

If Rhett was a chain, Yuna was the bolt cutter. She was never hesitated.

She slipped a packet of tissues under the door a minute later. "If you're gonna cry, at least don't do it somewhere that smells like expired disinfectant."

I opened the stall, snatched it, and muttered, "I wasn't crying. Maybe a little."

"Rhett again?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

I nodded. "He humiliated me. In front of someone new. And the worst part... I can't stop thinking about him."

Yuna arched her brow. "Different? You mean that guy? River?"

I froze, surprised 'Wait... you know him?'

"Please. Everyone knows him. He's that quiet, mysterious type, and half the girls on campus have been whispering about him all morning...and apparently, we're doing it too."

I chewed on my lip. So it wasn't just me. But what I felt for him... it wasn't normal attraction. It was deeper, almost like an invisible string tugging me closer to him."

By the time we reached the cafeteria, I knew exactly where to look. River was by the window, laughing softly with friends. The sunlight hit his face, making his storm-gray eyes shine like polished steel.

And then he looked up.

Our eyes collided, and the air shifted. My chest fluttered, a smile threatening at the edges of my lips-until River dropped his gaze, breaking the connection.

The rejection stung sharper than it should have.

"He's avoiding me," I whispered.

"Or he's avoiding Rhett," Yuna said. "And honestly? That's smart."

I barely had time to reply before Rhett stormed in, flanked by Reese and Reid like they were his personal bodyguards. He dropped into the seat beside me, his expression thunderous.

"You didn't answer my calls," he said coldly.

"I was eating," I replied, forcing my tone flat.

His gaze slid straight to River. My pulse spiked, already knowing what was coming.

"Stay away from him, Ayla. I don't like the way he looks at you."

The clatter of my spoon against the tray echoed through the room. "For God's sake, can you stop controlling me? He's not your problem!"

"He is. I promised your father-"

"There it is again," I snapped, rising to my feet. "Your promise. Do you even realize what it feels like? It's not protection, Rhett. It's a cage."

Silence rippled around the cafeteria as I pushed back from the table. "I'm not your bird in a gilded cage. If you really want to protect me, then let me breathe."

I stormed out, and Yuna hurried to keep up.

"Where are we going?"

"Out. I need a drink."

Her brows shot up. "You mean, like... a bar? Ayla, Rhett will lose it-"

"Let him lose it. I've already lost enough."

**

The club pulsed with neon light and heavy bass that rattled my chest. I downed one shot. Then another. Then another. My head spun deliciously.

"Ayla, stop!" Yuna tried to snatch the glass.

I laughed, my voice slurred. "Relax. I'm fine."

That was when I saw him.

River stood in the shadows, dressed in a simple black hoodie, but his eyes-those stormy gray eyes-were fixed on me.

I smiled stupidly, my steps unsteady as I whispered, "River... it's you, isn't it?"

He didn't answer.

I couldn't tell who moved first, but in the next breath, the distance between us disappeared. Our lips met-what should've been a conscious kiss twisted into something reckless, wild, tangled between the haze of alcohol and a desire I couldn't control. All I knew was that River kissed me back.

Then he broke away, breath shaky, eyes trembling as they searched mine. "Ayla... you're drunk. You need to go home."

I shook my head stubbornly, throwing my arms around him. "I don't want to go home. Home isn't a home-it's just a cage." My laugh came out broken, almost bitter.

I slid lower against him, pressed into his warmth, breathing in that intoxicating scent. God, he smelled so good-clean, warm, addictive. I wanted to stay there forever.

After that, everything turned into a blur-lights, sounds, even the lingering taste on my lips. The world spun, and all I could feel was the steady strength of River carrying me through the crowd.

The rest was a blur. And then darkness.

**

My hand curled around something warm and comforting. At the same time, I heard a voice. Soft-like I'd heard it before.

"Let me help you."

"Where am I?" I pressed my hand to my temple, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

"My apartment," the voice replied.

I hiccupped loudly before I managed to ask again, "Is that you, River?"

"Mhm..."

I tried to stand, but my legs gave out and I collapsed back onto the soft surface beneath me.

"I think I'm gonna..."

The chill in the air made the nausea in my stomach even worse. Something was pushing up my throat, demanding to come out.

I threw up, and after that everything went hazy again. The only person I could think of was him.

His silhouette moved too fast for my half-open eyes to follow. Then I felt fresh clothes against my skin, soft and clean.

"Does this feel better?"

I nodded clumsily. "Yeah... like you. You smell so good. I like it."

"Thanks. Now you need to rest, okay?" River laid me back down on the bed.

But I didn't want to let him go. My hand reached for his, holding on.

"Please don't leave. Stay with me, River."

I felt the warmth of his body close to mine. I'd been craving this tenderness for so long, and River was finally giving it to me.

If this was real, I never wanted to let it go.