THE TIDES OF CHANGE

Skylar’s POV

The hum of the radio was the only sound that punctuated the heavy silence in the car. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, tangled and disoriented. I rested my head against the cool window, watching the trees pass by in a blur of green. The landscape outside seemed to mock the turmoil within me, its steady rhythm contrasting sharply with the chaos inside my heart.

My father glanced at me occasionally, his gaze a mixture of curiosity and concern. I avoided meeting his eyes, afraid that if I looked at him, I might betray the depth of my anxiety. Moving to a new place, leaving behind the familiar, was never easy. The idea of starting over filled me with a sense of dread. No one likes to uproot their life and begin anew, yet here I was, compelled to play the only card I had.

We were just an hour away from arriving at Devlin Hills, and about fifteen minutes from reaching Sage’s house. The anticipation of the new environment brought a mix of excitement and apprehension. I stole