Chapter Twenty Three

Justin’s POV

I could tell exactly when Ayva's feelings for me changed. It was about five weeks ago. The way she looked at me, the effort she put into her appearance, and the way she smiled at me, it all became different from what I was used to. I noticed every little detail but never said a word. Instead, I became more distant and standoffish towards her.

Ayva anxiously waited for my response to her question, her eyes glued to my lips.

"Can I kiss you?"

Those words would have made 18-year-old me jump for joy. It would have made 23-year-old me feel like I could conquer the world. Yet, 28-year-old me couldn't find any happiness in it.

Lord knows the number of times I had imagined this moment, Ayva finally seeing me the way I had always seen her since we first met ten years ago.

Although I was only 18, I knew then that I wanted to spend my life with her. My feelings for her had been the same for as long as I could remember. And now that there was a chance she might feel the same, I could