Pantry time trickled into early afternoon. The sunlight filtered through the window beside them, casting a gentle glow over the small corner table. Caroline leaned back slightly in her chair, her lunch box now empty, while Marco finished the last bite of his sandwich. Neither made a move to leave.
"You seem different today," Marco said, resting his elbows on the table. His fingers laced loosely, the tone of his voice casual—but his eyes searched hers for something deeper.
Caroline tilted her head slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Do I?"
He nodded. "Like something heavy finally fell off your shoulders."
She didn't answer immediately. Her gaze drifted to the window, where a cluster of clouds rolled lazily across the sky. The warmth in the room made her eyelids slightly heavy, or maybe it was the way Marco was looking at her—careful, yet open, like he was still afraid she might pull away.
