The morning sun spilled through the thin curtains, washing the hotel room in soft light. Evan stood by his half-zipped bag, folding the last of his clothes with a strange stillness in his movements. He should've been excited—it was the kind of morning that promised movement, stories, new towns—but something sat heavy in his chest.
She hadn't answered him.
Last night, after all that talk, all that hope, she'd gone quiet. Not cold, not distant… just silent. They had walked back in the quiet dark. No goodbyes. No promises.
Just her quiet, unreadable gaze when they parted at their doors.
He zipped his bag and glanced at the clock. Almost time.
Pulling open the door with a sigh, he stepped out into the hallway—
And froze.
There she was.
Selene.
Standing right across from him, hoodie zipped up, a bag hanging off her shoulder, her hair tied in a lazy knot.
She looked like she'd been standing there for a while.
Their eyes met.
Selene gave the smallest smile, the kind that curled softly at the corners of her lips. "So," she said, "where are we going?"
For a second, Evan didn't move. Then he blinked, laughed, and let out a relieved breath. "I thought you ghosted me."
She raised an eyebrow. "Technically, I did."
He walked toward her, eyes still half in disbelief, and gently took her free hand. "Well, we've got a train to catch."
And just like that, they started running down the hallway, her laughter echoing with his boots thudding behind her, their bags bumping at their sides. The elevator dinged open, and they slipped inside, breathless.
At the check-out desk, Evan handled the keys, glanced at the clock, and then turned to her with mock panic.
"We're late. Come on, come on, you're holding us back," he teased, grabbing her wrist.
Selene rolled her eyes, but she followed him anyway—half-smiling, half-running.
They ran like kids skipping school.
Selene's hoodie flared behind her, Evan's duffel bag bounced at his side, both of them laughing—giddy, breathless—as they weaved through the train station. A voice over the speaker called out the final boarding, and Evan pointed. "There!"
Selene caught her breath between laughs. "We're gonna miss it!"
"Not on my watch!"
He reached for her hand again. They sprinted past commuters, bags thudding, their feet sliding slightly on the smooth platform.
Just as the doors began to beep—
They leapt inside.
The train hissed shut behind them.
Both of them stood there, panting, shoulders rising and falling, their eyes wide. Then came the laughter—loud, joyful, and unfiltered. They collapsed into the nearest empty seat.
Selene looked at him, flushed and glowing. "You're insane."
Evan grinned. "Yeah, kind of insane who catches trains on time."
Their laughter softened into smiles. The train rumbled beneath them, and the world outside began to move.
The ride was a blur of wind-blown hair and tired smiles. And then—Barcelona. Loud, sun-soaked, humming with rhythm. Street musicians played along Las Ramblas, the scent of churros and grilled peppers filled the air.
"Okay," Evan said, grinning, "we need clothes. Fun clothes."
Selene barely got a word in before she was being dragged into a shop, then another. A flash of dresses, jackets, boots. She tried on a deep red sundress. He gave her a thumbs up and handed her sunglasses. She snatched them playfully.
They shared patatas bravas and spicy bocadillos at a street stall. She wiped sauce from her lip with the back of her hand.
"You're messy," he teased.
"Don't act like you're not worse," she shot back.
Their laughter trailed them down cobbled alleys until they finally stopped in front of a cozy boutique hotel tucked between two bars with neon signs.
"This is it," Evan said.
Selene looked up at the building, still a little breathless.