TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING
Six months passed.
Not quickly.
Not gently.
Each day felt like walking through fog—Elliana moving forward but never fully present. She buried herself in school, helped her sister with homework, and tried to laugh when Samantha cracked jokes.
But at night…
Leon lived in her thoughts.
She hated that.
---
Leon's world had changed too.
Prison stripped him of everything—his freedom, his pride, his reputation.
But it also gave him time.
Time to think.
Time to regret.
Time to grow.
He joined every rehabilitation class available.
Anger management.
Life skills.
Even tutoring younger inmates.
For the first time, he wasn't running.
He wrote letters to Elliana.
He never sent them.
---
Elliana's father noticed the changes in her.
"You're stronger," he said one evening as they washed dishes together.
"Do I look strong?" she asked.
"You're still standing," he replied. "That counts."
She smiled weakly.
"Dad… do you think people can really change?"
He paused.
"I think people can choose to."
That answer stayed with her.
---
One afternoon, Elliana passed by the old garage again.
It was busier now.
New faces.
Different energy.
She stood across the street, heart pounding.
But she didn't cross.
Not yet.
---
Leon was released early for good behavior.
No celebration.
No loud freedom.
Just sunlight and a deep breath.
He got a job at a small mechanic shop across town.
Honest work.
Quiet days.
Every night, he sat on his tiny bed and stared at his phone.
Her contact was still there.
He never pressed call.
---
One evening, Elliana sat at the beach.
Same place it all started.
But now—
No engines.
No sirens.
Just waves.
She whispered into the wind,
"Are you different now?"
No answer.
But for the first time,
she hoped he was.
---
Fate moved quietly.
Two streets.
One city.
Two hearts healing separately…
unknowingly walking back toward each other.