Echoes of the Night

, Nikolas sent

giving u

es our promis

"Yes, it st

Wesley's help, I trul

hange when a stranger

nior in business. Ca

three guys behind him, clearly

I realized it made me feel

ght had given me more than just anxiety and insec

h.

ismissing the guys before I could even respond, putting

walked away, but then I quick

be sup

an talk back to me just fine. How com

itted. "For once, I fit the 'ideal' lo

id, pulling me along. "Our high school reunion's

lost touch with almost everyone, so I was

t Wesley still kept

ld classmates felt awkw

e was confidence, and that tonight would

walked in, no one

, is this your girlfriend? You

, Eve Rowe. Don't you re

room fell silent, and everyone

ant. If I could handle this, I could han

vitable gasp and

go from chubby to stunning? Did you two make some kind of

e genuine reactions from ever

ersation grew livelier, and the

ing for you... except, you know, y

n quiet beside me, interrupted. "What do yo

spot for Eve. You didn't want us to notice her so you could have

help but blush and look down, fiddling

"Eve, if you're uncomfortable, speak u

laughter, but I fe

dless of my size or appearance, I have the right to stand

ght rides home, leaving just Wesley

e off the ground before putting me down just as

t you, as my coach,

ooked at me seriously. "Tomor

ay Nikolas and I ha

he air between

lder before saying, "You're not that girl from high schoo

"I guess my jo

ng deep inside me, leaving me with a

silhouette made me feel as i

l out to him, t

what I'd say if

front of my mirror, sta

as familiar and

finally stand proudly in front of Nikolas. But

d nerves, I arrived at the

ed to be hon

ail to recognize that I was the same girl who'd stumbled in

ee surprise and maybe ev

Nikolas didn't br

selor in person," he said with an e

ed online, discussing both the present and future as if we were old

had come to know each other well. I kn

genuinely kind and considerate, c

er suspecting that the slimmer girl before h

e would lose nearly 30 pounds in just 6

opped me. "Eve, could we p

mth and sincerity in his eyes

to cruel online comments. Who would've imagi

. "Nikolas, have you thought that maybe what you fee

lied, his gaze steady and sincere. "Eve, I'm just as

re how to define my relat

visit art exhibits together. We rarely ate at restaurants; loud envi

hur Schopenhauer, and we'd often discuss Michel Foucault

something more than friend

hadn't given

counselor, I didn't have a reason to

answer: it

ool reunion, I hadn't b

connected, he seeme

o him was through his nightly ra