*Lauren*

The sun was high in the sky as Shelby and I walked our way through the village the next day. The laughter and chatter from the main square, where tourists mingled with street performers, faded with each step we took toward the outskirts.

"Look at this," I said, gesturing toward the heart of the village where every storefront gleamed, and every cobblestone seemed placed for serene quaintness. "And then there's all this."

My hand gestured toward the sweeping ...