Jessa

Weeks passed.

Not in a dramatic, movie-montage way where everything suddenly became perfect.

More like… life just kept going.

The leaves outside Ridgeville High turned brittle and brown, then disappeared altogether. The air got sharper. The mornings got darker. Teachers started mentioning finals like it was a threat.

And the holidays started showing up everywhere.

Christmas lights wrapped around porch railings. Stores blasted music that made you feel weirdly nostalgic ...