My heart skips a beat at her reply; relief and hope surging through me like a tidal wave. Maybe there's still a chance for us to figure this out together. "Great," I manage to say, my voice barely audible even to myself. "I really want that too."

A long silence stretches between us as we both contemplate the future and what it might hold. Eventually, Sola reaches out and takes my hand in hers, giving me a small smile. "Let's take it slow,"

"Okay." I squeeze her hand gently in return, grateful for the connection even as we both know that things won't be quite the same between us again. "But whatever happens... I want you to know that I'm here for you, and I care about how you feel."

I close my eyes, thinking of everything that's happened today, the emotions running rampant through my body. For now, all I can do is trust in Sola and hope that we can find a way to navigate this new territory together.