Chapter 64. Suck It Up

Lea’s POV

I walked over to one of the boxes and opened it, finding more of our childhood belongings. There were old photos, letters, and keepsakes that I had long forgotten. I sat down on an old, dusty chair and began to sift through the box, letting the memories wash over me. Each photo and letter brought back a flood of emotions, some happy, some bittersweet. I found a picture of Jake and me, arms around each other, grinning from ear to ear. We looked so carefree, so full of life.

“Where did those days go?” I wondered aloud, feeling a lump form in my throat. “How did everything get so complicated?”

I continued to dig through the boxes, finding more and more pieces of our past. Each item was a reminder of the bond we shared, a bond that felt so fragile now. My heart ached with the weight of everything that had happened, but in this moment, surrounded by memories, I felt a glimmer of hope.

As I rummaged through the second last box, I found a