Page 20 of Ripple Effect

“It doesn’t,” he says softly. “I feel like that a lot of the time, too. But I hear it’s supposed to help—you know, facing our fears and reclaiming what we love.”

“Yeah,” I affirm, my decision solidifying with his words. I turn to look at him, my smile bright. “And what is it that you love?”

“I’m still figuring that out myself.”

“Oh,” I murmur. “Well, let me know if you need any help, okay?”

He tilts his head, clearly amused. “Yeah, alright. You’ll be the first one I come to.”

I pat him on the bicep, ruffle Bentley’s fur, and glance over my shoulder to where my friends are sitting. “They’re probably missing me. So, um, I better get back.”

“Okay.” He lifts up my bottle, and as I reach out to accept it, our fingertips graze. The contact is fleeting, a barely there touch, but it brings a subtle warmth to my skin. “Don’t forget your wine.”

As I sway back toward the bonfire, Elio’s soft chuckle lingering in the air, a spark of hope flickers inside my heart. I feel ready to step into a new chapter, to release the weight of the past, and to open myself up to future possibilities here at Coastal.

9

ELIO

I groan,stretching the sleep from my muscles, and force myself out of bed bright and early. It’s Friday already, meaning we’re almost through another week of the semester.

My calendar’s haphazardly marked with the day’s assignments and lectures, and a tiny sense of pride fills me at the sight.

One more week into my final year at Coastal, one more week of perfect fucking attendance. Last year’s slacking version of me is starting to feel like a distant memory, a shadow that I can finally put behind me.

It’s not that I wanted to skip my classes before, but I was running myself ragged, wearing myself down to the bone. I was forcing myself to stay up all night to film scenes, to edit. Not to mention the anxiety and the pressure I was feeling.

It all piled up until it was too much for me to handle.

If I wasn’t forcing myself to slow down now, I’d be having the same issues this term. But I’m taking it easy for once, and it’s finally starting to pay off. At least in terms of my health, my sanity, my schoolwork, that is. The financial piece is a whole other issue.

As per usual, my classes stretch throughout the day, a blur of seminars, assignments, and lecture notes. It’s a rigorous routine, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay to earn my degree. To make a living doing something I’m actually interested in.

Once the school day is over, I head home, attending to Bentley before I settle down with my own work. He busies himself with his special meal while I open my laptop, pulling up my calculus assignments first.

It takes a few grueling hours of dedication before I can finally switch over to AfterDark.

Once I log in, I sift through my new followers and reply to DMs, prioritizing web chat requests. But I consciously steer clear of Sapphire’s messages until the last possible minute. I’ve yet to resolve my decision about our two-way chats, and her patience appears to be dwindling.

SapphireDream:Please let me know your decision, Everett. I’m waiting.

I wish I could give her a definitive answer, but I can’t seem to make up my mind one way or the other. I’ve been distracted, to say the least. A little bit careless with my time this week. My mind keeps straying, drawn to the lingering echoes of Daisy’s voice from the other night, the raw curiosity in her words.

What is it that you love, she asked.

I didn’t have a clear answer then, and I still don’t, even though a part of me wishes it were different. There’s something in me that wants to feel that intense passion, that unshakable dedication. To love something with the kind of desperation that borders on clinical—the way that Daisy loves surfing or the way that Kaia loves studying the human brain.

But I don’t think I’m capable of that level of commitment. Not anymore.

My phone vibrates, and my best friend’s name flashes on the screen. She asks a simple question that jolts me back into the present.

Kaia

hey El, how are you?

While I’m grateful for Kaia’s presence in my life—her constant check-ins despite the distance—I don’t feel like opening up that can of worms. So, instead of pouring out the whirlwind of my thoughts, I tap out a quick, meaningless reply.

Elio

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