She entered the assembly hall slightly tardy, glancing around with the same unsure demeanor as fifteen years before. Inside Artyom, everything flipped; his world tumbled into an abyss.
He was overwhelmed by a deep fear that he might not recognize her anymore. Fifteen years—far from trivial, it represents an entire lifetime, compressed within the span separating yesterday from today. The last time Artyom had seen Lika, both were fifteen years old—awkward adolescents trembling with unspoken feelings and surging hormones. Now, each had turned … Read more