Countless words had been written—pages upon pages brimming with a love she had yet to experience. Inside her small head, a world overflowed, threatening to break the seams. The expectations she faced seemed to mock her—promises of things she knew she deserved but had yet to find. As the girl matured and her dreams deepened, a subtle, persistent whine could be heard in her sleep. She guarded herself, gathering all her courage to confront the end.

With a reassuring touch, the boy guided the hand of the clock and pulled it in his direction. As he descended with a warm, inviting smile, his hand reached out to her. At that moment, a long-forgotten sensation stirred within the girl—a powerful, irresistible urge to reach out and take it.