Chapter 121

• MALIA’S POV
• That day, as Zach and I sat by the fountain, everything had seemed perfect. The sun was warm against my skin, and the sky above was a brilliant, cloudless blue. We were both so young, so full of hope for the future. I could remember every detail of that moment—the way the sunlight danced on the surface of the water, the way Zach’s hand felt in mine, warm and comforting, as if he could shield me from anything.
• The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.