Fiona was having another one of those days. Weeks. Months. Where everything felt... wrong. Fake. Tiresome. Like she should just give up on everything she loved.

Except her family. Her family was becoming the only place where she could be happy.

Until her little brother had a fight with her mother. Then the house felt too toxic to be safe anymore.

So Fiona? Fiona went outside to walk. Enjoy the fresh air. Breathe.

It was getting harder and harder to believe she cared — loved — the two people who were supposed to be her favorite two people in the world: her best friend, and her boyfriend.

They were both hundreds of miles away from her, and she could only communicate with them through screens on a daily basis, so that was probably part of it. But it felt so... terrible. And deep, deep down when she searched herself, she knew she still loved them both. It just felt so... dimmed. Same for all her friends and acquaintances.

Except Rianna. Rianna cared so much and wouldn't leave her alone, and... that meant everything to Fiona.

But it still wasn't enough. Nooo, it wasn't enough for selfish, selfish Fiona. Fiona wanted everyone to care that much for her. But... she knew it could never be so.

It might've started the day her boyfriend — Ethan — chose to do something unnecessary over hanging out with her. Sure, it would've been four days in a row, but...

Or maybe it started when her best friend — Becky — started judging her for everything she told her. Sensitive things. Very sensitive. So sensitive that if they weren't helped, they could break her. And the judgement? That was breaking her.

She gasped and stopped for a minute, realizing she'd been running as she felt a stitch start to form in her side. Too fast, Fiona. You don't have to run away from your problems. Just walk.

Luckily, there was a bench not far from where she was standing which she sat on gratefully. There was a long, long community walking path right behind her yard, so she'd been running away on that so she'd be able to get home when she needed to, and not have to worry about people, since it was almost sunset. Almost no one walked at this time of day.

She sat on the bench longer than she meant to, staring at the gold hues reflecting off the sun onto the clouds, making the sky look alive.

And, before she knew it, an hour had passed and in it, she'd not only made amends with most of her shaky feelings, but... with God. The one she'd been avoiding and dodging for her own purposes. The one that felt too good to be real or really know and care about her.

She'd done more than she'd meant to out here. She'd just fixed her life.

- - -

Fiona paced around for who knew how long, watching the sunset change until it was almost gone. Then she felt two hands wrap around her: one over her eyes, one around her hips to pull her against the laughing chest of Fiona's "captor."

"Guess who," said a smug, young male voice. When she smiled her recognition, though she'd known by his touch (which she'd only ever felt once or twice, but would never feel anything else like it), she felt the hand around her waist gently stroke her soreness away.

"Honey, what're you doing here?" Fiona demanded with a laugh, plying his hand off her eyes which he wrapped around her waist as well to pull her closer.

"I started bargaining with my mom for her to drive me all the way down here as soon as I saw your last text. That was a long drive, by the way. The seven hours really feels like seven. You just... really didn't sound like yourself. And I think your 'I need some space. Sorry' ending had something to do with motivation."

His soothing grip slackened slightly and his gentle caress ceased for a second as he said the last part. But the hesitation only lasted until Fiona said with an awkward laugh, "Oh, I'm so sorry for freaking you out! I was having... a moment."

She gently loosened his hands from around her waist and twined his fingers with hers, leading him back to the nearest bench, where she sat them down and told him everything. Everything. And, when she was done, all she had left to say was, "Wait, how'd you know where I was?"

"Your mom told me she saw you run down this way. She said she's been checking on you every few minutes to make sure you're safe, so she knew right where I'd find you."

"What? How? I haven't seen anyone," Fiona said, surprised.

"She's been sending your sister to keep tabs on you from the treehouse with the telescope," he explained.

She had to laugh at that, though it wasn't with much energy. Sounded like something her mom would do, and something her sister would enjoy.

This moment felt so tender, so exposed. No one had ever known everything before. This was so... different from anything Fiona had ever felt before. Even with the tiny, momentary distraction of asking how he'd known where to go. They both knew this moment was special. So, without a word — save a brief question with their eyes — Ethan and Fiona leaned into each other, and watched the stars until Fiona's mother found them and told them to come inside.

Smiling at each-other, the two rose and walked back to the house hand-in-hand, neither intending to let go again.

- - -

I hope you guys enjoyed this. Just a reminder to stay strong during this time. You're not alone. This isolation isn't forever. We can do this. We really can. Just don't give up.