After a restless night, the morning sun felt brighter than ever. Aria was the kind of girl who longed to explore, to find little pockets of beauty for herself. Over the years, she had learned one truth the hard way.   ......that being able to rely on someone was not always a privilege given to her.

That morning, she decided to visit a park she had been meaning to see for a long time. Peter, now fully consumed by his IT job, rarely left his office before 8 p.m. For Aria, dating him often felt like dating someone who barely had time to exist outside of work... Someone who didn't prioritized her that much..It would be disappointing if he never went that extra mile for me, she thought. But instead of complaining, she told herself to understand, to be supportive, to be patient.

The park welcomed her with a wooden deck bridge stretched over glimmering water. It was stunning......so much so that she wished she could share it with someone. A part of her wanted to surprise Peter with this place, a part of her wished he would bring her here instead, and yet another part of her knew how it might end: with questions, accusations, Why did you go alone? Were you really alone? Aria hated those moments. Still, she had given him chance after chance, apology after apology.

She squatted by the edge of the bridge, the beauty around her unable to mask the heaviness inside. Tears slipped out before she could stop them. She never cried in front of Peter, he either dismissed her pain with cold replies or, worse, mocked her for being “too sensitive.” Now, alone, she let herself unravel, until the sight of an elderly couple walking toward her made her quickly hide into the bushes in embarrassment.

And there, hidden in the greenery, she stumbled upon a rare flower. Coincidentally, she had read about it on her way to the park..that spotting one was said to symbolize a love life beginning to flourish. Aria smiled faintly, whispering a soft thank you to the universe.

She sat on a bench by the lake, pulling out her sketchbook and pencils. Slowly, the lines flowed. She became so absorbed she didn’t notice a few children gathering nearby to watch her, their eyes wide with admiration. Some passersby also paused, drawn to her quiet concentration. By the time she finished, a small group clapped and cheered, and Aria laughed, cheeks flushed with surprise. She handed out a few candies she had in her bag, receiving grateful smiles in return.

On the way home, she sent pictures of the park to Victoria and Sara, smiling at their quick replies. In moments like these, Aria remembered that her world was more than just Peter it was also the quiet joys, her sketchbook, and the friends who made her feel seen.