Anna's POV
The Morgan household was unusually quiet that evening. The kind of quiet that makes the ticking clock on the wall sound louder than necessary.
Anna sat at the kitchen island, slowly spooning a bowl of melted ice cream that had long given up on being frozen. The scent of herbal tea drifted from the stove, where Evelyn moved with ease, barefoot and humming something soft. Richard sat in his favorite armchair in the adjacent room, flipping through the local newspaper, his reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose.
"How was school today?" Evelyn asked, pouring herself a cup of tea before leaning against the counter.
Anna shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. "It was actually kind of fun."
Richard glanced up from his paper. "That's a first. Fun and school in the same sentence?"
"We had to present this assignment in literature class," Anna explained, stirring the soupy vanilla mess in her bowl. "It was a group project. About storytelling across different forms—books, movies, even comics."
"Oh? Who'd you work with?" Evelyn asked, sipping her tea.
"Savannah, of course. And two guys—Ben and Ryan."
At the mention of the names, Richard looked up, suddenly more interested. "Ben Jack's kid?"
Anna nodded. "Yeah, he's quiet but super smart. Loves comics and movies. He's the kind of guy who talks fast when he's excited, but not in a weird way—more like he's just happy to be included."
"And Ryan?" Evelyn asked, with a curious glance.
Anna hesitated. "Ryan's… different."
Richard put the newspaper down completely.
"He transferred from California. Moved here with his mom. He's not exactly the friendly type. Doesn't talk much, kind of keeps to himself. But he's sharp—like really sharp. During the presentation, he said something about David Foster Wallace that even made Ms. Thompson pause."
"And you like that?" Richard teased lightly.
Anna rolled her eyes. "Dad."
Evelyn grinned. "I'm just surprised you're talking about anyone other than Savannah for once."
"I'm just saying, it was interesting," Anna replied, her tone neutral, maybe too neutral. "You can tell he's been through stuff. He's not the kind of guy who says more than he has to."
Richard leaned back in his chair, watching his daughter with an expression that mixed amusement and subtle caution. "Boys who carry weight like that… sometimes they hide more than they show."
Anna stirred her ice cream again. "Maybe. But he didn't feel fake. I don't know. I think I'd like to understand him better."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "And Savannah?"
"She's already calling him a mystery wrapped in a hoodie," Anna said with a small laugh. "I think she's intrigued."
"Sounds like the start of something," Richard mused, sipping from his water. "Just make sure you don't get too lost in stories while trying to figure someone else's."
"I'm not," Anna said quickly, then added softly, "It's just… nice to feel something new. Like the routine is finally shifting."
Her parents exchanged a look—one of those quiet, married glances that said a thousand words.
"Just take it slow, sweetheart," Evelyn said. "Friendships, feelings, whatever it is… you've got time."
Anna nodded and smiled to herself as she finished her ice cream.
Yeah… she did have time. But something told her that time, in Rosehill, was about to get a lot more interesting.