Chapter 21: When the Walls Go Up
The frame of the house rose like a heartbeat—timid at first, then strong.
Every wall they built whispered: You've made it this far. Keep going.
Nova stood with a level in one hand and a pencil behind her ear. She never thought she'd feel at home with tools, but each piece of wood she touched felt like a page from her past she was finally rewriting.
"You're smiling," Bea called from across the room, where she hammered planks like she was sculpting a masterpiece.
"I'm thinking," Nova replied.
"About?"
"How we used to run from everything. Now we're nailing things down."
Bea looked over, her smile soft. "You always had the power to stay, Nova. You just needed a reason."
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Flashback: The Night the Fire Took Everything
Nova remembered standing in the ashes of her old life.
She remembered thinking she'd never trust again.
But now?
She was building walls not to hide behind—but to live within.
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Later That Day
They hung up the first wall. It wobbled slightly, crooked on one side, but Bea stood back and beamed.
"It's ugly," Nova teased.
"It's ours," Bea corrected, wiping sweat off her brow.
They painted it that night—deep navy with gold stars splattered across it, like the universe had decided to stay for dinner.
"Now it's beautiful," Nova whispered.
Bea leaned in. "So are you."
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In the Quiet Hours
There was one room left untouched—the attic.
Nova climbed up while Bea slept, flashlight in hand. She planned to turn it into a secret nook, a place for letters they'd never send and stories they were still scared to tell.
She sat on the bare floor and wrote one now:
> To the girl I was before I met Bea,
You were wild. You were scared. But you never gave up.
Look what you've built.
Look who you've become.
She folded it gently, slid it under a beam, and whispered,
"May you never feel lost again."
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End of Chapter 21