The Roads We Left Behind

Returning to Maplewood wasn’t in the plan, but sometimes life pulls you back to the places you thought you’d outgrown. When I inherited my grandmother’s old house, I thought I’d just pack it up and leave. What I didn’t expect was to run into Daniel-the boy who was once my best friend, my partner in crime, and the one I thought I’d left in my rearview mirror. Maplewood hasn’t changed much, but Daniel has. And as much as I want to keep my distance, there’s an undeniable pull between us-a fragile connection that might just rewrite the story of my life. But with the weight of the past on my shoulders and the uncertainty of what lies ahead, can we pick up the pieces we left behind? Or is some history better left untouched? Time has weathered our friendship, but maybe it’s also given us the chance to create something new-if we’re brave enough to take it.