> She loved him like a prayer—softly, endlessly, without asking for anything in return.

In the golden haze of their school days, Ava found her first love in Damien—a boy with a quiet smile and eyes that felt like home. Together, they built dreams in hushed whispers and hallway glances.

But love, no matter how pure, isn’t always enough.
One day, he vanished. No goodbye. No explanation. Only silence.

Ten years have passed. The world has changed. So have they.
But when fate brings them together once more, old wounds stir beneath their carefully built lives.

He's a stranger wearing a familiar face.
She's a memory wrapped in thorns.

And still… their hearts remember.

“Mine, Still” is a soft, aching story of first love, heartbreak, and the fragile beauty of second chances. Because sometimes, even after everything—you never stop belonging to someone.

I walked into school the next morning with a little more confidence in my step — partially because I had Chloe's words echoing in my head and partially because I hadn't stopped smiling since Damien's last message.


Chloe caught up with me near the entrance, grinning way too wide for 8 a.m. "You look suspiciously glowy," she said.


I nudged her with my shoulder. "Shh. People can hear you."


She smirked. "So what? He already acts like you're the only person that exists."


We reached the hallway that led to Class 312. The crowd got tighter. I didn't realize how quickly I was walking until—


Someone had dropped a water bottle, and my foot slid right across it. I gasped, arms flailing slightly—until two strong hands gripped my waist and steadied me.


His hands stayed on my waist for a moment longer than necessary, and he looked… worried.


"You okay?" he asked softly, his brows pinched.


He gave a tiny smile and nodded. But then… he didn't move.


Instead, he slid his hand down gently and laced his fingers with mine.


The hallway was full of students, and I swear I could hear whispers and side-eyes. But all I could feel was the warmth of his fingers wrapping around mine.


We walked silently toward our class, his hand never letting go. I didn't look at anyone else. I didn't have to. He had me.


In class, I tried to focus — really — but he sat beside me again, and every time I glanced at him, he was already looking at me.


At one point, our eyes met mid-sentence.


And then we both immediately looked away, cheeks turning red at the same time.


Later, during the lunch break, I sat with Chloe again under a tree near the back of the school.


"Hand-holding in public?" she gasped dramatically. "Ma'am. He is down bad."


I rolled my eyes, biting back a smile. "He was just helping me—"


"No, Ava. He didn't let go for like three corridors. That's not helping. That's claiming."


I threw a chip at her. "You're hopeless."


She cackled and took a selfie of us — one that would never get posted, but one we'd probably look back at someday and laugh over.


I was sitting in my room, sketching random doodles when my phone buzzed.


You okay? You seemed nervous after class.


I was just… surprised. You held my hand.


I stared at the screen, my heart thudding.


I think I'm starting to like this version of my days. The one where I look for you in every hallway.


I pressed the phone to my chest and smiled like an idiot.


Careful who you trust. Not everyone is who they seem.


The warm feeling that had just settled in my chest started to twist into something colder.


Chapter 10 - Ava's pov