love abroad (4)

She laughed, a sound that felt like home. "As if anyone could replace you, Ronnie." For the first few months, they kept in touch through texts and video calls.

But as Casey got busier with her studies and immersed herself in the new culture, the calls became less frequent. Ronnie threw himself into his work, landing gigs at bigger clubs and honing his craft.

But no matter how successful he became, there was always an emptiness, a Casey-shaped void that nothing could fill.

One evening, after a particularly grueling set, Ronnie found himself at the lake, the same spot where Casey had told him about her dreams.