Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)

Esther had never seen her mother. But the longing in her eyes, the way they'd light up at the mere mention of the word "mom," spoke volumes. Agnes, watching the young girl, couldn't help but feel her heart ache. How could anyone bear to part with such a sweet child? There must be some compelling reason, she surmised.

And then there was Jared, joining them out of the blue. He plopped down right beside them, so now it was Agnes on the left, the kids in the middle, and Jared on the right. Together, they looked up at the starry night sky, and for a moment, their worries seemed to vanish into the vastness above them.

Esther chattered away like a little magpie, her voice a pleasant melody that seemed to dance around the serene backyard. The night air grew chilly, and after a short while, Agnes suggested, "Let's head inside, guys. It's getting a bit nippy, and we don't want to catch a cold."

Esther and Nocturne obediently stood up, ready to descend. Jared, experiencing his first time on the roof ladder, waited below for the kids. Esther, nimble as a cat, scampered down and waved up at Nocturne. "C'mon, Nocturne, your turn!"

Once they were safely inside, Agnes prepared to follow suit. Jared, perhaps out of gentlemanly instinct, lingered. Agnes thought it unnecessary; she wasn't a child, after all. But as she put her foot on the ladder and heard a distinct crack, a section of it gave way. In an instant, she was falling through the air.

Thankfully, Jared's quick reflexes kicked in, and he caught Agnes just before she hit the ground. The momentum, however, sent him tumbling backward, with Agnes landing squarely on top of him. Her face was pressed against his chest when she heard a muffled grunt from Jared.

Unharmed, Agnes knew it was because Jared was shielded her and took the blow. She quickly looked up, "Jared, Jared, are you alright?"

Jared lay there with his eyes shut, unresponsive. Panic seized Agnes. Had he hurt his head in the fall? She shook him frantically. "Jared, wake up, please wake up," her voice breaking with fear. Just as she was about to get help, Jared's eyes flickered open. "I'm fine," he said with a smirk, "but you're going to swell up my face at this rate."

Realizing it was all a mischievous act, relief washed over Agnes, followed swiftly by irritation. She scrambled off him and, without a word, stormed into the house, leaving Jared chuckling on the ground.