Christian Hughes stood in the middle of his cramped apartment, staring at the piles of unpacked boxes that lined the walls. It had been two months since he'd left Sweden, two months since his life had been turned upside down by the events at the commune in Hårga. After what had happened, he needed to start over—far from everything that reminded him of the past.

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. It was strange to think that after everything, he was back to something so ordinary—new apartment, new city, new job. But the weight of the past still clung to him, the memories of Dani, the chaos of his time in Sweden... they were always there, lurking just beneath the surface.

The lyrics of Taylor Swift's "Daylight" played in his mind: "I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you... I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you..." He sighed. It wasn't just Dani that lingered in his thoughts—it was the way things had ended between them. His own failures, the guilt that gnawed at him, and the realization that he had been distant long before everything unraveled.

But today was about moving forward. It was his first day at his new job, and if there was ever a time to put the past behind him, this was it. No more dwelling on what had happened. No more thinking about the endless sunlight of the commune and how he had let his relationship with Dani fall apart. He was going to focus on himself, on the present.

"Daylight," he muttered to himself, trying to summon some positivity. "New beginnings."


At Coffee & Co., the local café near his office, Christian was already regretting his decision to arrive early. The place was packed with people rushing to grab their morning coffee before heading to work. He shuffled awkwardly toward the counter, scanning the menu even though he knew he'd just get black coffee.

"Excuse me," a voice cut through his thoughts, and Christian turned to find a woman with a stack of notebooks in her arms, smiling apologetically at him. "I didn't mean to bump you—this place is a madhouse."

Christian chuckled, stepping back to let her pass. "Yeah, no kidding. It's like everyone in the city decided to come here at the same time."

The woman grinned, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Welcome to New York. I'm Ella, by the way."

"Christian," he replied, shaking her free hand. There was something easy about the way she smiled, something that made him feel like he didn't have to try so hard to make a good impression. It was a relief, really, after everything.

"First time here?" Ella asked, nodding toward the menu. "You've got that overwhelmed, 'I'm-new-in-town' look."

Christian laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is it that obvious?"

Ella's grin widened. "Only to a seasoned New Yorker. Let me guess, you're getting coffee before heading to work at some trendy tech startup, right?"

Christian blinked, surprised. "Actually... yeah. How did you know?"

Ella shrugged. "Lucky guess. Plus, you've got that 'I just bought a bunch of IKEA furniture' vibe. It's practically written all over you."

Christian laughed again, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. "You're pretty good at this."

"I have my talents," she said with a playful wink, glancing over at the line. "Let me treat you to your first New York coffee. Call it a 'welcome to the city' gift."

Christian hesitated, caught off guard by her offer. "You don't have to do that."

Ella waved a hand, dismissing his concern. "It's just coffee. Besides, it's an unspoken rule in this place—buying coffee for a newcomer guarantees you good coffee karma for the rest of the week."

He couldn't help but smile at her logic. "Well, in that case, how can I say no?"


They ended up sitting together at a small table by the window, chatting easily as the morning rush passed by. Christian was surprised by how natural it felt—talking to Ella. She asked him about his move, what brought him to New York, and even though he glossed over the Sweden debacle, he found himself opening up to her more than he expected.

"I'm kind of in the same boat, actually," Ella said, stirring her coffee. "I moved here about a year ago after finishing my degree. It was a total leap of faith. I didn't know anyone, didn't have a job lined up, but I just... went for it."

Christian raised an eyebrow, impressed. "That's pretty brave."

Ella shrugged, smiling. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just stubborn. But honestly, it's been worth it. There's something about this city that just feels... I don't know, alive."

Christian nodded, feeling a flicker of hope for the first time in a while. "Yeah, I get that. I think that's why I came here too. I needed a fresh start."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the city buzzing around them. For Christian, it was like stepping into daylight after being in the dark for too long. And as he glanced over at Ella, he couldn't help but feel like maybe, just maybe, things were finally turning around.


A few weeks later, Christian found himself walking through Central Park with Ella. What had started as a spontaneous coffee turned into regular meetups, where they'd chat about work, life, and everything in between. Ella had quickly become a bright spot in his new routine, someone who didn't ask too many questions about his past and made him laugh more than he had in months.

"You're quieter today," Ella said, nudging him with her elbow as they strolled down a tree-lined path. "Everything okay?"

Christian glanced over at her, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. "Yeah, just... thinking."

"About?"

He hesitated, unsure how to explain the weight he still carried from everything that had happened with Dani. "About starting over, I guess. It's weird, you know? Being in a new place, trying to figure out who you are again."

Ella nodded, her expression softening. "I get that. Moving here wasn't exactly a clean slate for me either. But the thing about starting over is, you get to decide what your new chapter looks like."

Christian smiled at her, grateful for her easy understanding. "You make it sound so simple."

Ella grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Maybe it is. Or maybe we overcomplicate things because we're scared. But hey, if you're ever feeling lost, just remember—at least you're not stuck assembling IKEA furniture at 2 a.m."

Christian laughed, the tension in his chest easing. "That's true. I'm definitely done with that."

They continued walking, the sun beginning to set in the distance, casting a warm glow over the park. It was peaceful, almost like a perfect moment frozen in time. And as Christian glanced over at Ella, he realized that for the first time in a long time, he wasn't thinking about the past or the mistakes he'd made. He was just... here. Present.

The lyrics of "Daylight" floated through his mind again: "I once believed love would be burning red, but it's golden..." Maybe love wasn't supposed to be this all-consuming, fiery thing. Maybe it was quiet, steady, and golden—like the feeling he had now, walking beside Ella in the park, knowing that he didn't have to rush anything.


Over the next few months, Christian and Ella grew closer, their friendship deepening in ways that neither of them had expected. They spent weekends exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and having impromptu movie nights at Christian's apartment, where they'd argue over which film to watch and then end up falling asleep halfway through.

It was easy with her. Everything felt lighter, less complicated than the relationships Christian had known before. And slowly, without even realizing it, he began to heal.

One night, after a particularly long day at work, Christian found himself standing outside Ella's apartment. He hadn't planned to go over, but he realized that he didn't want to be anywhere else. When she opened the door, her smile lit up the entire room, and Christian felt that familiar warmth spread through him.

"Hey," she said, stepping aside to let him in. "You look like you could use some takeout and terrible reality TV."

Christian grinned, leaning against the doorframe. "You always know exactly what I need."

Ella laughed, grabbing her phone to order food. "It's a gift."

As they settled on the couch with their food, Christian couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment that he hadn't felt in years. He glanced over at Ella, who was animatedly talking about some ridiculous show they were about to watch, and he realized that somewhere along the way, he'd stopped thinking of her as just a friend.

He had fallen for her.

And as the realization hit him, it didn't scare him the way it might have in the past. It felt... right. Like this was where he was supposed to be.

"Hey, Ella," Christian said quietly, interrupting her mid-sentence.

She looked over at him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Yeah?"

Christian hesitated for a moment, but then he smiled, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. "I just... I'm really glad I met you."

Ella's expression softened, and she leaned back against the couch, her gaze never leaving his. "I'm glad I met you too, Christian."

They sat there in comfortable silence, the city buzzing outside the window, and Christian realized that maybe this was what daylight felt like. Not the blinding, overwhelming kind, but the soft, steady glow that made everything feel a little brighter.

And for the first time in a long time, Christian knew he was exactly where he was meant to be.