Pāhonoa te oro

Three years ago… everything felt quieter than it should have been. Not the peaceful kind of quiet— but the kind that slowly eats you from the inside. It started on an ordinary evening. The sky was fading into that soft orange-blue color, and I remember thinking… this moment feels like it will matter someday. You were sitting next to me, not saying much. But somehow, your silence felt warmer than any words. We didn’t promise forever. We didn’t even say “stay.” But in the way you looked at me, I b