In Phnom Penh, Debbie was surprised when Pasco
showed up at a local café where she was working on her campaign. He looked different—older, perhaps wiser—but his presence still stirred emotions she thought she had buried.
"Debbie," he said, sitting across from her uninvited.
She looked up from her laptop, her guard
immediately up. "Pasco. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here for a project," he said, his voice soft. "But I
couldn't leave without seeing you."
His words disarmed her. Despite everything, part of
her still longed for the boy she had loved. They
talked for hours, revisiting old memories. For a brief
moment, it felt like nothing had changed.
But as Pasco walked her home, Debbie couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she was treading dangerous ground