Capítulo 16: Echo of Yesterday
The following days were quieter, yet heavier, as if every shared glance between Kael and Selene was laden with unspoken words. They had walked the path of their past together, but now stood at the edge of a future that was both uncertain and hopeful.
Selene was lost in thought as she sat in her family's grand living room, the familiar scent of old books filling the space. She ran her fingers absentmindedly over the edge of a photo album, one of many her mother had lovingly compiled over the years.
Flipping open the worn cover, Selene was greeted by a wave of nostalgia. Images of her and Kael, small, grinning, carefree spilled across the pages. There was one picture that caught her eye: a shot of them by the beach, their arms wrapped around each other as they stared out at the horizon. They couldn't have been more than ten years old.
Her heart ached at the memory of how easy things had been then. No expectations, no fears, just them, two kids who believed the world was theirs to conquer. How did they go from that to the tangled mess of emotions they were now?
---
It had been a summer afternoon. Kael and Selene had snuck away from the prying eyes of their parents, eager to explore the beach on their own terms. They spent hours building sandcastles, chasing waves, and collecting seashells.
"Look at this one!" Kael had shouted, holding up a particularly large shell. "It's perfect."
"It's so pretty," Selene had said, admiring it. "Let's keep it and make a necklace out of it. That way, we'll always have a piece of the beach with us."
Kael had nodded eagerly, slipping the shell into his pocket. "I'll keep it safe. It'll be our secret treasure."
Selene had smiled, her heart light and free. "Forever?"
"Forever," Kael had promised.
---
Selene let out a sigh as she closed the album, the weight of the memories pressing down on her chest. So much had changed since then. She wasn't that carefree girl anymore, and Kael...well, he wasn't the same boy who had made those promises either.
A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. Her mother stepped into the room, her expression gentle.
"Selene, sweetheart, are you okay?" her mother asked, sitting beside her.
Selene forced a smile, though she knew her mother could see right through it. "I'm fine, Mom. Just...thinking."
Her mother glanced at the photo album, her eyes softening with understanding. "You've been thinking about Kael, haven't you?"
Selene hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. It's just...we've been through so much, and sometimes I wonder if we can ever really go back to how we were."
Her mother reached out, taking her hand. "You can't go back, sweetheart. None of us can. But that doesn't mean you can't build something new."
Selene looked at her mother, her heart twisting with emotion. "Did you and Dad ever go through something like this?"
Her mother smiled softly, her eyes distant with the memories. "Your father and I had our share of challenges, especially when we were younger. But love...love finds a way, Selene. It's not always easy, but it's worth fighting for."
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