In Your Orbit (1st Book) Completed.

Bonus Chapter

Val's POV...

Val sat quietly in the back seat of her sleek black car, the early morning city lights flickering past as the driver navigated through the sleepy streets. Her mind raced with thoughts of Lisa, but as they neared the road toward the camp, a heavy feeling weighed down her chest. She let out a breath, steadying herself. "Take a U-turn," she said, almost impulsively. "Head to Tracy's condo."

As they drove, memories of Tracy flooded back — laughter shared over quiet dinners, soft moments where nothing else mattered. But it was precisely those memories that made her walk away. Tracy deserved a life free from the risks and shadows that constantly loomed over Val. When they finally pulled up outside the condo building, she took a deep breath, hesitating. Even now, she knew there were things she could never tell Tracy, explanations that would forever remain buried.

Moments later, she stood outside Tracy's door, heart pounding as she raised a fist and knocked. Footsteps approached, and the door creaked open. Tracy's face was a mix of shock and confusion, her eyes widening as she registered Val standing there. She instinctively pulled the door closed behind her, as if trying to shield herself from a flood of emotions she'd long tried to bury.

Val attempted a smile, her usual confidence tempered by vulnerability. "I know this is unexpected," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "I just... wanted to see you."

Tracy crossed her arms, eyes narrowing with a mix of hurt and accusation. "Why are you back, Val?" she asked, her tone steady but brimming with unspoken questions. Val hesitated, the answer tangled in her mind, an answer she could never fully give.

She glanced into the condo, catching a glimpse of another pair of shoes by the entrance. Her heart ached, but she pushed the feeling down. "Who's inside with you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tracy looked away, her shoulders sinking. Val lifted her chin, gently reaching to lift Tracy's gaze to meet her own. "Falling in love with someone else... it's okay," she said, a sad smile curving on her lips. "Don't feel guilty, Tracy. You deserve someone who can be there fully."

Tracy's eyes filled with tears, her voice shaking as she replied, "You left, Val. No calls, no messages... I tried to find you. I tried to make sense of it all. And just when I thought it was finally over... here you are again." A tear slipped down her cheek. "You were my everything. How could you just walk away?"

Val's own heart twisted painfully, the regret cutting deep. She reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a small box she'd kept for years, carrying it like a relic of a life she'd forfeited. With a hesitant hand, she offered it to Tracy.

"I know I'm four years late in giving you this," Val said, swallowing back her own tears. "This necklace... you'd told me how much you loved it. I tried so hard to find it for your birthday back then, but it was rare, almost impossible to locate." She opened the box, revealing the delicate necklace gleaming softly inside. "Happy birthday, Tracy. Even if I couldn't be here, this was always meant to be yours."

Tracy stared at the necklace, her hand hovering over it as if it held memories too painful to touch. She looked back at Val, her lips trembling as she whispered, "You were all I wanted, Val. And somehow, I lost you, too."

Val blinked back tears, knowing that this was a pain she couldn't fix. "I never wanted you to be hurt," she said, her voice a bare whisper. But as the silence stretched between them, she realized that some wounds would remain, and some loves would forever linger as bittersweet memories.