Echoes Of Us

CHAPTER 4

Over the next few months, Selene and I grew closer. She became a constant in my life, a bright spot in my days and a calming presence in my nights. She had this way of making everything feel lighter, simpler—even when life got complicated.

One night, we found ourselves back at the lake. The stars were bright, scattered across the sky like someone had tossed diamonds over black velvet. Selene sat beside me, pulling her knees up to her chest, and I could tell something was on her mind.

“What’s up?” I asked gently, nudging her shoulder with mine.

She glanced at me, then looked away, her fingers nervously tracing patterns in the grass. “I’ve just been thinking about… us.”

My heart skipped a beat. I tried to keep my face calm, but inside, I was a mess of emotions. “And?”

She turned to me, her eyes soft but searching. “Luca, I know we’re close. And I don’t want to ruin that. But… there’s something more here, isn’t there?”

I didn’t know if it was courage or just the need to be honest, but I reached for her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Selene… ever since that first day, you’ve been on my mind. I’ve been terrified to say it, afraid I’d scare you off. But, yeah. There’s something here. Something big.”

For a moment, she just looked at me, her eyes reflecting the stars above. Then, without saying a word, she leaned in, her lips meeting mine in a kiss that felt like the answer to every question I’d ever asked myself about love.

It was soft, tentative, as if we were both afraid the moment might shatter. But when we pulled back, I could see the same wonder in her eyes that I felt. She smiled, that quiet, perfect smile of hers, and rested her forehead against mine.

“So… what now?” she whispered, a playful glint in her eyes.

I chuckled, feeling a weight lift from my chest. “I don’t know. But as long as I’m with you, I’m pretty sure it’ll be something amazing.”

From that moment on, everything changed. We were no longer just two friends orbiting around each other, skirting the edge of something bigger. Now, we were Luca and Selene, together, sharing our dreams, our fears, our late-night conversations that stretched until dawn.

But, of course, reality wasn’t about to let us live in a perfect bubble forever. One day, after class, I got a call that would test everything I thought I knew about love and resilience.

It was Selene, her voice quiet, almost broken. “Luca… we need to talk. Can you meet me by the lake?”

I agreed, heart pounding as I made my way over. As soon as I saw her, I could tell something was wrong. She looked away, struggling to find the words.

“What’s going on, Selene?” I asked, desperate to understand.

She took a deep breath, her voice wavering. “I found out… I got accepted into a program I applied for a while back. It’s my dream, Luca. But it’s far. Really far.”

I felt the ground shift beneath me. I was thrilled for her, proud beyond words. But the idea of her leaving? It felt like my world was tipping off its axis.

“When… when do you leave?” I asked, barely able to get the words out.

“End of the month,” she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. She reached for my hand, holding it tight. “I don’t want to leave you, Luca. But I have to do this.”

A part of me wanted to beg her to stay, to tell her that we could figure something out. But I knew Selene. I knew her dreams mattered to her, maybe even more than anything we’d built together.

So I did the only thing I could—I squeezed her hand back, managing a small smile. “Then go, Selene. Go and chase your dreams. I’ll be here, cheering you on.”

We sat there in silence, wrapped in each other’s arms, watching the sun set over the lake. It was bittersweet, knowing we had only a few more moments like this left. But as painful as it was, I knew I’d rather let her go than hold her back. Because when you love someone, sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let them follow their own path, even if it takes them away from you.