The air felt different between Kael and Selene after their conversation. Lighter, but still filled with an undercurrent of tension, like a delicate thread that could snap if pulled too hard. Yet, for the first time in years, they weren't avoiding each other. They were trying to rebuild the connection that had been shattered.
Selene wandered through the familiar halls of her family home, her mind restless as she processed everything they had said the night before. A part of her felt relieved that they had finally confronted the past, but another part of her couldn't shake the fear that it might not be enough to heal the scars.
Her fingers trailed over the framed photos hanging on the wall, images of her and Kael as children, smiling and carefree. Their families had always been close, and the love they had been raised with was evident in every picture. Loving parents, supportive friends, they had everything, and yet the pain between them had been real, raw, and inescapable.
Her thoughts drifted to Damian and Lyra. She had always admired how easily they seemed to fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle that had been waiting to be connected. Their relationship had a lightness to it, a sense of joy that Selene found herself envious of. She wondered if she and Kael could ever find that kind of peace.
---
Selene was eight, running through the backyard with Kael close behind her. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the lush garden that separated their two houses.
"Catch me if you can!" Selene shouted, her laughter echoing through the warm evening air.
Kael grinned, his legs pumping as he chased her. "You know I'm faster than you!"
She squealed as he closed the gap, her heart pounding with the exhilaration only childhood games could bring. Just as she reached the edge of the yard, Kael grabbed her arm, spinning her around. They both tumbled into the grass, breathless and laughing, their faces flushed with happiness.
"I win," Kael declared, lying beside her with a triumphant grin.
Selene rolled her eyes, still catching her breath. "You always win."
Kael turned his head to look at her, his expression softening. "Not always. One day, you'll catch me."
Selene giggled, playfully nudging him. "We'll see."
---
The memory made Selene smile despite herself. Kael had always been faster, always one step ahead of her. But now, she felt like they were both trying to catch up to each other, to a version of themselves that they had lost along the way.
Just then, her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Lyra.
*Meet me at the café? I need to talk.*
Curiosity piqued, Selene grabbed her coat and headed out the door. She had a feeling that whatever Lyra wanted to talk about had to do with Damian.