Tara leaned on the railing, gazing out over the misty mountainside as Selena's words echoed between them. She thought back to their short-lived romance, realizing that Selena was right.
In the months they'd dated, they'd been confined mostly to work and stolen moments. Even that one New Year's holiday they'd planned to spend together had ended abruptly, derailed by Tara's parents and ultimately driving them apart.
Talking about the past seemed to weigh down the moment, making the atmosphere feel heavy. Selena felt a pang of regret for bringing it up and was about to change the subject when she felt a pair of cool hands wrap gently around hers. Tara's gaze was soft but intent as she held Selena's hands, speaking with quiet sincerity. "This New Year's… don't leave again, okay?"
Her voice was barely a whisper, carried away by the mountain breeze, and Selena wasn't sure she'd heard her right. But Tara's expression made it clear—there was hope and a hint of worry in her eyes.
Selena hesitated, unsure how to answer.
Seeing the uncertainty on her face, Tara gave her a small, forced smile, trying to keep the mood light. "No worries, really… if you have work, I'll be fine going around by myself." She lowered her head, her slender neck exposed as she bit her lip, looking for all the world like a forlorn kitten who half-expected rejection.
Selena couldn't help but laugh. "I never said I wouldn't stay, Tara. You always seem to jump to the wrong conclusions."
Tara's eyes lit up. "So, you're saying…"
"Yes. For the rest of the day, I'm at your service. You're in charge of the plans."
Tara's excitement bubbled up, visible in her every movement. Her hand instinctively went to her coat pocket, fingers brushing over the small ring box she'd stashed there—a ring that would perfectly match the one she wore. She'd worn her own ring subtly, hoping Selena would notice and wonder about it, a quiet test of sorts. If Selena had truly moved on, Tara didn't want to disrupt her peace. But Selena's reactions had given her all the courage she needed to keep going.
She took a sip from her water bottle, hoping to quell the anticipation building in her chest, and then turned to Selena, who looked as serene and beautiful as ever. "Shall we head back down, then?"
Selena nodded, and they began their descent. As they made their way down, Tara spoke up, trying to sound casual. "So, I have this friend. She's thinking of proposing but isn't sure how to go about it."
Selena focused on her footing as she held onto Tara's hand, barely looking up as she replied. "It depends on the person she's proposing to, right? If her girlfriend's more reserved, something elaborate and public might be overwhelming."
Pausing for a moment, she added thoughtfully, "But really, it's the person who matters, not the gesture. If they're truly in love, just a few simple words will mean everything."
Tara watched Selena practically bouncing down the steps, her heart swelling. She nodded with a small smile. "You're right, I'll let her know."
Then Selena seemed to catch onto Tara's subtle phrasing, turning to her with narrowed eyes. "This friend of yours… this wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"
The question hung in the air, and Tara was about to respond when a voice called out behind them. "Selena… so, here you are."
The voice held a husky, weathered quality, and Tara turned around to see who it was. Her expression immediately darkened, and she instinctively placed herself between Selena and the approaching figure.
It was Nina.
She stood casually a few steps away, hands in her pockets, watching them with a hint of a smirk. Nina was different now—gone was the untouchable confidence that had once surrounded her. Her eyes, once sharp and calculating, now held a strange emptiness as if she were only half present, looking at Selena through a distant memory.
Tara's expression hardened. She remembered all too well Nina's obsessive fixation on Selena, and she didn't lower her guard. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
Nina ignored her, her gaze fixed on Selena. "So, this is where you've been all this time. I guess Tara wasn't searching for you all these years for nothing."
Nina's words carried a bitter edge, and though her appearance seemed indifferent, her eyes held something darker, a resentment that had festered over time.
Selena gripped Tara's hand tightly, frowning. "And what are you doing here, Nina?"
Nina tilted her head, a thin smile twisting on her lips as she looked back at Tara. "I think Tara knows why I'm here."
Tara's jaw clenched as she stared Nina down, her smile cold. "If you came to thank me, a simple text would have sufficed. There was no need to follow me here."
Nina took a step closer, and Tara instinctively mirrored her, positioning herself protectively in front of Selena. "Those photos you sent to my parents back then—that was you, wasn't it? I guess I was just returning the favor."
Selena froze, her mind reeling.
She knew exactly which photos Tara was referring to. They were the same photos that had outed her relationship with Tara, the ones that had forced her to leave everything behind. Fury ignited within her as she stepped forward, grabbing a fistful of Nina's coat. "Why did you do it?"
Selena's voice trembled with rage, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Tara, alarmed by her reaction, placed a calming hand on Selena's shoulder. "Selena, take it easy."
Nina didn't resist, her hands still in her pockets as she gazed down at Selena. There was no remorse in her face, only a faint shadow of something else, a glimmer of her past fixation.
But that spark was gone, and in its place was something hollow.
Finally, Nina sighed, breaking the silence with a smirk as she leaned in close, wrapping an arm around Selena's waist. "Why did I do it? Because I loved you, of course. You knew that. I wasn't going to let you throw yourself away on someone else without a fight."
She let her words linger, then added with a derisive laugh, "But you two fell apart over a few photographs. I guess your love wasn't as strong as you thought. If it had been me, I'd have taken those photos and shouted them from the rooftops to let the world know she's mine."
She spoke with a twisted fervor, the hint of madness in her eyes evident. Selena stared at her, momentarily frozen by the weight of her words.
Tara didn't waste a moment, wrenching Nina's arm away from Selena with enough force to make her stumble. "Don't touch her."
Tara's voice was low, a barely contained fury simmering beneath the surface. She knew why Nina was here—it had nothing to do with Selena, but rather Leon, Nina's current fixation. Keeping her voice steady, she added, "Stay out of our way, Nina. You're free to do as you like here, but if you cause any trouble, we'll report you."
Nina gave a bitter laugh, her eyes narrowing. "Look at you, Tara. Calm and collected. I half-expected you to throw me off the mountain."
Tara met her gaze with a cold smile and said nothing. She merely grabbed Selena's hand and began leading her away. Nina didn't stop them but as they walked, Tara felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. A message from Nina flashed across the screen as she discreetly read it:
"Tell me where Leon is, or your proposal plans won't go as smoothly as you think."
Without hesitation, Tara deleted the message, her expression unreadable as she guided Selena down the mountain path.
The confrontation weighed heavily on the mood in the car as they drove back. Nina's words were a painful reminder of the unresolved tension between them, tearing open old wounds they had hoped were healed.
At a stoplight, Tara glanced over at Selena, noticing her distant gaze. She reached for her hand, her voice low and filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Selena… for everything."
In the quiet car, her apology seemed to echo, filling the silence with a sense of finality.
Selena looked down, tears slipping from her eyes, landing softly on her hand. Tara didn't turn, but she could feel Selena's sorrow. "Don't cry, Selena," she whispered. "Today was supposed to be a happy day. Don't let Nina ruin that for you."
Selena remained silent, tears clouding her vision.