The airport was bustling, but Luna felt like the only one standing still. She watched Liam disappear into the crowd, his green scarf a fleeting splash of color against the sea of gray. She wanted to call out to him, but the words refused to come. Instead, she clutched her boarding pass tightly, her chest heavy with emotions she couldn't sort out.
The flight home was a blur of clouds and quiet tears. Luna stared out the window, replaying the moments from the trip over and over in her mind—the way Liam looked at her under the northern lights, the weight of his words, and the way her heart betrayed her by responding.
When she stepped through the door of her apartment, Austin was waiting for her. His warm smile was like a familiar melody she hadn't appreciated in a long time.
"You're back," he said, pulling her into a hug.
"Yeah," Luna murmured, her voice muffled against his chest.
Austin pulled back slightly, holding her at arm's length. "How was the trip? You seemed... distracted when we talked."
"It was fine," she said quickly, her stomach twisting with guilt. "Just a lot to take in."
He smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're home."
Luna forced a smile in return, but as Austin turned away to grab her bag, she realized that for the first time, her apartment—her life—felt like a place she didn't belong.
Over the next few days, Luna threw herself into wedding preparations, hoping to silence the storm of emotions inside her. She and Austin went cake tasting, picked out invitations, and even tried a dance class. Austin was attentive, excited, and utterly unaware of the turmoil Luna's was hiding.
But late at night, when Austin was asleep, Luna lay awake, haunted by memories of Liam.
She remembered the way he laughed as they tumbled into the snow during their hike, his arm instinctively wrapping around her. She remembered his vulnerability when he confessed he still cared for her. And most of all, she remembered the way he looked at her under the northern lights, as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered.
One evening, Austin surprised her with a slideshow of their relationship. Photos from their first date, their anniversary trips, and the moment he proposed flickered across the screen.
"I wanted to remind you of how far we've come," Austin said, smiling warmly.
Luna's throat tightened as she watched the slideshow. She loved Austin—he was kind, dependable, and everything she thought she wanted. But as the final photo faded, she realized something that shattered her.
She didn't feel the spark she once had. And no amount of photos or memories could force it to return.