His Memories

Now, sitting by the bonfire, Selene could still feel the weight of that night hanging between them. She glanced at Kael, his profile illuminated by the flickering flames, and her heart twisted with regret. She had left him without explanation, and even now, she didn't have the words to explain why.

"Are you staying long?" Lyra's voice broke through the silence, her tone light but curious. She had always been the one to ask questions that no one else dared to.

Selene hesitated. "A few weeks, maybe. I'm not sure yet."

Kael's jaw clenched, though he didn't look at her.

Damian leaned forward, throwing another log into the fire. "It's been a while since the four of us were together," he said, his voice calm and steady, though his gaze lingered on Lyra as he spoke. "It almost feels like old times."

Lyra chuckled softly. "Except some things have changed."

Selene winced at the subtle jab, but she knew Lyra didn't mean it maliciously. The truth was, everything had changed. And no matter how hard they tried, it would never be the same again.

"Have they?" Damian asked, his eyes flicking briefly to Kael before returning to Lyra. There was something unspoken between them, a tension that Selene hadn't noticed before. 

Lyra's smile faltered for just a moment, but she recovered quickly, shaking her head. "Some things never do," she said softly, though the meaning behind her words seemed lost in the fire's glow.

Kael finally stood, brushing the sand from his jeans. "I'm going for a walk," he muttered, his voice low and controlled. Without waiting for a response, he turned and disappeared into the darkness, the sound of the waves swallowing his footsteps.

Selene watched him go, her chest tightening with guilt. She had thought time would heal their wounds, but seeing him again had only made everything more painful. Kael's bitterness was like a dagger to her heart, and she didn't know how to make it right.

Kael wandered down the beach, the cold breeze biting at his skin. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, anger and heartache swirling together until he couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

He had loved Selene with everything he had. She had been his first and only love, and when she left, it felt like she had taken a part of him with her. For years, he had convinced himself that he hated her. It was easier than admitting the truth, that no matter how much he tried to move on, he couldn't forget her.

Kael stopped at the edge of the shore, staring out at the horizon. The memory of her leaving still haunted him, and every time he saw her, the old wounds reopened. How could she have walked away so easily? How could she have left him behind like that?

But even as his anger flared, there was a part of him that understood. The years had given him perspective, and he knew now that love wasn't always as simple as he had once believed.

The bitterness in his chest slowly ebbed away, replaced by a quiet ache. He still loved her, he always would. But the years had changed him, and though he didn't want to admit it, he had begun to heal.