Page 96 of The Girl I Once Loved

"I'm beginning to wonder if you have a tracker on me," I finally tease, a playful glint in my eyes.

Noah chuckles softly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I don't need a tracker, Sky. I know you better than anyone."

His words hang in the air, carrying a weight that is both comforting and painful. I have always believed that Noah understood me in a way that no one else could, but it was that very understanding that had torn us apart all those years ago.

"Why didn't you trust me to make the decision all those years ago then?" I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Noah turns to look at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and longing.

"Because I knew you would sacrifice everything for us. And you're too bright, too big for that to happen. You're a star. You've always been a star. And I couldn't hide your light. You might have said you were happy, but you would have always had a 'what if' in the back of your mind, and so would I. What would you have become if I wasn't in the picture? That question would always haunt us."

The words hit me like a tidal wave, crashing over me with their painful truth.

"Thing is, I know the answer to that question. Miserable, I’d be miserable without you," I admit, my voice trembling. "Ihave beenmiserable without you."

Noah reaches out and gently cups my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had escaped my eye. "Baby, me too."

His touch sends a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, it’s as if the years apart had never really happened. I lean into his hand, closing my eyes and savoring the warmth of his palm against my skin.

"I'm so sorry, Noah," I whisper, my voice filled with the weight of all the years of longing and heartache. Because I need to apologize too.

Maybe that night I’d believed his betrayal so easily because I’d been waiting for something like that to happen all along. Maybe I’d never believed in us like I should have.

He doesn't say anything in response. He doesn't need to. Instead, he leans in closer, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that is both gentle and filled with a hunger that mirrors my own.

As we pull away, our foreheads resting against each other, I know that the road ahead will be filled with challenges and uncertainties. But I also believe that maybe we can be on that road together.

The ocean whispers its secrets to us, its waves singing a lullaby of love and possibility. And as we sit there, wrapped in each other's arms, I can't help but feel that, perhaps, the universe is giving us a second chance—to rewrite our story.

But I don’t tell Noah that.

At least not yet.

* * *

I wake up the next morning with a crazy idea.

And for some reason, Noah has decided to go along with it.

The water stretches out before us, a vast expanse of shimmering blue under the midday sun. We stand at the edge of the dock, our small boat bobbing gently on the surface. I clutch the edge of my life jacket, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and fear.

"Noah," I say, my voice trembling, "I want to try it. I want to conquer this fear."

Noah turns to me, his eyes filled with concern. "Sky, are you sure? You don't have to do this."

I shake my head, determination burning within me. "No, I need to do this. It's like my fear of the water is holding me back in life, and if I can face it, maybe I can figure everything else out too."

It sounds crazy coming out of my mouth, but something in my brain is insistent that I’m right about this. That I need to face my fears one at a time. Why not start with this one?

Noah reaches out and squeezes my hand, his thumb tracing comforting circles on my palm. "I'll be right here with you every step of the way, Sky. You're not alone."

With a deep breath, I step onto the dinghy, feeling its familiar sway beneath me. Noah follows, his movements smooth and confident. He casts off the dock lines, and we slowly drift away from the safety of the shore.

The water around us is a stunning shade of azure, the sunlight dancing on its surface like a million diamonds. I gaze out at the horizon, feeling a mix of awe and trepidation. It’s as if the water holds all the answers, and I’m determined to uncover them.

Noah pilots the dinghy with ease, his gaze never leaving me for long. He knows how much this means to me, and he’s there to support me every step of the way. The wind ruffles his hair, and the sunlight plays on his skin, casting him in a golden glow. He looks like a guardian angel, ready to catch me if I falter.

We reach a calm, open stretch of water, and I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.

---