28- Believe in love always

— I think I've been sailing through turbulent waters lately. But tonight, with the right company, I feel like I've found a safe harbor, if only for a moment.

Jade, with a spark of complicity in her eyes, said:

— Sometimes, all you need is someone to share the journey with. Someone who will make you forget the storms for a while.

Cris, letting herself be carried away by the magical atmosphere, proposed:

— How about we toast to this unexpected encounter and to the surprises that fate still has in store for us?

Jade smiled, raising her glass.

As the night progressed and laughter echoed between the waves and the distant music, Cris and Jade let themselves be carried away by the moment because they had already had a lot to drink. The sound of the ocean, like a complicit murmur, mixed with the laughter and lively conversations.

Cris, feeling a unique connection, looked at Jade with an intensity that expressed what words

could not say. Jade, immersed in the magic of the moment, responded with a

look that spoke of expectation and desire.

“Tonight is special, isn’t it?” Cris commented, slowly approaching.

Jade nodded, without taking her gaze off of his. In that instant, time seemed

to fade away, and the only reality was the proximity between them.

With the sea breeze as a witness and the sound of the waves as a background, Cris gently brought her hand

to Jade’s face. The contact was electric, as if an invisible thread

connected them. Jade closed her eyes, allowing herself to immerse herself in the moment.

The first touch of their lips was subtle, a meeting of souls seeking something more

in the middle of the starry night. Cris, sensing Jade’s response, deepened the kiss,

exploring the ephemeral but intense connection between them. The feelings were translated into soft caresses and passionate kisses. The beach, illuminated

by the moonlight, became the stage for their meeting, like an unexpected

chapter in the book of their lives.

After the kiss, they looked at each other with a complicity that resonated in the air. Unspoken

words floated between them, but the intensity of the moment spoke for itself. They

stayed there, on the beach, sharing the comfortable silence that follows an

unforgettable moment.

— I don't know what all this means, but I'm glad it happened. — said Cris,

breaking the silence.

Jade, with a playful smile, replied:

— Sometimes, the best stories are written when we go with the flow.

The night continued its course, but Cris and Jade carried with them the spark of that kiss that

changed the course of their meeting on the beach. The party, the sound of the sea and the stars in the sky became accomplices in a connection that, although unexpected, promised to unfold new pages in the story they were writing together.

Samantha arrives at the party…

The night progressed, and the bar resounded with laughter and lively music. Samantha, after a few drinks, found herself in the company of her friends. The suggestion of going to a party by the sea, with the promise of an exciting afterparty, lit a spark of intrigue in the group.

— Come on, Samantha! It will be fun. Plus, you could forget about your problems for a while. — one of her friends instigated, with a mischievous smile.

Samantha, with her mind clouded by alcohol and resentment, nodded and let herself be carried away by the proposal. The sea breeze and the distant music became accomplices in the friends' decision to immerse themselves in the night by the sea.

As she arrived at the party, the sound of music merged with the waves breaking on the beach.

The lights flashed, creating a festive atmosphere. Samantha, with her gaze wandering,

spotted a familiar figure in the gloom: Cris and Jade sharing together.

A mixture of anger and pain flooded Samantha as she saw the scene. The flames of revenge

burned within her, driven by the betrayal she believed she had suffered. Her friends

noticed the change in her expression and tried to reassure her.

“Come on, Samantha, it’s not worth it. There are many boys here. Forget about that idiot,”

one of them suggested.

But the fury in Samantha’s eyes was not easily extinguished. Instead of turning away and

seeking comfort, she decided to turn that anger into a resolution. She swore revenge, planning an

act that would leave an indelible mark on the night and on the relationship between Cris and Jade.

— I will not let myself be humiliated like this. They will also feel what it is to lose

something important. — Samantha murmured to herself, determination in her eyes.

She continued to watch from a distance, gathering details for her plan of revenge. The

night had just begun, but the shadows of betrayal and fury were projected over the

beach, where intertwined destinies would face the consequences of impulsive

choices and unleashed emotions.

Jade woke up with the sun caressing her her face and a feeling of happiness that enveloped her like a warm blanket. The previous night had been magical, full of surprises and new connections. As the steam from the hot water enveloped the bathroom, her mind relived each moment, silently thanking for the exciting directions her life was taking. In the shower, she let the water dissolve the last traces of the previous night. The melody of the falling water was like a symphony of gratitude, a liquid expression of the emotions that danced within her. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to savor the joy that overwhelmed her. “Thank you, Vishu. Thank you for the opportunities and for crossing paths that have filled my life with new experiences,” Jade whispered, as if her words were an offering to the universe. She imagined Vishu, the ocean she trusted, smiling from some corner of the vast horizon. Connection with nature and belief in forces beyond human understanding were integral to her philosophy of life.

Stepping out of the shower, Jade wrapped herself in a towel and walked to the mirror. Her reflection reflected back the image of a radiant woman, eyes that sparkled with the promise of new adventures. She paused for a moment, thankful for the beauty of life and the ability to write each page of her story.

As Jade enjoyed a hot cup of coffee, she let her mind wander through the memories and thoughts that plagued her. Although the previous night had been magical and promising, she couldn't stop the shadow of her past from creeping into her thoughts.

The aroma of coffee filled the room, but it also unleashed a cascade of memories that crowded into her mind. Between sips, she felt Everth's presence lurking in the corners of her thoughts. A sense of betrayal took hold of her, as if living in the present meant abandoning something important.

“Am I betraying what we had?” she asked herself quietly, as if the cup of coffee

could answer her. The contradiction between the desire for freedom and the weight of the past

tormented her. Everth, although no longer present in her life in the same way, left

an indelible mark on her heart.

Each sip seemed to take her back to the moments they shared, to the laughter and

complicity they built together. The decision to free herself clashed with the longing

for the connection they once shared. Jade found herself at a crossroads between

moving forward and clinging to the vestiges of what once was.

“Is it selfish to want my freedom? Am I being unfair by wanting to write my own story

without feeling tied to the past? — she questioned herself, searching for answers in the smoke rising from her cup.

The internal struggle led her to reflect on the need to be true to herself. She reminded

herself that she deserved the opportunity to discover new experiences, to grow and

transform without the chains of the past.

— Maybe I'm on the right path. Maybe freedom is a gift I must give to myself. But how do I do it without feeling guilty for leaving behind what I shared with

Everth? — she asked herself, searching for answers in the lines of her own hand holding the cup.

Amidst turbulent thoughts, Jade felt that she was in the middle of a metamorphosis, a

transition towards a more authentic version of herself. Although the past left its mark,

the possibility of a new beginning called to her strongly.

— Freedom sometimes hurts, but it is also liberating. I must find my way and

allow myself to embrace what fate has in store for me. — Jade concluded, determined to

move forward, but aware that the process would not be easy. With that determination, she

got up from the table, leaving behind the memories that bound her and embracing the

uncertainty of the future with courage.

Despite the joy that Jade felt for the new direction her life was taking, she

also harbored a latent fear deep within her being. The shadow of uncertainty loomed over her, and a part of that fear was intended for Cris to discover more details about her past, especially her connection to Everth.

Jade knew that Cris was involved in different aspects of life, and the idea that she could discover the complexity of her previous history unsettled her. She feared that by knowing the truth about Everth, Cris might judge her or even reject her. Vulnerability took over her thoughts every time the idea of revealing her past to Cris crossed her mind.

"How will Cris react when she finds out who Everth was to me?" Jade asked herself in a moment of introspection. Worry was reflected in her eyes, and a knot formed in her stomach at the possibility that the past could cloud the present.

Fear did not only reside in Cris' reaction, but also in her own feelings.

also in the shadow of its own

history.