Belle stood at the edge of the pier, waves crashing below, echoing the turmoil in her chest.
She hadn’t seen Shawn in months, not since everything fell apart.
The salty wind pulled at her hair, just like memories tugged at her heart.
She thought of his laugh, the way it lit up even her darkest days.
But she also remembered the silence that followed their fights.
How many second chances could they survive?

Shawn watched from a distance, heart pounding.
He’d come back to Salem hoping to forget her, but every street whispered her name.
He hadn’t planned to see her tonight — fate never asked for permission.
She turned, sensing him. Their eyes met, the moment crackling with history.
“Hey,” he said, like no time had passed.
Belle swallowed hard. “Hey.”

The silence between them said what words couldn’t.
“I miss you,” he admitted, voice raw.
She looked away. “I miss who we were.”
“But we’re not those people anymore,” he said. “Maybe we’re better now.”
“Or just more broken,” she replied.

He stepped closer, cautiously.
“We made mistakes, Belle. But we also made magic.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Magic fades.”
“It doesn’t have to.”
She laughed bitterly. “You really think we can fix us?”

He reached for her hand. “I don’t know. But I know I want to try.”
Belle stared at their joined hands.
Her heart raced — from fear, from hope, from everything in between.
Maybe this was the start of another chapter.
Maybe it was the final goodbye.

“I’m not ready to say never,” she whispered.
And in that single breath, the door opened again.