The evening was calm, with soft winds rustling through the trees at their old favorite spot, the quiet bench under the neem tree inside Lifetime College. Justin arrived first, dressed simply in black joggers and a grey hoodie, sitting in thought, staring at nothing in particular.
Moments later, he looked up and saw Bella approaching. She walked slowly, her face calm, but her eyes tired ,not from sadness, but from everything they had both carried for too long.
"Hey," she said gently as she reached him.
"Hey," he replied, standing up.
They both stood in silence for a few seconds, eyes locked, the air thick with the weight of everything unspoken. Bella slowly reached into her bag and pulled out something,the necklace Justin had given her.
"I wanted to return this," she said, placing it gently in his hand. "You were my first love. But right now… I need to find myself. I don't want to keep choosing pain."
Justin looked at the necklace in his palm. He didn't argue. He didn't try to change her mind. Instead, he looked at her and nodded quietly. "I understand," he said.
She exhaled shakily, then added, "I'm sorry if I caused any issues between you and Austin."
"I get it," he nodded. "You don't owe me anything, Bella. If anything… I should be thanking you. For loving me at all."
She gave a faint smile, her voice barely a whisper. "I've already spoken to Austin. Told him everything. I just needed to see you too, face to face, and close this… gently."
They stood in silence again, then Bella stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. A soft, gentle hug , not out of love, but out of gratitude. He held her briefly, then let go.
She stepped back and looked at him, her eyes glossy.
"Goodbye, Justin."
"Goodbye, Bella," he whispered.
And with that, she turned and walked away, steady, certain, and free.
Justin sat back down slowly, staring at the necklace in his hand, a quiet breath leaving his chest.
It was over.
And for the first time… that felt okay.
Bella drove through the quiet evening roads, her fingers relaxed on the steering wheel, windows slightly down as the cool breeze brushed her face. For the first time in weeks, her heart felt still ,not weighed down by confusion, guilt, or emotional chaos.
She pulled into the parking lot of her apartment and stepped out calmly. The sun had fully set now, and a light evening chill wrapped around her as she walked toward the door.
As she entered, Kathy looked up from the couch, a mug of warm tea in her hands. The look on Bella's face immediately caught her attention, it wasn't the usual tired or tearful one. It was soft. Peaceful. Almost… free.
"Hey," Kathy said gently, "how did it go?"
Bella smiled ,a genuine, warm smile ,and dropped her bag on the floor beside the couch before sitting next to her.
"I did it," she said, her voice light. "I finally closed that chapter."
Kathy leaned in, eyes wide. "You mean… Justin?"
Bella nodded
"I returned the necklace," she said, her voice steady. "Our signature necklace , the one he gave me. I gave it back."
Kathy blinked, stunned. "Wait… you actually gave it back?"
Bella let out a small laugh. "I had to. Holding onto it felt like holding onto everything I was trying to move on from. That necklace… it carried so much. The love, the heartbreak, the guilt, the memories, all of it. But once I placed it back in his hands… I felt free."
Kathy smiled, touched. "Wow… Babes, I'm proud of you. That couldn't have been easy."
"It wasn't," Bella admitted. "But I meant everything I said to him. I thanked him, I let go, and I walked away. No anger. No drama. Just peace."
Kathy nodded slowly, reaching over to squeeze Bella's hand. "So… how do you feel now?"
Bella leaned back, exhaling deeply. "Lighter. Like I can finally breathe. I'm not tangled between two brothers anymore. I'm not stuck in the past. I'm just… me again."
The two girls sat in silence for a few seconds, the calm of the moment sinking in.
And for the first time in a long while, Bella wasn't torn between love or loyalty.
She had chosen herself.