Elise
Serena Blake opened the front door of her home, expecting the usual quiet hum of the house after a long day at school. But instead, she froze.
Sitting cross-legged on the living room couch, leaning casually against the armrest, was a figure she hadn't seen in over a decade. Her heart slammed painfully in her chest.
"Hello, Elise," he said with a crooked smile, the one that used to make seven-year-old Serena giggle until her stomach hurt.
Time stopped.
Every sound—the ticking clock, the faint hum of the refrigerator—disappeared. Her mind tore itself back, a vivid flash from nearly fifteen years ago.
Flashback – Age 7
The sun had shone warm on the small garden behind their childhood homes. Seven-year-old Serena and Lucien had sat under the old oak tree, knees brushing, hair sticking to sweaty foreheads.
"I promise," he had said, his red hair messy in the wind. "When we grow up, we'll marry each other. No matter what."
Serena had tilted her head, unsure, but the innocence in his eyes had convinced her. "Okay," she whispered. "Promise."
They had run to their parents afterward, shouting the solemn vow. Their laughter had filled the house as they played tag, swung on swings, and built sandcastles in the garden. The world was only theirs.
The Playground That Wasn't
The next day, Serena had run to the playground, heart racing with excitement. Lucien had promised he'd meet her. But he never came.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. Letters went unanswered. No explanation. No goodbye.
She fell ill soon after, fever and fatigue that stole the light from her eyes. Her parents worried, but Serena buried her heart deeper than even her illness could reach. She told herself that the world, and Lucien, could be forgotten. Elise became a name she never used aloud.
Back to Present
Serena shook her head, trying to dislodge the memory, but the present demanded her attention. Lucien's sharp green eyes glinted with amusement.
"You look the same," he said softly, voice teasing, "but you don't seem happy to see me."
Her jaw tightened. "What… what are you doing here?"
Evie and Lucien
From the kitchen doorway, Evie Blake appeared, a grin splitting her face. "He's here to annoy you, Serena."
Lucien crouched to Evie's height. "Do I get to have dessert first if I behave, Evie?"
Evie giggled, nodding vigorously. "Absolutely. But only if you help me with homework tomorrow."
Serena watched in silence as the two of them bonded effortlessly, sharing jokes and laughter. Her parents, sitting at the dining table, exchanged satisfied glances.
"Finally," her mother, Margaret Blake, said softly. "Someone is here who can shake Serena's walls."
Her father, Richard Blake, nodded, sipping his coffee. "Lucien always had that effect. Maybe it's time she learns to laugh again."
Lucien's Integration
Soon, Lucien began sliding into her life like he'd never left—helping Evie with schoolwork, teasing her parents, laughing loudly over small kitchen mishaps. That evening, he even took over dinner, turning it into a comedic spectacle:
"Pass the salt, Elise," he said, holding the shaker like a microphone. "Or I shall sprinkle it dramatically into the soup! The choice is yours!"
Serena groaned, glaring, but a small, reluctant laugh threatened to escape.
Confrontation
When dinner ended, Serena's patience snapped. "Why are you even in our house?" she demanded. "You have no right—no right to just show up after all these years!"
Lucien froze, though only briefly. Then, his eyes softened. For a fraction of a second, she saw the boy she had loved at seven—the one who had promised her forever.
He remembered back, fifteen years ago, to a small, stubborn child contradicting his father's new wife at every turn. Every demand, every impossible expectation. Lucien had found himself on the wrong side of the argument too many times, and finally, his father had had enough.
"You're going back to the UK," his father had said. And so he had—overnight, without warning, leaving a trail of promises unkept.
Serena's Parents and the New Arrangement
The next morning, Serena's parents called her into the living room.
"Serena," Margaret said gently, "Lucien will be joining your classes this year. He'll even be driving you to school."
Serena's jaw tightened. "I don't need him in my school. I don't need—"
"Serena," Richard said, frowning, "Watch your words, young lady."
She clenched her fists, refusing to move. "I won't."
Lucien, leaning against the doorway, grinned. His voice was soft, teasing… dangerous.
"Elise," he said.
Her eyes snapped to him, shock and anger flaring. She wanted to yell, to slam the door, to erase the memory of that name forever. But… she couldn't.
"Fine, I agree " she muttered reluctantly, her voice quiet.
Lucien's smile widened. "Good girl."