𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓾𝓼

ᴬˡˡ ᵀᵒ ᵂᵉˡˡ

As Aurelie and Sienna boarded the plane from Atlanta, the buzz from their press tour still lingered in the air.

They found their seats, settling in for the flight home. Sienna was already on her phone, scrolling through Instagram, while Aurelie leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling of the airplane.

The month of filming The Necklace had been intense. Every scene, every moment on set, had required her full attention, but in the quiet moments—between takes, on breaks—her mind always wandered to Walker.

It had been a month since the breakup, and even though she'd tried to stay strong, the memories of their time together still haunted her.

Sienna glanced over, noticing her sister's thoughtful expression. "You good?" she asked, nudging her.

Aurelie blinked and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

Sienna didn't push.

She knew better than anyone that Aurelie needed her space sometimes. Instead, she focused on showing Aurelie a new meme, which earned a half-hearted laugh from her.

When the plane finally landed back home, Aurelie felt a wave of both relief and anxiety. She was excited to see her family, of course, but part of her wasn't ready to face everything she'd left behind. As they walked through the terminal, the familiar sounds of the airport filled her ears—announcements, luggage wheels rolling, people greeting each other after long trips.

As they approached the exit, Aurelie spotted her parents and her brothers, Jack and Aidan, standing with wide grins, holding up homemade signs that read, Welcome home, Sienna and Aurelie!

Her dad was the first to rush up and wrap them both in a huge bear hug, while her mom snapped pictures on her phone.

Aidan was laughing at Jack's poorly drawn stick figures on the signs, and Scarlett, who had tagged along to surprise Aurelie, waved excitedly from behind the family, her arms full of snacks for their reunion movie night.

Aurelie felt warmth flood through her as she ran up to hug everyone. "I missed you guys!" she exclaimed, grinning widely.

"And we missed you!" Scarlett chimed in, pulling her into a tight hug. "I have snacks and a whole lineup of movies waiting for you."

Aurelie chuckled, but her attention was suddenly pulled elsewhere. She froze mid-laugh as her gaze caught something—or rather, someone—familiar across the terminal.

Standing a few yards away was Walker Scobell, his parents and his older sister Leena beside him, all smiling and waving as Leena prepared to leave for her senior year trip. Aurelie's stomach twisted, her heart racing. She hadn't seen Walker in person since the breakup, and now here he was, looking so... normal. But the sight of him brought back a flood of emotions, memories of their time together, both good and bad.

Walker, laughing at something Leena said, turned slightly—and then he saw her. Aurelie's breath caught. For a moment, neither of them moved, their eyes locked in silent understanding. The noise of the airport faded into the background as they stared at each other, both uncertain of what to do next.

Scarlett noticed the tension and gently touched Aurelie's arm. "Aurel... do you want to go say hi?"

Aurelie shook her head quickly, looking away from Walker's piercing gaze. "No, not now," she whispered, her voice strained.

Scarlett, always understanding, nodded and squeezed her hand. "Okay. Let's go. You're with us now."

As they continued toward the exit, Aurelie couldn't help but glance back one last time. Walker was still watching her, but this time, something in his expression softened. He gave her a small, almost sad smile—one that was all too familiar. Her heart ached, but she managed to smile back, just as her family began leading her outside.

The cool breeze hit her face as they walked to the car. Her mom wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You okay, sweetie?" she asked, concern lining her features.

Aurelie nodded, but her hand instinctively reached for the gold necklace around her neck—the one Walker had given her on their two-month anniversary. "Yeah, I'm okay," she said, though her voice sounded uncertain even to herself.

They loaded into the car, Scarlett immediately pulling out her phone to plan their sleepover. Aidan teased Jack in the backseat, the two brothers arguing over the snacks Scarlett had brought. It was chaotic, noisy, and so wonderfully normal. Yet, Aurelie couldn't shake the image of Walker standing there, watching her, and the way his smile had tugged at her heart.

As they drove away from the airport, the city lights flickered outside the window. Aurelie leaned her head against the glass, feeling a strange mix of emotions—relief, sadness, and maybe even a little hope.

She knew that seeing Walker had reopened old wounds, but maybe it was also the first step toward healing.

— THE SECRET OF US —