Bella and I stayed in each other's arms for as long as we stayed at The Blue Moon.
We kissed, we hugged, we stared at each other eyes, we watched the sun slowly go down.

"Ellie... remember when you asked me to turn off the chaos?" She said as she wrapped her arms around my back.
"How could I forget?" I smiled.

Her eyes softened: "Well... because everytime my world spins around you're the only one who knows how to slow it down."

My heart raced, every beat pounding louder than the last.
"I—" I stammered, not really knowing what to say.
"Oh my goodness... Bella." I whispered under my breath.

I hugged her to feel every fiber of her body against mine.

The sky became deep orange with pink clouds as the horizon turned purplish, casting a surreal glow over everything.
It was the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen.

The sky was slowly darkening more and more and I can sense that Bella and I thought the same thing, but neither of us dared to speak yet.

I sighed deeply: "I hate to say it..." I whispered softly against her chest, hoping she wouldn't hear me.
"Yes... I know." She replied reluctantly.

Bella said nothing more, but she understood.
She called Vincent to come and pick us up with the boat.

Why is so difficult to let go? I am not ready to let go of this place.
I am not ready to let go everything at all.

I could feel nervousness running through my body.

"Ellie..." Bella whispered to me.
Her eyes were sad as she extended her hand for me to get up.
I remained stubbornly sitting, shaking my head in despair: "Oh, God... I don't want to leave..." I muttered.

"I feel like I'm going to sink now..." I thought out loud.

Bella crouched down beside me: "I will not allow it. You don't have to face this alone." She said, her words a gentle plea.

She understood immediately but I can't bear to face her sadness.
It hurts me.

I stood up abruptly.
I turned around and grabbed the beach towel in a fit of rage.

"Stop for a moment, Ellie..." Bella's voice was gentle yet firmly.
I swallowed with difficulty: "I'm fine."

I was just getting defensive for no reason.

Bella sighed: slowly: "No, you are not... Can you just talk to me?" The rush impatient in her voice.
I stood there, arms folded tightly as I turned away from her eyes: "We are talking..."

I really don't it to happen... not in this way...

Bella sighed impatiently: "You know what I'm referring to, Ellie. We haven't talked about it yet..." Her voice trembled like it never did, but she kept her cool.

The air between us was heavy, every unsaid word lingered in the space.

I obviously know that she is referring about us... and what will happen once Joe and Leo will be back tomorrow.

And no, we haven't talked about it yet...

"... I'm not ready... I don't want to let go of this place and I don't want to let..."
My words faded as my voice became barely audible.

My eyes filled with tears.
My heart tremble, my world crumble.

"I don't want to let go either." Bella affirmed.
"But we have to..." I whispered almost pleadingly.

My voice trembling with the weight of everything we weren't saying.
We were simply hiding in these half-spoken words.

"We will always have this place and you still have me, Ellie." She affirmed.

I swallowed with difficulty, feeling the lump in my throat grow: "Bella..." I pleaded.

My back was still turned.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, but it did nothing to make me feel better.

She moved closer, the warmth of her body brushing against mine.
"You can reject me as much as you want, I know that you are hurt and I won't pretend to know what you're going through right now." She spoke decisively to me.

I turned around, feeling my heart jumping out of my chest, Bella took another step toward me.
"You're angry and probably terrified, I know, I am too!" She admitted bitterly.

Oh, God. I can't do this.

I was almost teary, Bella was too and I definitely didn't want to see her like this.

She came closer to me, I didn't move an inch, I just lowered my gaze.
"I won't let you go." She whispered firmly.

I shivered.
I felt the sudden need to look into her eyes and without waiting another second more I raised my head.

I knew she is suffering too.
I could see it in her eyes, I could sense it.

I just don't want her to suffer.

I have never wanted someone more than her and I have never hated myself more for it.

I felt the need to have her skin in contact with mine, a carnal need I couldn't stop.
Before I think about it, I encircled my arms around her shoulder and I leaned my head on her chest.

"Sorry, please, please... forgive me." I whispered, begging.
My sobs softened against her skin.

Bella gently stroked my hair, whispering sweet words.
"It's okay, sweetheart, calm down, you didn't say anything wrong."

"Oh my God, Bella..."
She gently stroked my back while I kept cursing in her chest.

"I'm... trying... I'm trying for you, I would do anything... for you." I whispered, barely realizing I'd said it aloud.

I heard her heart beating faster.
Bella's hand found mine, and she squeezed it tightly:
"You don't have to do this alone, Ellie. We'll figure it out together, you and I."

My heart trembled at her words.
I wished I had that same confidence.

I could feel we both struggling hard now, holding back our tears.
We turned to admired that place, knowing that it would be the last time.

I heard her sigh rising in the air as her chest moved impetuously.
"Are you still with me? Because I don't know if I can do this alone..." She whispered, almost in a prayer.

I desperately kissed her neck feeling the salt in her skin.
"I am with you, Bella. Whatever comes, as long as you want." I assured her.

She nodded, a relieved smile: "I want you."

~

The boat had arrived and we had to let it go now...
We we went up, I immediately looked at Bella for some support I knew she would give me, she had a subtle smile on her lips, but her eyes mirrored my own vulnerability.

Oh, she was stronger than I was, for I burst into tears in that moment.

Bella hugged me from behind, her arms squeezed my whole body in a warm embrace.

I just wanted to be held very tightly and she did it.

Tears were streaming generously down my face, although I kept stubbornly wiping them away.
"Let them go..." Bella whispered in my ear in a soothing tone.
"We will find a solution." She affirmed.

"To my tears?"

"To everything." She replied and squeezed me tighter.
Every moment that passed she seemed to be more and more confident about it.

Something happened to me: I began to smile as I saw her transparent and sweet eyes.
Between tears I smiled.

"You suddenly smile now?" She laughed kissing my forehead.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because it's like I can see your heart."
"Hmm... and what is it like?"
"It is pure, and fragile."

Bella bit her lip, blinking twice like she couldn't believe it, she turned me around to give me a passionate kiss.

The way we kissed and hugged for all the time coming back, makes all the longing worth it.

~

We had arrived to the dock, in the blink of an eye, things were definitely going too fast now...
I wish I could just go back in time.

Before going out, we hugged Vincent, as if we were leaving a longtime friend.
Then he smiled and said something that I didn't expect:
"I wish you girls the best. You are the proof that beautiful things still happen in the world."

This made my heart flutter.

When we got off the boat, we were both very stunned, I looked at Bella and for some reason she avoided my eye contact.
"What's going on?" I whispered as I squeezed her hand urgently.

I realized that she was crying too.

"Oh, Bella..." I whispered making her stop walking.
I looked at her, touching every curve of her face with the palm of my fingers to comfort her.

"Vincent's words made me think of something..." She whispered to me in a hushed voice.
A tear runned down on her face.

She took both of my hands: "Ellie ... even if we had to wait longer, this thing between us would have happened sooner or later. It was only a matter of time."

Tears fell from my eyes and hers as well.
We let them fall.

"Do you really think so?" I smiled between tears.
She nodded, without any doubt: "Yes. I do think so."
"Well, I think that too."

Our eyes were still red and swollen as we entered in the lobby of the resort, holding hands.
Before taking the elevator, some guy, working in the hotel, stopped us to give us an invitation:

We read it:
<< Fourth of July party. You are invited to celebrate Independence Day with us, tonight with a beautiful beach-party.
Music and drinks will be served for all the guests of the resort.>>

"This sounds exactly what we need..." Bella smiled at me.
"So, it's settled." I affirmed winking at her.

We entered in the elevator, and when the elevator doors closed, Bella leaning in slowly, placed her hands on my waist and gave me a slow, passionate kiss.

One of those you never want to end.
Nothing is remotely compared to this.

We had arrived to my floor, but I didn't want to let her go, not yet, I still held her hand tightly as I keep kissing her neck.

"Sweetie, please, whatever you do now, do it quickly. I already miss you." She whispered in an almost pleading way.

I gave her a slow kiss on the neck as I spoke: "Oh, I'll be quick, promise you. See you in the blink of an eye."
"Good girl..." She winked.

We reluctantly let go of our hands as we kept looking at each other in a longing way.
I took a step back, the elevator closed while I was still staring at her.

After a second of not seeing her, I already miss her.
I missed her as if a part of me was gone.

I slowly went back to my room, I still felt like crying because Bella was not with me.
I tried my best to recompose myself.
I put the dress I brought on my bed and I admired it as if I couldn't believe it was really mine now.

I immediately went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I realized I was still wearing her shirt.
I won't give her back.
I carefully put it on my bag.

I suddenly had a good feeling, right in my heart, for tonight's party.

A/N
I hope you liked this one! 😭🫶❤️
See you soon... ;)