The salt-laced breeze swept through the narrow streets of Seabrook, tugging at Eliza Whitaker's loose braid as she stood on the porch of the local library. The building was small and weathered, much like everything in this coastal town, but its charm lay in its simplicity. For Eliza, it was more than just a workplace—it was a refuge.

She pressed her fingers to the spines of worn books as she walked the aisles, her thoughts far from cataloging the recent donations. Nathan Calloway was back. After five years of unanswered postcards, sporadic texts, and a gaping silence that left her questioning everything about their friendship, the boy-next-door-turned-world-traveler was returning to Seabrook.

Eliza leaned against the library counter, staring absently out the window at the gentle waves beyond the shore. Memories of their childhood flickered through her mind, as vivid as if they'd happened yesterday.

Backstory

Eliza had met Nathan the summer her family moved into the creaky white house next door to his. She was six, shy, and unsure how to navigate the wild, sandy backyard that stretched into the endless ocean. Then came Nathan—a scrappy, sunburned seven-year-old with a gap-toothed grin and a blue bucket in hand.

"I'm building the biggest sandcastle in the world," he'd declared, squinting against the sun. "Wanna help?"

From that moment, the two had been inseparable. Summers were spent combing the beach for seashells and mapping out imaginary kingdoms in the woods. Winters brought snowball fights and secret forts built from blankets in Nathan's attic.

As they grew older, their adventures matured into late-night talks under the stars and whispered confessions about dreams they were too afraid to share with anyone else. Nathan wanted to see the world through the lens of his camera; Eliza wanted to write stories that could capture everything they'd ever been.

But life began to pull them in different directions. Nathan left Seabrook at twenty-two, chasing a photography career in New York City, while Eliza stayed behind, tethered by responsibilities and an unshakable fear of change. She told herself she didn't mind—until the postcards stopped coming and the calls dwindled into silence.

Present Day

Now, five years later, Eliza wasn't sure how to feel about his return. Was he the same Nathan who had once shared every corner of her world? Or was he someone new, a stranger shaped by years of experiences she hadn't been part of?

The sound of the library's bell jingling broke her thoughts. Mia Thompson strolled in, a tray of coffee in hand and her signature wide grin plastered across her face.

"Morning, Liza. You look like you're having a full-on existential crisis again," Mia teased, sliding a cup across the counter.

"I'm not," Eliza protested, but the flush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her.

Mia raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Let me guess—Nathan."

Eliza sighed, taking a sip of the latte. "He gets back today."

"And you're freaking out," Mia said knowingly, leaning her elbows on the counter. "What's the worst that could happen? He's back for a bit, you catch up, and maybe you finally admit you've been in love with him since forever."

Eliza nearly choked on her drink. "I'm not—"

"Please," Mia interrupted, laughing. "It's written all over your face. Always has been."

Before Eliza could argue, the bell above the library door jingled again. Her breath caught as a familiar figure stepped inside.

Nathan Calloway stood there, looking both different and heartbreakingly the same. His dark hair was a little longer, his posture more confident, but his brown eyes still held that warm, mischievous glint that had always made her feel like they were the only two people in the world.

"Eliza," he said, his voice softer than she remembered but still so distinctly him. "Hey."

Her heart skipped a beat as she smiled, nerves swirling in her stomach. "Hey, Nate."

For a moment, the years melted away. They were just two kids standing at the edge of the world again, but this time, Eliza knew things were different. This time, there were years of distance, unspoken words, and questions about what they had become.

She just hoped she was ready to find out.