Luca stood by the window of his office, staring out at the rain-soaked city below. The rhythm of raindrops tapping against the glass should have been soothing, but nothing could quiet the storm inside him. Elena's words from their last encounter still echoed in his mind, leaving him feeling more lost than he'd ever been. He had thought coming back, rebuilding what they once had, would be easy. But he was wrong—so wrong.

In moments like these, when his world felt like it was spinning out of control, his mind inevitably drifted back to the past. To the beginning. To the first time he had truly fallen for Elena.

It had been summer, a sweltering heatwave blanketing the city, and they were both seventeen. Life was simpler back then—before the responsibilities of family, business, and the weight of their choices bore down on them. Elena was just a girl he had grown up with, someone he had always known but never truly seen until that summer.

Luca could still remember the day it all changed. They were at a friend's party, the kind of gathering filled with laughter, clinking drinks, and reckless teenagers embracing the carefree days of youth. Elena had been sitting by the pool, her legs dangling in the water, her head thrown back in laughter at something someone said. He had been watching her from a distance, noticing for the first time how the setting sun made her skin glow, how her dark hair shimmered, and how her laughter made everyone around her light up.

For a moment, time had seemed to slow. The noise of the party faded, and all Luca could focus on was her—the curve of her smile, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she laughed. It was as if the world had turned her into the center of his universe in that split second, and nothing else mattered.

He had always admired Elena. She was strong, fiercely independent, and had a kindness that drew people in. But that day, something clicked. It wasn't just admiration anymore. He felt something deeper, something that scared him and excited him at the same time.

Later that night, when the party had started to die down, they found themselves alone by the pool. Most of their friends had gone inside, but Luca lingered outside, feeling a pull he couldn't quite explain. Elena was still sitting by the water, the reflection of the moon dancing in her eyes.

He had approached her, feeling his heart race in a way it never had before. "Mind if I join you?" he had asked, his voice casual, though his nerves were anything but.

She had looked up at him and smiled, her face softening. "Sure. It's quiet out here."

Luca sat down beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed, but not close enough to make her uncomfortable. They sat in silence for a few moments, just listening to the water ripple and the distant sounds of laughter from inside the house.

"Why aren't you inside, enjoying the party?" Elena had asked, breaking the silence. Her tone was light, but there was something deeper behind her words, a curiosity that made him feel like she saw right through him.

Luca shrugged, trying to act indifferent. "I could ask you the same thing."

She smiled again, a knowing smile. "Maybe I'm not in the mood for crowds."

He nodded, but his mind was racing. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but the words caught in his throat. He wasn't sure when it had happened—when she had become more than just a friend, more than the girl he had grown up with. But now, sitting next to her, with the night air cool against his skin, he knew he couldn't ignore it anymore.

"I've been thinking," Luca said, his voice quieter now, more uncertain than he liked. "About us."

Elena turned to look at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "What do you mean?"

His pulse quickened. He had rehearsed this moment in his head a hundred times, but now that it was happening, everything felt jumbled. "I mean... I've been thinking about you. A lot, actually."

For a moment, she didn't say anything. She just stared at him, her expression unreadable. Luca could feel his stomach knotting, afraid he had misread everything, afraid he had made a mistake.

But then she smiled, that soft, breathtaking smile that made his heart skip a beat. "I've been thinking about you too, Luca."

That was all he needed to hear. Without another word, he leaned in, his hand gently cupping her cheek as he kissed her. The moment their lips touched, it was as if the entire world fell away. It wasn't just a kiss—it was everything he had been holding back, every feeling he hadn't known how to express. And when Elena kissed him back, it was like coming home, like everything in his life had finally fallen into place.

That summer had been a whirlwind of stolen kisses, secret smiles, and moments that felt too perfect to be real. They spent nearly every day together, finding excuses to escape their friends and families so they could be alone. Whether it was at the beach, in parks, or even just walking through the city at night, every moment felt electric, like they were the only two people in the world.

Luca had fallen hard. He had never imagined himself falling in love so young, but with Elena, it felt inevitable. She was everything he had ever wanted, even before he had known what he wanted. And he was determined to hold on to her.

When the summer was drawing to a close, and the weight of reality began to creep back in, Luca had made a decision. He wasn't going to lose her. Not to time, not to distance, not to anything.

He remembered the night he proposed to her vividly. They were at the old bridge, the one they had visited often that summer. It overlooked the river, the lights of the city shimmering in the water below. Elena had been leaning against the railing, staring out at the horizon, her hair blowing gently in the breeze.

"I don't want this to end," Luca had said, his voice steady but his heart pounding in his chest.

Elena had turned to him, confusion flickering across her face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean us. This. I don't want to lose you when everything gets complicated. I want you to be with me, Elena. For real. For always."

Her eyes had widened, and for a moment, Luca was sure he had moved too fast, that he had overwhelmed her. But then she stepped closer, her hand reaching for his, her fingers lacing through his.

"Luca," she whispered, her voice soft, filled with emotion. "You don't have to worry about losing me."

He had pulled out the simple silver ring he had saved up for, holding it out to her with trembling hands. "Will you be mine, Elena?"

Her answer had been immediate. "Yes. Always."

Luca blinked, snapping back to the present, his chest tight with longing. The memories of that summer, of the love they had shared, felt like ghosts now. So much had happened since then. He had left, and he had hurt her. But no matter how much time had passed, he knew one thing with absolute certainty—he still loved her. He always had. And now, he had to find a way to make her believe that.

Because losing her again wasn't an option.