UNCOMPLETE LOVE

Lena sat on the edge of the lake, her arms wrapped around her knees as she watched the water ripple under the soft afternoon sun. The sky was painted in hues of gold and blue, the reflection shimmering like an unspoken promise. She had been here before, years ago, with Ethan. Back then, their love had felt limitless—like the very air she breathed. Now, it felt different. Not necessarily weaker, but more fragile, as though one wrong step could shatter everything they had tried to rebuild.

Ethan stood a few feet behind her, silent, watching her carefully. He knew this place meant something to her, to them. And yet, he wasn't sure if it was bringing back good memories or painful ones.

Finally, Lena spoke. "Why did you bring me here?"

Ethan took a deep breath before answering. "Because I needed us to come full circle. To remember what this place meant to us. And to see if we can create something new from it."

She turned to look at him, her expression unreadable. "And what if we can't?"

Ethan's jaw tensed, but he refused to shy away from the question. "Then at least we tried," he said quietly. "At least we didn't run from it."

Lena sighed and turned back to the water. It wasn't that she doubted Ethan's sincerity. It wasn't even that she didn't love him anymore. It was that love alone had never been enough.

---

A Moment of Reflection

As the breeze played with her hair, Lena let herself remember.

The first time Ethan had taken her here, they had talked for hours—about their dreams, their fears, the things that made them feel alive. He had told her about his mother, the way she had loved and lost, the way she had taught him that love was both the most beautiful and the most terrifying thing in the world.

Back then, Lena had believed that their love was different. That no matter what happened, they would always find their way back to each other. But time had tested them in ways they hadn't expected.

Now, sitting here again, she had to ask herself—was she ready to believe in them again?

Ethan sat down beside her, careful not to touch her, as though he understood that she needed space.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said," he admitted. "About trust. About fear."

Lena glanced at him. "And?"

"And I realized that maybe I was asking for too much," he said, his voice steady. "Maybe asking you to trust me completely again isn't fair. Maybe what I should be asking is if you're willing to trust me enough to try."

Lena exhaled, the weight of his words settling over her. It wasn't a grand declaration. It wasn't a plea. It was a simple question—one she wasn't sure she had an answer to.

---

The Unexpected Visitor

Before she could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention. Lena turned, surprised to see a familiar figure walking toward them.

Sarah.

Ethan's ex.

Lena stiffened immediately, her heart pounding. What was she doing here?

Ethan stood up, his expression hardening. "Sarah?"

Sarah stopped a few feet away, her gaze flickering between them. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Lena felt her stomach twist. She hadn't seen Sarah in years, but the memories of everything that had happened between them were still fresh.

Sarah looked at Ethan, her expression unreadable. "Can we talk? Alone?"

Lena tensed, waiting for Ethan's response.

He hesitated for only a moment before shaking his head. "If you have something to say, you can say it in front of Lena."

Sarah let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Still the same Ethan," she murmured. Then, turning her attention to Lena, she said, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just… I wanted to apologize."

Lena blinked, caught off guard. "Apologize?"

Sarah nodded. "For everything. For the way things ended between me and Ethan. For the way I treated you. For the things I said."

Lena wasn't sure how to respond. The last time she had seen Sarah, it had been a disaster—a confrontation filled with accusations and resentment. And now, here she was, offering an apology.

"I've spent a long time trying to figure out who I was back then," Sarah continued. "And I realized that I was just as much to blame for what happened between Ethan and me. I let my own fears and insecurities turn into something toxic. And I took it out on both of you."

Ethan crossed his arms, his jaw clenched. "Why now, Sarah?"

Sarah sighed. "Because I needed closure. And I think you do, too." She looked at Lena. "I know you probably don't trust me. And I don't expect you to. But I wanted you to hear it from me—I don't blame Ethan anymore. And I don't want to be the shadow hanging over whatever it is you two are trying to rebuild."

Lena felt an unexpected wave of emotion rise in her chest. She had spent so long resenting Sarah, believing that she had been the root of Ethan's mistakes. But now, faced with the reality of who she was now, she wasn't sure what to feel.

After a long silence, Lena finally spoke. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For saying that."

Sarah offered a small, sad smile. "I hope you two find what you're looking for," she said before turning and walking away.

---

A New Beginning

Ethan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Well… I didn't see that coming."

Lena chuckled dryly. "Neither did I."

They sat in silence for a moment before Ethan turned to her. "Are you okay?"

Lena took a deep breath. "Yeah. I think so." And surprisingly, she meant it.

For years, she had carried around the weight of what had happened between Ethan and Sarah, letting it fuel her fears. But now, that weight felt just a little bit lighter.

Ethan hesitated before reaching for her hand. "Lena, I meant what I said earlier. I don't expect everything to be perfect between us. But I'm here. And I want to keep being here."

Lena looked down at their intertwined fingers, the warmth of his touch grounding her.

Maybe love wasn't about having all the answers. Maybe it was about being willing to ask the questions, even when they were hard.

She met his gaze, her heart steady. "Okay," she said softly. "Let's try."

Ethan's smile was slow, cautious—but full of hope. "Yeah?"

Lena nodded. "Yeah."

As they sat together by the lake, the sun beginning to set, Lena felt something shift inside her.

Maybe they were still standing on fragile ground. Maybe the past would always linger in some way.

But for the first time in a long time, she wasn't afraid of falling.

She was ready to take the next step.

Together.