love leads to mourning.

With her arms wrapped around herself, Rowan can conceal the tremors flowing through her body. She can stand tall and straight, feign an indifference she doesn’t truly feel. But the facade she’s created can only last so long. Digging her fingernails into the flesh of her arms, she prays for the strength to carry on the remainder of this conversation. The last thing she needs is to make a fool of herself and hand-deliver yet another weapon for Helena to use against her.

Rowan stares long enough for it to be considered rude, critical eyes sweeping along Helena’s silhouette as if she were inspecting a machine rather than another person. “Why does it matter to you?” Her voice, though chilly before, grows positively frosty. There’s no reason for Helena to care, so why is she asking? What she does in Star Harbor won’t even affect the other girl. “To be frank, that’s not really any of your business anymore.” A sardonic smile tugs at her lips. “It’s not because of you, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Rowan’s tone is icier than the chill coming off the ocean air. It cuts into her deep, and Helena is more hurt by it than she has any right to be. She has no right to be upset about what Rowan says or does in the face of everything she has said and done, but there’s no helping it. There’s no helping the vicious ache in her heart, or the way it still whispers about the feelings Helena has failed to move on from for the past few years.

@ofstarharbor / @kirkewrites

“I’m so glad you’re home!” Mila engulfs her sister in a warm hug, wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace. It’s surreal, seeing her back in Star Harbor. She knows Anya isn’t meant to stay cooped up in a little town like this, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss her. Technology these days allows for videochatting and phone calls, but neither replaces the joy of seeing Anya face to face.

Mila takes ahold of both her hands and leads her sister to the couch, plopping down onto the cushions and dragging Anya down with her. “I have so much to do before the wedding. I can’t believe it. I’m getting married. Me. I’m walking down the aisle, signing my life away. How’d you let me turn into this? Weren’t you supposed to keep me in check?” 

Even before she got on her flight back home, Anya started bracing herself for all the welcome back extravagance, but now that it’s in full swing, she can’t help but love every second of it. It might be true that she needed to get away, but missing her family was a huge hurdle to overcome. “It’s good to be home! Just don’t tell mom I said that. I missed you!” She returns the hug in full, squeezing tight before letting go.

@ofstarharbor / @kirkewrites

“So this is where you grew up, huh?” Sienna’s eyes are alight with interest as she strolls down the sidewalk leading toward Anya’s childhood home. As a little girl who craved stability, she used to dream of living in a place just like Star Harbor. Now, she can’t imagine trading the chaotic energy of a big city for this quaint, small town life.

“How’s it feel to be back? Are you excited to revisit anything?” Sienna flashes her friend a sly smile. “Maybe you can revisit some ghosts in your past.” She makes an eerie noise and waggles her fingers in a way that vaguely resembles Emperor Palpatine’s force lightning hands. “Are there haunted houses here? Can we Buzzfeed Unsolved this shit up?” 

“It’s a sight and a half, isn’t it?” But her harmless tease toward Star Harbor isn’t completely wrong. Anya has always been able to enjoy the beauty her hometown is teeming with; it’s just the suffocating atmosphere that drove her away. Still, it would be a lie to say that she’s isn’t happy to be back home.

Alessia has perfected the art of persuasion. From her girl-next-door good looks to her sharp witticisms, she’ll employ anything and everything in her arsenal to get what she wants. She’s flipping through her bag of tricks far more quickly than expected, but this man seems particularly hard to pinpoint. Perhaps that’s another thing she likes about him: the fact that he’s a challenge. She knows he’ll need some convincing before he gives her exactly what she needs, but for tonight, she’ll settle for a few minutes of his time.

“I’m sure most of them are too drunk to pick me up right now. I wouldn’t want them driving here.” Alessia tilts her head to the side and offers him an innocent smile. “It’s just one little walk.” She takes one step backward and gives him a little room to breathe. “And if you do end up disliking my company, I won’t hold it against you.” Her gut tells her that she’s chipping away at his hesitation, that he’ll only need a little push before he succumbs to her wishes. “Let’s start over. I’m Alessia.” She holds out a hand for him to shake. “And you are?”

As if rehearsed, she’s got a counter to his every point. Maybe he’s just had too much to drink to make any decent points, but his head is too clouded to give it much deep thought. That, partnered with her close proximity, has him leaning more toward being persuaded than not. Even when she backs up, he finds that his mind is still made. Walking this girl home will keep her safe, and it will keep him from going back into the bar to get another couple drinks he shouldn’t have. “’Course... couldn’t have that.”

“Well, thank you. I appreciate it, Dean. Really.” She ducks her head in a sorry attempt to hide the smile threatening to stretch across the entirety of her face. The giddiness travels through her like a lightning bolt, brilliant and electrifying. But all at once, the smile falters, replaced with an expression of stark concern. She wonders if it’s appropriate to ask him what he means. Has Rachel requested that he stay away from the shop? Or have they been getting along so well that apology bouquets no longer have a function? There’s already a flood of words building within the back of her throat and she fights to keep them from overflowing.

“Oh…” her voice trails off. Evelyn chews on her bottom lip. Though she’s reluctant to ask for information he hasn’t presented freely, her curiosity burns at her insides and pushes her onward. “Does Rachel not like the flowers? I can try another type of arrangement,” she suggests, hastily paints on a smile. It lacks the genuine excitement from just moments earlier, but it’s difficult to conjure up the same energy when she feels like she’s about to fall apart at the seams. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to… overstep. I just figured you should… um, since you’re paying for the flowers, the least I could do is make sure Rachel likes them.”

He has to bite his tongue before he says anything more–like how breathtaking she is. From the first moment he saw her, Evelyn’s been able to stop him in his tracks. She’s gorgeous, the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, and with a personality and soul to match. Not seeing where the two of them could have gone will always go down as one of his biggest mistakes. And even with that looming over their heads, Evelyn has never been anything but incredible to him.

“Okay, deal! We’ll both take credit for what we deserve.” With a decisive nod, she takes another bite out of her banana bread, chewing happily on the baked good. She’s caught off guard by Ruby’s line of questioning and nearly chokes in surprise, but thankfully, she’s able to cover it up with a muted cough. Reaching underneath the counter for her water bottle, she takes a hefty swig while she contemplates her response. The truth is far from compelling—she’s trying to look out for her health and concentrate on eating well—but a little part of her wonders if there’s something more to it.

Setting down her bottle on the counter, Evelyn releases a chuckle. “To be completely honest, it’s just for myself! Doesn’t that sound boring? I don’t even have anyone to be doing it for.” She doesn’t mean to be self-pitying, so she smiles a little brighter. Even though her heart is still set on a certain someone, maybe it’s time to start looking elsewhere. The thought alone prompts an awful little tug at her heartstrings. “It’s not like I have anyone to impress, Ruby! I feel like that’s weird. Is it weird?”

“I can agree to that.” Her grin is a little cheeky before she takes another bite of her cupcake, beyond amused to watch Evelyn’s reaction to her question. Maybe she did hit her mark, or maybe Evelyn is just being modest over Ruby’s playful accusation. It feels like she has been hung up over the same guy for forever, so if there’s possibly someone new in her life, she has to know. Either way, she laughs and licks some frosting off her finger while Evelyn seems to collect herself.

“Is it really considered spoiling if I’m just givin’ her everything she deserves?” he wonders aloud. The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, but Jackson won’t admit it to himself just yet. “Alright, alright. I can’t have my boy cryin’ either. I’ll think of a good name for her if I get t'keep her. But only 'cause I still want that takeout.” He continues on toward the vet’s office that’s right ahead, silently praying for good news as he steps through the doorway. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

The office seems relatively empty today, which he’s grateful for. As much as he already loves this pup, he’s too restless to stay in the waiting room of any sort of doctor’s office. After passing on the puppy to Dean for safekeeping, he walks up to the receptionist and gives her a quick explanation of how he stumbled onto the dog. She takes a few quick notes before requesting that he wait in the seating area until the veterinarian is ready for him. Jackson wanders back toward Dean and releases a quiet huff, reaching over to scratch the puppy’s head. “I’m nervous, man. Feels like I’m on one of those damn shows where you try and figure out who the dad is.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s still spoiling.” He can see it now: Jackson’s place filled to the brim with beds, toys, and treats. This is one little puppy that’s going to have it made if she doesn’t already have an owner, and for his friend’s sake, Dean hopes she doesn’t. “Don’t you worry, I’m not breaking any promises. You’ll get your take out.” And while he might have been joking when he said to name the dog after him, Dean almost can’t wait to hear what Jackson will come up with in reference to him.

Rowan makes no attempt to cover the disdainful scoff that falls from her lips, unable to hide the anger pulsing beneath her skin any longer. Once upon a time, she trusted Helena so blindly that it led to her own ruination. She won’t make the same mistake again by allowing herself to be fooled by pretty words and a prettier face. Still, her body betrays her, vestigial emotions slamming into her like an unforgiving battering ram. It’s a battle between her head and her heart, and she isn’t sure which is winning.

“Right.” Unconsciously, she wraps her arms around herself and narrows her eyes at the girl. Alarm bells ring in her mind and she can’t help but feel a creeping sense of paranoia overwhelm her. Rowan glances around to ensure she hasn’t walked into a trap before she even contemplates staying. “A week or so.” Though most of that week has consisted of unpacking her belongings and hiding away in her room. “Listen, I know how to stay out of your way, Helena. I’m not here to make trouble.”

There’s not a lot of people out there who could say they’ve ruined someone’s life. Not just hindered it, not just set it back or interrupted it, but really ruined it. Rowan had to go as far as to leave town because of what she did. She caught so much backlash over a lie, and Helena doesn’t know how to apologize for that. It’s doubtful that Rowan would even forgive her, but that’s not what she’s looking for. She knows how far past forgiveness she is.

Jackson’s not the type to mind a bit of companionable silence, but he’s always preferred conversation, especially when he’s downed a few drinks. He likes to talk, wouldn’t shut up if he had the chance, and new friends always inspire an unexpected rush of words. People love it or hate it, but thankfully, Rafael doesn’t seem to mind. “They’re real spoiled, man. I swear they’re eatin’ better than any of the other raccoons in our county.” He chuckles at the thought, images of raccoons and fine dining coming to mind.

“Oh, me? Depends who you ask. Some prob'ly think I’m the devil. Most people think I’m some sort of hero, though.” He wipes at his eyes with the back of his hands and smirks, knowing most of his close friends would call him the former. “I run that brewery on the edge of town. That big clunky building. Did you have a beer tonight? If it’s local, I might be responsible for it.” In addition to brewing beer, Jackson’s passion for alcohol has led to an increase of beer and spirits being shipped into the bar. “Just continuin’ the family business, spreadin’ joy at the Farmer’s Market. Shit like that.” He continues to trudge in the direction of home, squinting ahead to avoid walking into any potholes or uneven ground. “How ‘bout you, buddy? What’s your calling?”

Rafael laughs under his breath at the image Jackson’s creating, sure that his less than sober state is only adding to the strangeness. He hates to think that even this is more preferable than returning home to his wife. How’d things get so bad that a walk with a stranger is better than seeing the woman he vowed to spend the rest of his life with? The thoughts are distracting until Jackson answers his question, though Rafael’s slow to respond.

He seems to be taking this all in stride, though she wonders if it’s covering up his true feelings. She’s never been involved with someone longterm (and frankly, she has no plans to ever let someone have such a profound effect on her), but she can’t imagine the breakup being easy on Dean. Either way, there’s a certain finality in the way he speaks that makes her believe him when he tells her it’s the right move. More questions linger at the back of her mind, but she bites her tongue. Alessia is not the most empathetic of people, but even she knows when to stop pushing. Besides, she likes Dean.

“Things are going well. I have a part-time job.” In an effort to respect his recent breakup, she forces herself to maintain polite conversation, though judging by the way he missed her flirtations earlier, anything vaguely scandalous would fly under his radar anyway. “I know. Me? A job? But it’s good. I get to meet a lot of people. The hours are flexible. They let me work around my classes.” Alessia takes another sip of her drink and sets it down, grinning sardonically at Dean. She has no plans to tell him about the nature of her job, but she’s got a handful of lies lined up in case he asks. “My brother told me college was a piece of cake, but he’s a liar. He supposedly balanced two internships, a job, and all his classes. Does that sound like a reasonable schedule to you? ‘Cause it doesn’t sound like one to me.”

As much as he feels confident in his choice being the right call, Dean’s glad that no one’s pressed him too much on it. If someone were to ask him how sure he is that he and Rachel won’t make up for the dozenth time, he wouldn’t be able to answer with certainty. All he knows right now is that he feels like it’s what’s best for both of them, and he’s much happier to listen talk about what’s going on in Alessia’s life rather than his.

Alessia has a bad habit of setting her sights on people she can’t have. She has no qualms about using the full force of her charm to obtain what she wants—and she’s not shy about using her body, if need be. This man is something of a challenge and she’s never been a quitter. Besides, the forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest.

The next few steps place her dangerously close to him, close enough to smell the faint scent of alcohol on his breath. Her smile grows wider. “Is that really necessary? I don’t live too far. It’d take longer for you to call me a cab.” Her voice softens and she switches gears, rearranges her features to look sweeter. More girl-next-door and less girl-trying-to-fuck-the-living-daylights-out-of-him. “I promise I’m good company. You look like you need someone to talk to.”

She continues to limit the space between them, and Rafael’s back digs harder into the brick wall behind him. He should step to the side, get out from underneath her gaze, but he stays put. He doesn’t ask himself why because he doesn’t want to know the answer. Her voice goes from suggestive to soft, and Rafael doesn’t have a clue about what to think or how to handle this.

There’s a pesky lump in her throat, but she swallows it down quickly, hoping the bright smile on her face never wavers. She knows it’s foolish to have any hopes after all this time, that all she’s done is cause herself more pain, but being in Dean’s presence is always a breath of fresh air. Evelyn cherishes his friendship, and she’d rather deal with that pain than not have him in her life at all. That’s something she decided long ago. “Oh, stop. I look like I just rolled out of bed!" 

She brushes away the words before she has a chance to dwell on them, though she longs to fixate, to pull apart his statements and overanalyze. But she knows it’s ridiculous to do so, especially now. "Speaking of the shop, I haven’t seen you come around lately!” A hint of disappointment colors her voice, barely noticeable. Evelyn is used to Dean picking up lush bouquets for Rachel on a semi-regular basis, so she’s surprised they haven’t run into each other. “Have you just been coming around when Ruby’s holding down the fort?”

Dean shoots her a knowing glance, one that asks her who she’s trying to fool. She’s looked beautiful every single time he’s seen her, and as much as he’d like to say so out loud, he swallows the instinct. “Well let me just tell you – I’ve never seen you look anything close to bad. Not once.” He shoots a more friendly smile in her direction, wishing he knew how to act around her better. It would be wrong to say that things between them are complicated. Their friendship has always been so easy, but he can’t help but remind himself how close they were to having a chance at being more than that.

Evelyn can read the disbelief on Ruby’s face so easily that she has to chuckle out loud. She’s not used to taking credit for anything or accepting compliments; all of her life, she’s done things without the expectation of being praised. Ruby’s words, however, send another giddy thrill rushing through her. She’s incredibly proud of what she’s achieved and there’s no one else she’d rather share this moment with. “Regardless, I wouldn’t’ve been able to pull this off without you. If you weren’t here helping with the shop, I’d never have the time to go over and charm Mrs. Foster! So cheer to you, my darling, and thank you for all your help!”

After Ruby selects a cupcake for herself, Evelyn picks up a piece of chocolate banana bread. Immediately, she bites into the sweet, eyes fluttering shut in happiness as she enjoys the little slice of heaven. She’s rendered temporarily speechless at how delicious the treat is and she forces herself not to polish off the entire thing. “Mrs. Foster has some otherworldly powers, I swear. I think she’s the real miracle worker here.” Evelyn sighs happily. “Gosh, how much weight do you think I’ll put on, eating all of these? I was supposed to cut back on carbs!”

“Oh, fine, fine, I’ll take that credit. But nothing else, okay? You’re the one with all the wondrous charm! I’m happy I was able to look after the shop while you worked that magic.” It clearly wasn’t all for nothing, given just how big Evelyn won out when it comes to Mrs. Foster. A Mother’s Day collaboration and a box of sweets just for them all in one day is a feat Ruby knows she’ll never be able to match. But she doesn’t care about that – there’s never been any sort of competition between her and Evelyn. It’s just another reason why she loves working with her; everything is fun, relaxing, and sweet.

The vet’s office isn’t too far of a walk, but nothing in this town’s farther than ten minutes on foot from city hall. That’s the beauty of small town living; having access to everything you could possibly need, only a moment’s away. It’s one of the reasons why he can never see himself leaving, no matter how many times he’s tried to consider it. He loves Star Harbor and all of its eccentric little details almost as much as he loves all the people in it.

He’s silent for a beat, content to hold the pup in his arms as he strolls aside his best friend. No matter what they find out about the little dog in his arms, he’s sure she’ll have a good home to return to. Jackson slows his strides then, glancing at Dean out of the corner of his eyes. “But what you’re sayin’ is she’d be best off with me, right?” Jackson speaks in a serious tone, but it’s obvious he’s  fishing for something that at least resembles a compliment. “If I don’t end up with her, I might cry, Dean. Honest to God. Y'might have to join me at the shelter if that’s the case.” A pause. “And then takeout.” 

“Oh yeah, that’s what I’m saying.” He says it like a joke, but there’s no doubt in Dean’s mind that Jackson will know he’s actually being serious. He’s never met a nicer guy, and any animal in his care is bound to get loved and spoiled for the rest of their life. “‘Course she’ll be better off with you. No one could spoil her better.” But he also trusts that if someone lost this little puppy, they’re probably going out of their minds trying to get her back safe and sound.

The cool, blank expression on her face belies none of the emotions churning in her stomach or the flurry of thoughts swirling in her head. She weighs the pros and cons of each of her potential responses. If she leaves, Helena wins. Helena takes another piece of something else from her, steals the one place that gives her any sort of peace in this godforsaken town. If she stays, she needs to talk. And if she talks, she may say something that reveals the true depths of her feelings for Helena. It’s a lose-lose situation.

Her eyes roam over Helena’s form with practiced nonchalance, never allowing her gaze to linger too long, but even so, a glimpse of the curve of her neck revives a memory that knocks the wind out of her. Rowan takes a step forward and rests the palm of her hand against a nearby rock, strategically turning her head away to compose herself. Mother nature takes pity on her and a gust of wind whips her hair over her shoulders and across her face, giving her a moment of privacy. “I’m back in town for the time being. Don’t worry. I wasn’t stalking you.” She can’t help the bitterness that slips into her words. Rowan faces Helena when she’s ready and shrugs. “I’ll walk on the beach ‘til you’re done with whatever you’re up to, alright?”

Helena gets back to her feet with some urgency, caught between wondering if this is a dream or a nightmare. For years, she’s thought of what she might do or say if she ever saw Rowan again. Most days she convinced herself that it would never happen, that she’d never see her again, and it makes this all the more difficult. She used to practice what she would say to her, how she would apologize, but none of those words come out now. Her heart is too busy drumming echoes in her head, racing at the sight of the girl, the only girl, who has ever inspired such emotion in her.

Jackson cracks a wider smile, taking advantage of the high he’s currently riding. There are some nights when alcohol hits him just right and others when it amplifies all the cracks in his life. The worst days are when he’s lost in some blissful fantasy realm when he’s not alone, when there’s someone in his life, someone to come home to and someone to love. It’s a roll of the dice to drink more than he should. He supposes that’s what he gets for bad decisions.

He peers in the direction the man points to, a little huff of laughter falling from his lips at the realization that they indeed were heading toward the same neighborhood. “Yeah, that’s my stop, somewhere over there. Would ya look at that. We really are neighbors.” He stuffs both hands into the pockets of his worn-out jeans and tilts his head toward their intended destination. “Let’s get goin’. Maybe we’ll come across one o'those giant raccoon pairs stealin’ all the food from our trash. Have you seen ‘em yet? Bigger than my pup, those things.”

Rafael laughs at that much, trying to get his mind off of his home situation for as long as this walk takes. “I think just about every Star Harbor local are neighbors with each other.” At this point, it’s hard to think of anyone as a complete stranger. There are very few faces around here that Rafael isn’t familiar with, though he’s sure he’d have a better time remembering them when he’s a little more sober than he is now.

He’s grateful she’s brushed all of this off and she knows it. For her, his mistake is merely a minor inconvenience, nothing her unlimited cash supply can’t fix. So she smiles when he tells her he can take a break and waits as he purchases a scone from inside the cafe.  When he returns, she takes the scone from his hand and places it in front of her, murmuring a quick ‘thank you’ before breaking off a small section and popping it into her mouth. The scone tastes better than she anticipates and she finds herself happily polishing off another piece as he talks.

The news that he’s broken up with Rachel surprises her, so much so that it shows on her face. “Really?” Her brows raise in apparent shock and a disbelieving chuckle falls from her lips. “I swear, I thought you two were gonna be together forever.” Not necessarily because she thinks they’re a match made in heaven; more because they always seem to find their way back into each other’s lives. If Star Harbor had its own gossip magazine, Dean and Rachel’s breakups and makeups would have made the front cover multiple times throughout the years. “Are you okay?”

Alessia’s shock doesn’t surprise him, given how long he and Rachel were together. Despite their tendency to be a little on and off, everyone he’s mentioned the break up to has given him a similar look, if not one that’s even more surprised. His laugh is short and lacking humor, but there all the same. “Yeah, most people did.” Since high school they have been a staple, always in each other’s lives. It’s going to be weird to move on from her, to find his way without her, but Dean thinks it’s the best thing for them both. Maybe they fit together well when they were younger, but it’s been too long since they have.