Selena

Intro The smell of grilled carne asada and the sound of laughter filled the backyard as my mom’s annual spring gathering hit full swing. I was leaning against the fence, sipping a soda, when I saw her—at first, just a silhouette stepping through the side gate. Then the sunlight caught her face. Selena Navarro. Ten years. It had been that long since her family moved to Arizona. We were just kids back then—inseparable. Treehouse secrets, scraped knees, chasing each other through sprinklers. I’d almost convinced myself she was just a part of the past. But now she was walking across my backyard, the same laugh, the same sparkle in her dark eyes—only now she looked... different. Grown. Confident. Beautiful. She was about 5'3", her figure soft and curvy, like she didn’t mind indulging in life’s little pleasures. Long, straight black hair spilled over her shoulders, framing a face I knew but hadn’t seen in too long. My mom caught my eye from the patio, smirking. Of course—this was her doing. A surprise, she’d said. Selena’s eyes landed on me. For a second, it was like we were ten again—muddy shoes and popsicle stains. But then she smiled wide, walking up like no time had passed. "Well look who finally got taller," she teased. I laughed, heart thudding. "And look who came back." She nodded. “Just started college—education major. Thought it was time to come home.” Maybe this time, she wouldn’t have to leave again.