Chapter 1 : Home For The Summer
1512 Words
The bus rolled into Paraty just as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon.
Sofia Almeida sat by the window, her headphones resting around her neck as she watched familiar streets come into view. The town looked exactly as she remembered and completely different at the same time.
Colorful colonial buildings lined the cobblestone roads.
Palm trees swayed lazily in the warm summer breeze.
The ocean sparkled beneath the golden sunlight.
Home.
The word felt strange now.
For four years, São Paulo had been her world. Its crowded streets, endless traffic, recording studios, tiny apartments, and sleepless nights had become her reality.
Paraty had become a memory.
A beautiful one.
But still a memory.
As the bus came to a stop, Sofia took a deep breath.
Her heart raced.
She told herself it was because she hadn't been home in almost a year.
She told herself it had nothing to do with Gabriel Costa.
The lie lasted approximately three seconds.
The moment she stepped off the bus, she found herself searching the crowd.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
Tall frame.
Nothing.
Disappointment settled inside her before she could stop it.
"SOFIA!"
A familiar voice cut through the noise.
Her younger sister came sprinting across the station.
"Luiza!"
The girls collided in a fierce hug.
"You got prettier," Luiza declared.
Sofia laughed.
"Hello to you too."
"I'm serious!"
"You say that every year."
"Because it's true every year."
Sofia shook her head, smiling despite herself.
Seeing her sister again instantly made the distance of the past months disappear.
The drive home was filled with laughter.
Luiza updated her on everything.
Who got engaged.
Who broke up.
Who started dating.
Who embarrassed themselves at the town festival.
Sofia listened happily, grateful for something normal after months of pressure and expectations.
Her music career had finally started gaining attention.
A producer in São Paulo had become interested in her work.
Several songs she'd written were being considered for major projects.
It was exciting.
Terrifying.
And exhausting.
Coming home felt like finally being allowed to breathe.
They stopped at a traffic light near the waterfront.
Sofia glanced toward the ocean.
And her breath caught.
There, near the marina, was a familiar boat.
Costa Tours.
Gabriel's family business.
The sight hit her harder than expected.
Because it wasn't just a boat.
It was a reminder.
A reminder of everything she'd left behind.
Luiza noticed immediately.
"You still think about him."
Sofia looked away.
"That's none of your business."
"That wasn't a no."
"Luiza."
"I'm just saying."
Sofia groaned.
Her sister laughed.
"You know he still lives here."
The words made her stomach tighten.
She knew.
Of course she knew.
Social media made sure of that.
Sometimes she'd accidentally come across photos.
Pictures of Gabriel smiling with tourists.
Pictures of him fishing.
Pictures of him with friends.
Pictures that made it look like life had continued without her.
Which, of course, it had.
And somehow that fact hurt.
The rest of the drive passed quickly.
When they arrived home, Sofia barely had time to set down her suitcase before her mother wrapped her in a hug.
Tears were involved.
As always.
"Dinner is almost ready," her mother announced.
"You just got here."
"And?"
"You've already started crying."
"I missed my daughter."
Sofia laughed.
The house felt exactly the same.
The same photographs.
The same furniture.
The same scent of fresh coffee lingering in the air.
It felt like stepping backward in time.
For the first time in months, she wasn't Sofia Almeida, the aspiring musician.
She wasn't a performer.
She wasn't someone's future investment.
She wasn't chasing deadlines.
She was simply Sofia.
A daughter.
A sister.
A girl from Paraty.
The realization brought unexpected comfort.
That evening, her family gathered around the dinner table.
Stories were exchanged.
Questions were asked.
Her father proudly told everyone about a fish he'd caught that was apparently the size of a shark.
Nobody believed him.
Especially Sofia.
By the time dinner ended, the sky outside had turned dark.
Music drifted from nearby restaurants.
The warm summer air floated through open windows.
Everything felt peaceful.
Yet Sofia couldn't stop thinking about the marina.
About the boat.
About Gabriel.
Around ten o'clock, she quietly slipped out of the house.
No destination.
No plan.
Just a need to walk.
The streets were alive despite the late hour.
Tourists wandered through the historic center.
Couples strolled hand in hand.
Live music echoed from beachside bars.
Paraty always came alive during summer.
Sofia followed familiar roads without thinking.
Past old shops.
Past the church.
Past places filled with memories.
Eventually she reached the beach.
Moonlight shimmered across the water.
The tide rolled gently onto the shore.
For a moment she simply stood there.
Listening.
Breathing.
Remembering.
The ocean had always been her favorite thing about home.
No matter how far away she traveled, nothing compared to this.
A cool breeze lifted her hair.
She closed her eyes.
And that's when she heard footsteps.
Slow.
Steady.
Approaching from behind.
Something inside her instantly knew.
Before she turned.
Before she saw him.
Her heart knew.
Gabriel.
She opened her eyes.
Slowly.
Then turned around.
And there he was.
Standing only a few meters away.
For a moment neither moved.
The world seemed to disappear.
Four years.
Four years of distance.
Four years of missed birthdays.
Missed holidays.
Missed opportunities to say things they never said.
Yet somehow he still looked familiar.
Older.
Broader shoulders.
More confident.
But unmistakably Gabriel.
His dark hair was slightly longer than she remembered.
His green eyes reflected the moonlight.
And for one impossible second, Sofia felt eighteen again.
Standing on the pier.
Watching him smile.
Falling in love.
Neither spoke.
Neither seemed capable of it.
Finally Gabriel broke the silence.
"You came back."
His voice was deeper now.
Richer.
The sound alone sent memories rushing through her.
Sofia forced herself to smile.
"Looks like it."
A small laugh escaped him.
The tension eased slightly.
But only slightly.
Because there was still too much history standing between them.
Gabriel shoved his hands into his pockets.
"When did you get here?"
"This afternoon."
"And you're already sneaking out."
"I needed fresh air."
He nodded.
"Still hate sitting still."
She smiled.
"Still know me too well."
Their eyes met.
And suddenly the years between them didn't feel so distant.
That scared her.
Because she had spent years convincing herself she was over him.
Years convincing herself that what they'd had belonged in the past.
Yet standing here now, she wasn't so sure.
Gabriel looked toward the ocean.
"The town's happy you're back."
"The town knows?"
"Sofia."
He laughed softly.
"Everyone knows everything here."
"Right."
Some things never changed.
A comfortable silence settled between them.
The kind they used to share effortlessly.
The kind she'd missed more than she cared to admit.
Finally Gabriel spoke again.
"How's São Paulo?"
The question seemed simple.
But Sofia knew what he was really asking.
How's your dream?
Was leaving worth it?
Are you happy?
She stared out at the water.
"It's busy."
"That's not an answer."
"It is if you know São Paulo."
Gabriel smiled.
The sight made her heart ache.
Because she'd forgotten how much she loved his smile.
The way it appeared slowly.
The way it transformed his entire face.
The way it always made her feel safe.
Dangerous thoughts.
Very dangerous thoughts.
"So," Gabriel said.
"You're becoming famous now?"
Sofia laughed.
"Definitely not."
"I heard your song on the radio."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
He shrugged.
"It played while I was driving."
A blush crept across her cheeks.
"That's embarrassing."
"You wrote it."
"Exactly."
Gabriel laughed.
The sound felt familiar.
Comforting.
Home.
And that realization frightened her more than anything.
Because she wasn't supposed to feel this way anymore.
She wasn't supposed to miss him.
Wasn't supposed to wonder what might have happened if she'd stayed.
Yet here she was.
Doing exactly that.
The waves crashed softly against the shore.
Somewhere in town, music drifted through the night.
The air smelled like salt and summer.
It felt like the beginning of something.
Or maybe the return of something unfinished.
Gabriel glanced at her.
"How long are you staying?"
There it was.
The question she'd been avoiding.
Sofia looked down.
"Just the summer."
Something flickered across his face.
Gone almost immediately.
But she saw it.
Disappointment.
Maybe even hurt.
He nodded slowly.
"Right."
The single word felt heavier than it should have.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Finally Gabriel forced a smile.
"Well."
"What?"
"Summer's a long time."
Sofia smiled back.
For the first time that evening, it felt genuine.
Maybe because she realized something important.
Coming home wasn't going to be simple.
It wasn't going to be relaxing.
And it definitely wasn't going to be easy.
Because Gabriel Costa was still here.
Still smiling.
Still looking at her the way nobody else ever had.
And despite everything that had happened...
A small part of her heart had never stopped belonging to him.
Neither of them knew it yet.
But this summer was about to change everything.
Again.
- Writer
