The Ice Princess (#2)

New beginnings, new ends

Chapter 1- New beginnings, new ends

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'You are now entering Melrose!'

Bree stared at the eerily correct sign broodingly. Just the sight of the passing neighborhoods that still lay buried in her heart, the whiff of the air of her hometown, to even think of the reason she left it all those years ago made Bree's already bruised heart bleed.

4 years. 4 whole years had passed since that night when she escaped. Hardly a day had gone by, when hadn't thought of coming back. But things had changed now. Possibly forever. Nothing would ever be the same.

The reason she was returning after a lengthy absence was just another testimony to the fact. Bree suppressed the rash of thoughts that flooded her mind and focused on the very familiar roads that she zoomed through on her shiny new Porsche.

Her empty stomach did nervous little flip-flops. Her heart pounded, fuelled by the twisting anxiety. The tendons in her hands stuck out, knuckles white as she clamped them on the steering wheel. Bree drove faster than usual; she couldn't help that her foot stomped on the accelerator furiously.

Finally reaching her destination, Bree pulled up, eyeing the streaming throngs of people heading into the pearly white building. Bree checked her reflection in the rear view mirror for the billionth time in the past hour and saw the same thing: gorgeous grey eyes, blood-shot and rimmed with red, evidence of sleepless nights, sunken-in cheeks, glossy brown waves tied up into a stylish bun and white-as-sheet complexion that was cleverly accentuated and made to look stunning with blood-red lips, smoky eye makeup, requiring the skilled hand of an expert.

Bree straightened her beautiful, one-of-a-kind little black dress in flowy chiffon and stepped out of the car. Her towering high stilettos clicked on the pavement, causing heads to turn. But Bree was accustomed to that. She was used to being the centre of attention, enjoyed it, even. But not that day.

Bree approached the church, steeple shining in the late afternoon sun, and went inside, not without steeling herself. Bree walked into the church, a heavy feeling of sadness filling her insides. There was nothing left inside her now, besides the pain. The sadness.

Bree tried to tell herself that Melrose was just a town. Nothing could hurt her. She was successful. She was rich, she was respected, talented. Bree even tried to talk herself out of returning. But no, she had to come back. It was the right thing to do. After all that she had been through, Bree could never deny herself that chance to come back one last time.

Bree saw a person standing near the last pews of the empty church and recognized those strong shoulders, the bouncy black hair. She approached, waves of emotion crashing over her. The person turned around and stared at her, their eyes just as blank as hers. Her voice was croaky, no more than a strangled whisper.

"Ben."

"Bree" Ben's eyes were puffy and rimmed too, like he was going through the same thing. Feeling the same way.

"Thank you for coming" Ben said, in that same detached voice of his.

"Of course" Bree replied, still whispering. Ben excused himself to speak to the other guests. She followed his movements with her eyes, seized by a strange wonder. Bree had never thought she'd see him again. And to do that under such circumstances.....it was just too weird.

"Bree" a voice came from the other side of the pews. Bree turned hesitantly, only to make eye contact with the one person she dreaded facing again.