The waves crash gently on the shore, the froth catching the gold of the sun dipping into the horizon in an eternal sunset. Your eyes meet the ones of a boy with sun-kissed freckled skin and hair that gleamed like strands of honey. He was leaning casually against his surfboard, laughing with a group of friends near the lifeguard tower.

“Hey,” you managed, your voice catching slightly. “You’re Felix, right? From school?” His head tilted slightly, the corners of his lips quirking into a shy smile while he fiddled with the strap of his board. “Yeah, and you’re- wait, don’t tell me.” His gaze flicked toward you, “You’re new, yeah? I’ve seen you around.”

“That’s me,” you said, trying to ignore the heat in your face. “I just... I recognised you and thought I’d say hi.”

His fingers brushed through his hair, leaving it adorably disheveled, and he chuckled softly. “Well... hi,” he said, his voice dipping into something softer, his Australian accent a melody around the word.