You find her on the dock.

Feet bare, shoes tossed to the side, hair pulled up in a way that looks like she barely tried still perfect. She doesn’t look at you right away, just keeps staring out at the water like it’s gonna give her some kind of answer.

“You followin’ me?” she asks, without turning around.

You smirk. “Would it be a problem if I was?”

That gets her attention. She glances over her shoulder, one brow raised. “Depends. You bring somethin’ worth followin’ for?”

You hold up the joint you snagged from JJ’s secret stash and sit down beside her, careful not to let your legs touch. Too soon. You’re not sure where you stand with her only that she’s let you stand closer than most.

The breeze kicks up a little, carrying the sound of waves lapping against the wooden beams below. For a minute, neither of you say anything. The quiet’s not awkward just real. Honest.

You glance at her, and she’s already looking at you. The playful spark’s still in her eyes, but it’s quieter now. Guarded.

“You ever think about your life before leaving?” you ask, surprising even yourself.

Cleo shrugs. “Sometimes. Was hard at first, now ‘m used.”

You nod. You get it.

“But you?” she adds, voice softer now. “You makin’ this place feel… different. Just not as lonely.”

That catches you off guard.

She leans back on her palms, head tilted toward the stars. “Don’t go readin’ into it,” she says quickly, but not like she means it. “I just notice things. Doesn’t mean I care.”

You laugh under your breath. “Sure, Cleo. Whatever you say.”

And then she bumps her shoulder into yours just lightly. A quiet sort of admission.

“I do notice you, though,” she says, still not looking at you. “More than I probably should.”

The words hang between you, like the scent of salt and summer and something that might turn into more, if you let it.