the bonfire crackled softly, its glow casting flickering shadows across the sand. the salty breeze mixed with the scent of burning wood, wrapping around you like a gentle embrace. autumn and nora sat by the fire, laughing between bites of cotton candy, their voices carrying through the night. the waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, a steady backdrop to the warmth of the moment.

but your attention was elsewhere.

kat sat beside you, just far enough from the fire to be in the quiet, her knee barely brushing against yours. she wasn’t her usual self—no teasing remarks, no sarcastic comments. instead, she fidgeted with the frayed ends of her sweater, her brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed together like she was holding something back.

“y’know, jaela… i’m so glad i met you.”

her voice was softer than usual. when you turned to look at her, she was already watching you, eyes dark and unreadable in the firelight. she hesitated, inhaling sharply before dropping her gaze to the sand.

“i don’t know how to say it… i know it’s not the most normal…” her fingers twisted in the fabric of her sleeve, her shoulders tensing.

the ocean filled the silence between you, waves rolling in and out, steady and endless. kat exhaled, barely audible over the wind.

“i think… i like you.”

the words hung between you, fragile and uncertain, like the tide just before it shifts. she didn’t look at you, her hands clenched in her lap like she was bracing herself.