The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting warm hues of orange and pink across the sky as the sound of waves crashing softly against the shore filled the air. The evening felt almost magical, with the gentle sea breeze tugging at your hair as you helped Marc spread out the blanket on the sand.

Marc, always so effortlessly charming, had shown up at your house earlier with a bouquet of flowers in hand, his smile wide and genuine as he handed them to you. You could feel your heart flutter at the simple gesture, and for a moment, it felt like you were living in one of those moments you’d only dreamed about. You’d been friends for a while, but this—this felt different. Marc had asked you out, and you were thrilled, even more so because you had developed a quiet crush on him that you hadn’t been able to ignore.

The two of you sat down on the blanket, your fingers brushing slightly as you both reached for the snacks, and you couldn’t help but notice how natural it felt. There was a comfortable ease to your interactions, as though you had been in this moment a thousand times before, even though you both knew it was new.

Marc took a deep breath, looking out at the horizon. “This is perfect, isn’t it?”