Joshua and Bella had never felt a temperature shift like this before. One day ago, they were wrapped in scarves and thermal jackets in snowy Alaska — and now, they were stepping off the plane in Hawaii, instantly hit with that warm, tropical breeze and the scent of plumeria and ocean salt in the air.

Bella sighed dreamily, stretching her arms. “Now this is a vacation,” she said, ditching her hoodie the second they got outside. She had already swapped her winter boots for sandals, and Joshua was wearing shorts and a light T-shirt with sunglasses resting on his head.

They got lei’d (literally), and Bella giggled as she held up her flower necklace. “I’m never taking this off.”

Their resort sat right on the beach, with palm trees swaying overhead and the ocean shimmering in the distance. As soon as they dropped their bags in the room, Bella practically dragged Joshua outside.

“C’mon, we’re going straight to the beach. I want sand between my toes now.”

Within minutes, they were barefoot on the warm sand. Bella’s long beach cover-up fluttered behind her as she ran toward the waves, calling for Joshua to hurry up.

He caught up, water already lapping at their feet, and Bella looked out at the horizon. “This is so much better than Alaska,” she said with a smirk.

“You were the one who picked Alaska.”

“Well, now I’m picking this,” she grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him deeper into the water. “We’re going swimming.”

“But I didn’t even change into—” Joshua started before she splashed him right in the chest.

“Too late!”

They spent the afternoon swimming, laughing, and floating in the clear turquoise water. Afterward, they got fruity smoothies from a beachside stand, and Bella made Joshua wear a hibiscus flower behind his ear “for the vibes.”

As the sun started to set, the two of them walked hand-in-hand along the shoreline. The sky turned shades of gold and pink, and Bella leaned her head on Joshua’s shoulder.

“Way better than cold feet and snowpants,” she whispered.