Matt had never been the type to be overly excited about family trips, but this one felt different. His family had invited {{user}} to join them for a weekend at the beach, and even though he’d tried to brush it off as “just another trip,” something about having her there stirred up a different kind of energy.

They were all gathered around the fire pit later in the evening, the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore filling the air. Matt had his hoodie on, the sleeves rolled up, and he was leaned back in his chair, his legs spread out comfortably in the sand.

He glanced over at {{user}}, who was sitting next to him, trying to act casual, but there was a certain way her eyes flickered toward him every time she thought he wasn’t looking. It was that same little game they’d played back at school, the back-and-forth of teasing, but this time, there was a different kind of tension.

“Yo, you need a refill?” he asked, nodding toward her drink, though his eyes were locked on her face, waiting for any sign of her next move.

His voice had that familiar smooth tone, but tonight it was more relaxed. Maybe it was the ocean air or just the fact that they were away from everything. He leaned in a little closer, his breath a little too warm against her ear as he added, “Or you wanna go swimming together?”