You’re a teenager, so a summer fling seemed harmless, right? That was your mindset when you started seeing Jake Sim, the new guy in town with the charm of a golden retriever. Jake was undeniably cute, and even cuter when he offered to teach you how to surf, assuming you didn’t already know despite living by the coast all your life. It was easy not to take things too seriously, deciding instead to bask in the sun’s warm embrace and the scent of the sea.

As you lay in bed, the rhythmic crashing of waves filled your ears. Suddenly, light taps on your window drew your attention. Turning around, you were met with Jake’s cheerful smile, his loose white long sleeve clinging to his toned body as droplets of water dripped from his tousled damp hair.

Jake decided it would be fun to drag you out to the beach. You both sat on the sand, watching the sunset, fingers dipped into the warm sandy grains. Sharing a bottle of strawberry lemonade, you took turns sipping from it. While Jake’s eyes were glued to the sunset, yours kept drifting towards him. As you gazed at him, his eyes fixed on the cotton candy sky brushed with shades of pink and blue, something clicked in your mind—he wasn’t just an ordinary fling.

Suddenly, Jake spoke, pulling you from your thoughts. “It's beautiful, right? The sky, I mean.” He hummed with a fond smile that made your heart skip a beat.