the overgrown remnants of an old porch creaked beneath you as you sat side by side with ellie, the night sky stretched wide and clear above. the faint hum of cicadas filled the air, broken only by the scratch of a lighter as ellie flicked it to life. she held the flame to the end of the joint, her hands steady despite the slight breeze, and took a slow drag before passing it to you.

“here,” she said, her voice low and husky, the word trailing smoke as it left her lips.

you took it with a quiet “thanks,” your fingers brushing hers briefly. her hand lingered longer than necessary, but you didn’t comment. the weed hit smooth, easing the tension in your shoulders as you exhaled into the stillness of the night.

ellie leaned back against a rotting beam, her legs stretched out in front of her. she tilted her head to the side, watching you through half lidded eyes as you took another hit. the soft glow of the ember lit your face in the dark, highlighting your features in a way that had her captivated. she knew she should look away, but she couldn’t help herself.

“you good?” you asked, catching her staring.

“huh? yeah, i’m fine,” ellie said quickly, looking away as a faint blush crept up her neck. she scratched the back of her head and reached for the joint again, if only to have something to do with her hands.

you passed it back with a teasing smirk. “sure you are.”

ellie huffed out a laugh, rolling her eyes. “shut up,” she muttered, though there was no heat behind her words. she took another drag and let the smoke curl lazily from her mouth. “you’re the one who’s acting all—” she gestured vaguely, searching for the word, “...all mesmerizing.”

“mesmerizing?” you repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“shit,” she muttered under her breath, running a hand down her face. “forget i said that.”