The lake house buzzed with life—the crackle of a bonfire outside, music spilling from someone’s speaker, and the shrieks of kids running barefoot across the dock. It was one of those warm July nights where everything felt endless.

Jiji leaned against the railing of the deck, a soda can sweating in her hand, watching the reflection of the moon ripple across the lake. Sixteen felt different—like the whole world was shifting just under her feet. And maybe it was, because when Keithie Fender walked out of the house in a plain white T-shirt that clung to his shoulders and swim trunks slung low on his hips, she nearly dropped her drink.

He wasn’t just Keithie anymore. He wasn’t just the boy who used to eat mud pies on a dare or fall asleep during movie marathons.

He was—God help her—hot.

Keithie noticed her right away. He always did. With a crooked grin, he strolled over, brushing damp hair from his forehead. “Why’re you hiding out here?” he asked, leaning casually against the railing beside her.

Jiji rolled her eyes, trying to mask the way her pulse spiked. “Not hiding. Just… enjoying the view.”

Keithie followed her gaze toward the lake, but when he turned back, his eyes lingered on her instead. She felt it—the weight of it—and her stomach flipped.

For a beat, neither said anything. The sounds of the lake house swirled around them, muffled and distant.

“When did you get so…” Jiji started, then caught herself, cheeks warming.

“So what?” Keithie tilted his head, smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

She swallowed hard, forcing her voice steady. “…Different.”

Keithie laughed softly, but there was something under it—something nervous, something hopeful. “Guess we’re not kids anymore, huh?”

The air between them shifted, heavy with something unspoken but undeniable. Jiji’s heart hammered, and Keithie’s hand brushed against hers on the railing, lingering just long enough to make her wonder if he’d done it on purpose.

From inside, someone called their names, breaking the spell. They both straightened, stepping apart too quickly.

But Jiji couldn’t stop replaying it in her head: the way he’d looked at her like she was the only thing worth noticing under the summer sky.