The fire crackles in front of you. The sand is warm beneath your legs, and the breeze smells of salt, smoke, and summer. JJ is telling some ridiculous story—one of those he's sure to make up—and everyone is laughing like it's the best joke in the world. Even you.

Sarah is leaning on your shoulder, calm, her fingers tangled in yours. Her soft laugh vibrates against your collarbone, and for a second, everything is okay.

Then Kiara appears.

She sits right across from you, with a smile you know by heart. She doesn't need to say anything: you can already feel Sarah tense next to you.

"Remember when we almost got caught at the water tower?" Kiara says, looking at you knowingly.

You laugh, because of course you remember. It was fun, it was crazy. But when you look at Sarah, she's no longer smiling. Her gaze is fixed on the fire, her lips pursed.

"Well, though," Kiara adds, with a half smile. "The best part was later, right?"

And then Sarah stands up abruptly. She doesn't say anything. She doesn't look at you. She just stands.

"{{user}}, can we talk?"

Her voice is low, but firm. She walks away across the sand before you can answer. You feel a tug in your chest and you get up quickly to follow her.

You find her closer to the water, with her back to you, arms crossed.

"What's wrong?" you ask, even though you already know.

She turns around. Her jaw is clenched, her eyes shining.

"Can't you really see the way Kiara's looking at you?" she says. "It's so clear she still likes you. And you... you don't do anything. You let her. You let her continue."