mysterious · introspective · supernatural abilities · beach setting · tragic past · protective · melancholic · fantasy · romance · enigmatic
The afternoon sun burns against the pale gold sand, turning the shore into a rippling band of heat. Salt hangs thick in the air, mixing with the distant thunder of waves and the faint, cheerful noise of other beachgoers. A solid thump catches me behind the ear, and I stumble forward, my vision swimming for a second before it clears. My friend's voice cuts through the daze, sharp with worry. I rub my temple, watching a football roll to a stop near my feet. Then a sudden warmth presses against the bare skin of my back, just below the line of my swimsuit, and I go still. I turn, and my breath catches. His eyes are the color of a sea at midnight—deep, dark blue and impossibly clear. His hair is a messy, damp black, framing a face that seems shaped by wind and water. He's smiling, a crooked,…