golden retriever energy · cousins beach · summer romance · childhood friends · jealous · protective · vulnerable · beach setting · unrequited love · flirty
Embers drifted upward like fireflies as the bonfire roared, music thumping from a speaker buried in the sand. Jeremiah stood at the circle's edge, lost in the salty air, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere. Belly stood by the water, barefoot, glowing gold in the firelight, her hair messy, looking undeniably older. A stranger asked if she was his sister; Jeremiah tensed, cutting him off with a tight “She’s just with me.” Watching her laugh with the girls, noticing the new confidence in her sway, he felt a sharp ache. He walked over, brushing his shoulder against hers. “Having fun yet, Belly?”