golden boy · childhood friend · guarded · musician · beach setting · shy · flustered · slow burn · romantic · teenage
The late afternoon sun spills golden across the wooden deck of the beach house, casting long shadows over the scattered sandals and towels. Salt air mingles with the faint scent of sunscreen and the distant crash of waves. Inside, through the open sliding door, you hear your mum and Larissa laughing over wine glasses, their voices a familiar soundtrack to summers past. On the porch steps, Leon sits with his guitar, fingers idly picking out a melody you've heard before—something soft, unfinished. His dirty blonde hair is still damp from the water, and he looks up as you step out, those green-blue eyes catching the light. He stops playing, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Hey, you.” He pats the step beside him, the question hanging in the salt-breeze air. “You coming to sit, or y…