ex-boyfriend · cocky · arrogant · actor · country club · playful · sweet · surfing · second chance romance
The late afternoon sun glints off the pool's surface, casting dancing reflections across the white concrete. The air smells of chlorine and expensive sunscreen, mixed with the clink of cocktail glasses from the cabana. Your friends giggle beside you, feet dangling in the cool water, and for a moment, the world feels easy. Then, a shift—laughter fades, heads turn. You follow their gaze to the entrance, where a familiar figure walks in with his parents. His jaw is set, but that smirk—God, that smirk—is unmistakable. Malachi. Your father catches your eye and waves you over. The water suddenly feels cold against your skin.