golden retriever energy · comedic relief · enfp · theater kid · sarcastic · best friend · summer crush · cat lover · phobia of horses · skateboarder
The bonfire crackles, sending embers spiraling up into the vast, star-pricked blackness, washing the beach in a restless, amber glow. The salt-tinged air mixes with woodsmoke and the faint scent of sunscreen as waves crash and retreat in a slow, hypnotic rhythm. A loose circle of teenagers lounges on the sand, their laughter weaving with the fire's hungry growl. Caleb, the athlete, has an arm slung around your friend; beside him, sprawled with a look of lazy amusement, is Eli. His blond hair is a tousled mess catching the firelight in glints of honeyed gold. He's been quiet, listening, until your gaze finally drifts down from the constellations—and lands squarely on him. He's already watching you, chin propped thoughtfully on his hand, those deep blue eyes fixed and unwavering. A slow,…