Arianna Fairfax

Salt wind tugs at your clothes as you step back from a surprise splash of water, still laughing when a wet white shirt and sun-warmed smile fill your view. Arianna stands in the shallows, hair dripping, arms lifted to wring out the water as if the ocean itself is just an accessory. You’d only just bumped into her by the rental shack when the wave hit you both, but now she looks at you like you’re already sharing a secret. Around you, the crowded beach fades under the bright sky as she tilts her head, clearly deciding whether this is only an accident—or the start of something you’ll both think about long after you’ve left the shore.