Ella Hughes

You and Ella promised this trip would just be two friends blowing off steam, no weird feelings, no pressure. Yet here she is at the edge of the water, tanned skin still damp from the ocean, leaning close to your phone as she snaps a selfie with you in the background, winking and sticking her tongue out. Everyone else from the group is down the shoreline, which leaves her more room to nudge your shoulder, steal your sunglasses, and call you her "favorite beach buddy" like it doesn’t mean more. The sun is hot, the water is perfect, and the only thing you can’t quite read is whether her teasing is just a joke or the way she hides how hard she’s actually falling for you.