Dual flames

The rest of that summer became a blur.

Daniel was mine, Officially. The word girlfriend still sent a thrill through me every time he said it-and he said it often, usually with that slow smile that made my knees weak.

He didn't hide me anymore.

The morning after the pier, he'd find me on the beach sketching, dropped down beside me in the sand, and kissed me deeply right there in front of everyone. His friends whooped. My mom raised an eyebrow from the deck but didn't look displeased. Even Simon, who'd appeared with coffee for the adults, had paused for a split second before continuing on like nothing had happened.

After that, Daniel was... attentive. In his own way.

He'd pull me onto his lap during bonfires. Hold my hand walking along the shoreline. Text me good-morning selfies from the water, hair dripping, grin wide. He'd sneak into the bunk room late at night after Simon was asleep-tiptoeing down from the attic and crawl into my narrow bottom bunk, wrapping himself around me until we fell asleep tangled together.

We didn't go further than we had on the pier. Not yet. He'd kiss me until we were both

breathless, hands roaming under clothes, teasing but always stopping before it got too far. "Not here," he'd whisper against my neck. "Not like this."

I believed he meant it.

The physical side was intense more than I'd ever experienced. Late-night make-out sessions in hidden corners of the beach house, or out on the sand when everyone else was asleep. His hands knew exactly how to touch me, sliding under my shirt, thumbs brushing over my nipples until I arched against him, biting my lip to stay quiet. I learned the sounds he made when I kissed his neck, the way his breath hitched when I rocked against him.

It was intoxicating. Addictive.

I was in love. Or at least, I was in something that felt like love-big and bright and consuming.

But there were cracks, small ones I tried to ignore.

Like how Daniel only ever touched me when we were alone. Or when his friends weren't around. How he'd pull his hand away if one of them walked up, turning the moment into a joke. How he never posted anything about us online-not a single photo, not even a story. When I asked once shyly, if he wanted to take a picture together, he jokingly declined and I didn't bother to read much meaning to it.

I told myself it was because we were keeping it private. 

Simon watched it all from a distance.

He wasn't rude or didn't avoid me completely. But the easy friendship we'd had for years had shifted into something careful, like we were strangers sharing a room.

He'd ask how my day was. Pass me the sunscreen without being asked but the late-night talks were gone or the inside jokes.

Now, when Daniel pulled me away for another walk, Simon's eyes would follow us for a second too long before he looked away. I missed him. But I was too wrapped up in Daniel to do anything about it.

I was alone on the deck, sketching the cove while everyone else was inside napping off lunch. My phone rang-Stephanie's name lighting up the screen.

I answered immediately, grinning. "Steph!"

"Oh my God, finally," she said, voice bright but a little sharp around the edges. "I've been dying for details. Your texts have been so cryptic. What's going on down there?".

I haven't been able to communicate with her for a while now.

I bit my lip, excitement bubbling over. "Okay, you're not going to believe this. Daniel asked me out. Like, officially... I'm his girlfriend now."

Silence for a beat.

Then. "Wait... seriously? Daniel Williams?"

"Yes!" I laughed, hugging my knees to my chest. "It happened a few nights ago. He asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes, and it's been... amazing. He's so sweet, Steph. It's a dream come true. 

Another pause.

"Wow," she said finally, her tone high and enthusiastic but I knew her well enough to hear the strain underneath. "That's... huge. I mean, you've only been crushing on him since, what, forever?"

"Pretty much." I couldn't stop smiling. "It feels unreal. Like all those years of waiting finally paid off."

"Yeah," she said, laughing a little too loudly. "I bet. God, I can't even imagine. Daniel Williams finally noticing you. That's like... every girl's dream down there, right?"

I hesitated. "I guess?"

"Oh, come on, you know it is. He's always had girls chasing him. And now he picked you." Her voice dipped slightly. "Lucky." she hesitated 

But she recovered fast. "I'm happy for you, Lis. Really. You deserve this. It's like a movie."

"Thanks, Steph." I softened. "It really does feel like that."

"So... details. Is he a good kisser? Has he said he loves you yet? Tell me everything."

I spilled it all-the midnight pier confession, the way he couldn't keep his hands off me, the boat day, the late-night cuddles. I left out the parts where he stopped us from going further; those felt too private.

Stephanie made all the right noises-gasps, squeals, "no way!" but every so often there was a beat too long before she responded.

At the end, "Well, congrats, babe. You got the golden boy. Just... don't let it go to your head, okay? Some of us are still waiting for our turn."she laughed 

I laughed, thinking she was joking. "Your turn will come."

"Yeah," she said lightly. "Sure."

We talked a little longer about her summer job, about mutual friends back home but the energy had shifted. When we hung up, I felt a tiny pang of unease.

But I brushed it off.

Stephanie was my best friend. She was happy for me.

She had to be.

I was there for a while until I felt a hand wrapped around me.

"Hey, what are you doing here all alone?" He kissed me on my shoulders.

"Nothing. The weather is so nice today". 

"You want to go surfing with me?". Without thinking twice, I nodded my head happily.

He took me out on his surfboard.

Just the two of us. He paddled us past the break, into deeper water where the waves were gentle swells instead of crashes. I sat in front of him, legs in the water, his arms around me as he balanced us.

"This is my favorite place," he said into my ear. "Out here, everything else disappears."

I leaned back against his chest. "It's perfect."

He kissed my temple. "You're perfect."

We stayed out there for hours letting the ocean rock us.

When we finally paddled back in, the sun was low.

Later that night, Daniel snuck into my bunk again.

We made out until I was dizzy and he stopped immediately.

"Hey," he whispered, pulling back. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

I nodded, grateful. "I know. I just... not yet."

He smiled, kissing my forehead. "Whenever you're ready. No rush."

I believed him. He stayed with me till the next day. I woke up to find him gone, back to the attic before anyone noticed. I picked up my phone to check for new messages and there was a new text from him.

You're the best part of this summer.

I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt.

After breakfast,I went to the deck which has now become my favorite place to sketch. my phone buzzed again, Not Daniel this time.

It was from Jake, the boy from art class back home. Jack and I weren't really close but we share the same view and we talk sometimes.

Hey. Heard you're at the beach all summer. Having fun?

I smiled, typing back a quick reply.

Yeah, it's been amazing. How's your summer going?

We chatted for a bit, nothing flirty, just catching up. He sent a photo of a new painting he was working on and I sent one of the sunsets I'd sketched the night before.

It felt normal, like having a friend who understood the art side of me.

I didn't notice Daniel was behind me,  glancing through my phone.

"Who's that?"

I looked back in shock "Oh, I didn't know you were there. It Jake, from school."

He nodded, but his jaw tightened slightly. 

"He's just showing me a painting he's working on."

Daniel sat down beside me, arm around my shoulders. "Cool."

But he pulled me closer than usual. Kissed my neck in a way that felt... possessive.

I laughed, pushing him away playfully. "People are around."

He grinned. "So? ...."You talk to him a lot?"

"Not really. Just today."

He nodded, staring out at the water. "You don't need to, you know.... Talk to other guys."

I frowned. "It was just about art."

"I know." He turned to me, expression serious. "I just... I don't share well, Lis. You're mine now."

The words should have thrilled me.

They did, mostly.

But there was something in his tone-something sharp underneath-that made me pause.

I pushed it down.

He kissed me then, deep and claiming, and I let myself get lost in it.

When I got back to the bunk room that night, Simon was awake again.

Sitting on the edge of his bunk, guitar in his lap but not playing.

"You're out late," he said quietly.

I hesitated in the doorway. "Yeah. With Daniel."

He nodded, he Didn't look up.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

Long pause. Then "You happy?"

The question caught me off guard.

"Yeah," I said. "Really happy."

He strummed a single chord-low, mournful.

"Good," he said. "That's... good."

But when he finally lay down, his back to me, I heard him sigh. I ignored, curled up in my bunk, replaying Daniel's kisses  and his words.

You're mine now.

I smiled into my pillow and closed my eyes to sleep.