Summer Sunset Swipe

The beach bonfire crackled, sending sparks spiraling toward the stars. My hair was a mess—saltwater waves gone wrong—and I kept patting it down like that would magically make me look cooler.

Marcus held court by the coolers, orange slice in hand like it was the most casual thing in the world. "Bro, you should've seen it," he laughed, gesturing with his fruit. "Threw a baseball at this punk's car yesterday and—"

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled out my iPhone, heart doing that stupid flutter thing it always did when *she* texted back.

Skye: "Where r u?"

Skye. With her midnight blue eyes and that laugh that made everything feel easy. I'd been crushing on her since freshman year, and tonight, Marcus's beach party was finally my chance to actually talk to her without stuttering.

"You're not even listening," Marcus bumped my shoulder. "I said, you down for volleyball or what?"

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled, typing: "By the coolers. U?"

But then—disaster. Some kid tripped over a log near the bonfire, knocking a cooler sideways. Ice cubes and bottles went everywhere. Including someone's sports drink that splashed directly onto my favorite jeans.

"Dude, you good?" Marcus asked, barely holding back laughter.

I froze. This was it. The ultimate L. I was about to be that kid—the one with sports drink pants at the biggest party of summer.

Then I saw her. Skye, pushing through the crowd toward me, holding out a perfectly folded navy towel.

"Here," she said, and her smile was actual sunshine. "Happened to my brother last week. We can make fun of them together."

She held out her palm, palm-reader style. "Let me see your future... it says you're about to get cleaned up and then maybe come sit by me?"

My face was probably fire-engine red but somehow, I wasn't worried about my hair or my stupid soaked pants anymore.

"That," I managed, "sounds like a future I can work with."

The bonfire crackled behind us, and for the first time all night, I wasn't nervous. I was just... happy. And honestly? That was way better than cool.