Chapter 20: Beach, Bites, and Bad Decisions
The Plan (Kind Of)
"Beach day?" Ethan asked, flopping onto Noah's bed like it was his own.
Lana raised an eyebrow. "Like, right now beach day?"
"Why not?" Aria said from the floor, painting her nails. "We're all finally free this weekend."
Aiden grinned. "I'm in. We'll count it as... recovery from finals."
Noah groaned. "You guys know I had a study plan for Saturday."
"And now," Ethan said with a dramatic wave, "you have a sunburn plan."
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Getting There
They piled into Aiden's dad's car, a battered minivan that squeaked every time someone moved.
Ethan DJ'd with painfully loud throwback pop. Lana threatened to throw his phone into the ocean. Aria kept switching between laughing and trying to nap on Aiden's shoulder — until he spilled chips on her hair.
"Gross!" she shrieked.
"It was an accident!" he said, laughing way too hard.
"Sure it was," she mumbled, but she was smiling.
---
At the Beach
They set up towels and umbrellas like a mini camp.
Aiden and Ethan built a terrible sandcastle that fell over in five minutes.
Noah and Lana walked along the waterline, fingers brushing, pretending it wasn't a thing.
Aria buried Ethan's legs in the sand while he was napping — and drew a smiling octopus on his stomach in sunscreen.
Aiden threw a frisbee so far it landed in someone's drink. He immediately ran the opposite direction.
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The Bonfire
As night fell, they found a quiet spot for a small fire.
Wrapped in blankets, the group huddled together.
"Best day," Aria said softly.
Aiden nodded. "We should do this more."
Noah looked around the circle — his friends, his people — and just smiled.
No one had to say it, but they all knew:
These were the days they'd remember forever.
As the fire crackled and the waves rolled in the background, someone (probably Ethan) suggested they play Truth or Dare.
It started light:
Noah admitted he had a childhood obsession with dinosaurs.
Aria dared Aiden to scream "I'M A BEACH BANANA" to strangers passing by — which he actually did, to everyone's horror and delight.
Lana blushed when asked if she liked someone — and glanced sideways at Noah when she thought no one was looking. (Everyone noticed.)
Then, things quieted again.
They lay on the sand in a circle, staring up at the stars.
"I used to think high school would be all tests and drama," Aria said.
"It is drama," Ethan replied. "But the good kind. Like... friendship chaos."
Noah chuckled. "And a few surprises we never saw coming."
Like falling in love. Like finding people who see you.
And for that night, under the stars and surrounded by laughter, they didn't worry about the future.
They just were — together, whole, and happy.