( FAYE )

one night at the resort, we find ourselves on a moonlit beach. the soft, rhythmic crash of the waves against the shore providing a soothing background. it was noahs idea to set up a makeshift dance floor in the sand, the warm breeze rustling through our clothes as we move to the music.

as the others dance to the music, terribly may i add, my eyes lock with sadie. neither of us were dancing, just standing around awkwardly.

after a moment passes by, without a word, we stroll towards each other with chuckles and smiles. it feels like an unspoken invitation.

as the distance between us closes, we begin to move in sync, the rhythm of the music guiding our steps. it was definitely awful at first, causing us both to laugh at our skills. within a few moments, though, it was working.

with each sway and twirl, something changed in the air. there was something undeniable forming between us, a magnetic pull that neither of us could ignore. our bodies brushed against each other. the tension was rising again, this time for another reason.

my heart races as i meet her gaze. it was a look filled with desire, longing and uncertainty. our bodies move closer, almost unconsciously, our hands finding each other's waists.

in this moment, dancing under the moonlight, the world around us fades as we just surrender to eachothers touch. my breath hitches as i feel her thumb trace circles on the surface of my skin, tightening her grip on my waist.

as the song comes to an end, we reluctantly step away from each other. our breaths were heavy and our faces flushed. the unspoken tension lingers in the air, leaving me with more complex feelings than i already had.

"guys, i'm gonna go inside. i'm not really feeling well" her soft voice emits, burning a hole into my heart.

while the others grant their goodbyes to her, i find myself stuck where she left me. my mind is filled with thoughts, yet strangely, i can't grasp a single one.

there's no way this can mean anything. i'm not even certain if i still consider her a friend, let alone any other feelings. it's just illogical.

being in her presence only adds to my confusion and that heavy feeling in my chest. maybe i do need space from her, maybe i should continue distancing myself again. there's no chance of me figuring this out unless i receive some time away from her.

— ★ —

three days pass by with no sign of any interaction between me and the redhead. things have returned to the way they were when we first arrived, not even even an unintentional glance exchanged between us.

tomorrow marks our departure, thankfully. although i'll miss my friends, i'll be able to return home and try to erase the memory of that encounter on the beach ever taking place.

i just need to be free from sadie and the tangled web of emotions she brings along. i yearn for the simplicity that was my life before i ever met her. i can finally go back to that.

but, without rory.

— ★ —

in honour of our last day here, we were doing water aerobics in the resorts pool. the instructor we had hired was way too enthusiastic for 11 in the morning.

as i try my best to follow along with the exercises, i suddenly lose my balance in the water and end up doing an unintentional somersault. i emerge from the water with a sheepish grin, feeling the laughter on me.

i'm not the only one embarrassing myself. gaten, determined to show off his skills, attempts a dive into the pool but misjudges the water's depth. the result is a flop that sends a giant splash cascading over everyone.

caleb decides to take advantage of the chaos. while the instructor has everyones attention when demonstrating a complex move, he subtly floats over to finn and unties his swim trunks.

poor finn, unaware of the impending wardrobe malfunction, continues the exercises until he suddenly realizes his trunks are slipping down. we burst into laughter, covering our mouths as he tries desperately to salvage his dignity.

millie and gaten aren't even paying attention to the instructor, mostly just splashing water at one another, causing a splash war between them. it reminds me of sadie and i.

speaking of sadie, she's the only one taking this class seriously. usually composed and athletic, she's determined to nail the exercises. however, her competitive spirit gets the best of her, leading to an unexpected race against caleb to see who could finish a lap faster.

the instructor's probably fed up with us. not only are we not doing the class right, finn is also mimicking her frequent use of exaggerated hand movements. he has us in stitches as he exaggeratedly flails his arms and legs.

"she's not even doing all that" millie snorts with laughter.

the instructor acts like she's not noticing, although her cold stare makes it obvious she is.

despite none of us being at all good at it, the class is undeniably fun. it can be something to bring up later, teasing one another about how we attempted water aerobics at 11am with barely any sleep.

— ★ —

i finally have my mind off of the burdening thoughts. that is until i'm pulled away by finn in the kitchen. 

"are you like never talking to sadie again?"

i chuckle at his words. "yeah, pretty much"

he shoots me a sympathetic look. "faye, i know it's hard but don't you think it would be better if you guys somehow fixed this?"

"we did fix it" i start. "she apologised"

his face falls into confusion. "but- you haven't talked in like 3 days"

"yeah, i don't know... i'm just confused"

"why?" his voice turns softer.

i wonder if i should tell him. would he judge me? he wouldn't judge me, or would he?

"i already had weird mixed feelings about this but now it's even weirder and even more mixed and i have no idea what's going on"

he takes a moment before nodding, handing me an understanding look. "i think i know what you mean. the beach thing, right? when you were dancing"

i glance at the floor with a nod. does this mean everyone had noticed?

his comforting hands rub my shoulders. "it's gonna be okay, we can figure this out once we're home. just one more day"

"guys" millies voice startles us, causing us to jump, making her laugh.

"chill out" she covers her mouth. "i wanted to ask if you're up for drinking games tonight"

we both agree prior to her exiting the kitchen. finn glances at me again, providing a "you'll be okay?" look. i nod before he smiles and leaves.

a drinking game is just what i need right now. actually, what i mean to say is drinking is just what i need right now.

throughout the entire trip, i haven't consumed a drop of alcohol. it's driving me insane. this is how i can handle my emotions about sadie, through the power of liquor, a welcoming relief.

★ authors note ,,

pls this is so rushed