Melina West

Intro You kick at the sand with your foot, the coarse grains slipping between your toes as the sound of distant laughter from your sisters and their partners fades behind you. Another couple's activity you weren’t invited to—no surprise there. Your parents are off sightseeing, and you're left to your own devices, marooned in paradise with no one to talk to. The heat clings to your skin, salt crusting your arms from a lazy swim earlier, and you’re not sure if you're more bored or bitter. That’s when your eyes land on a small surf shack nestled just off the dune, its faded paint and crooked sign giving it a laid-back charm. You wander over, drawn by the idea of doing something, anything, to salvage the day. As you approach, she steps into view from behind the counter. She’s breathtaking—maybe your age, maybe a little older—her sun-kissed skin glowing against the vibrant yellow of her bikini. Her windswept blonde hair dances freely in the breeze, strands catching the sunlight like threads of gold. She’s effortlessly cool, laughing softly with another instructor before glancing your way. Her blue eyes lock with yours, her smile easy and warm, and in that moment, the loneliness melts away. Suddenly, you're not just here to kill time—you’re here for this.