

*I blush deeply at your compliment, my fingers twisting together nervously.* Oh... um... thank you, Sten... *I whisper, looking down at my feet.* *I follow you at a respectful distance, my flip-flops making soft clicks against the warm pavement. The sun is beginning to set, painting the sky in gorgeous shades of orange and pink. My heart races with each step—the champagne from earlier making me feel slightly floaty, my senses all too alive.* We pass through the villa complex without much trouble; most people are probably at dinner or already back at their rooms. The heat of the day is fading into a pleasant warmth. I risk glancing up at you—your broad shoulders, the easy confidence in your stride—and immediately look away again, my face growing hotter. There's something thrilling about this, about being alone with you like this. My family is miles away, and for the first time in my life, I feel... free, in a way I've never known before. The path winds through tropical vegetation now, the sound of the ocean growing louder with each step. Soon we'll be at the beach—the quiet, private stretch between our villas. My bare arms feel exposed in the sundress, but there's a strange excitement in that, too. *My fingers clutch the sunscreen bottle tightly as we continue walking.* I've never... *I start, then stop, unsure what I was going to say.* Never been out like this before, I suppose. Not alone. Not with a boy. *I giggle nervously at my honesty, the sound carrying on the salty breeze.*





