I flipped her off with both hands and followed Theo into the kitchen to help carry out the bowls of salads, cold cuts, and enough bread to build a fort. The smell of herbs and citrus clung to Theo’s shirt, and I couldn’t stop brushing up against him—his arm, his back, his hip. He just smirked and leaned into every touch like we were gravity-bound.
Later, when we were full to the point of bursting and movement felt like a distant memory, the sun dipped low over the horizon, bleeding orange and gold across the sky. Shadows stretched over the deck, painting everything in warm, syrupy tones. We gravitated to the firepit like moths to a flame, sinking into the worn Adirondack chairs that Richard had made by hand, each one groaning with familiar comfort.
The music had quieted, reduced to a sultry hum in the background—something old and slow that wrapped around us like a favorite blanket. Laughter, soft and low, rippled through the circle in waves, unforced and real. For the first time in what felt like days, maybe even years, peace settled over us.
Claire was curled against Thalia’s side, their heads resting together, content in a way that only true friendship could allow. Between them, they passed a warm bowl of melted chocolate and marshmallows, dipping their spoils with languid fingers, giggling when it dripped. Thalia’s smile was sleepy, her hair tangled from the wind, her arm wrapped loosely around Claire like a tether—something grounding in a world that constantly threatened to pull her loose.
I sat beside Theo, my knees brushing his thigh, tucked in like I belonged there. His arm rested heavily around my shoulders, his thumb moving in idle strokes over my collarbone through the thin fabric of my shirt. Each pass felt like a promise—steady, grounding, wordless.
“Okay, but for real,” Thalia said between bites, “if you twodon’tFaceTime me from every luxury dock you end up in, I’ll riot.”
Theo grinned. “You’ll get postcards.”
“I wantvideos, yacht boy. Of you doing rich-people shit like sipping mimosas in cashmere. I want the full experience.”
Claire reached for another marshmallow and added, “And don’t let Sin sink the boat out of spite if he doesn’t get the exact type of coffee he likes.”
“Hey,” I scowled, sitting up straight. “I’ve grown. I can go without my French roast for like… three hours. Maybe.”
Thalia snorted. “Growth. We love to see it.” Then she leaned forward and pulled Theo into a hug so tight I worried she’d snap something. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“I couldn’t even if I tried,” he said, his smile quiet. “You’ve got the whole country club and my mom under your spell. It’s terrifying.”
She grinned and then turned to me. “Andyou. I swear to god, if you don’t come back…”
I stood up, pulled her into me, and whispered into her hair, “You’re my best friend, Thalia. The only one I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t be able to find another one even if I paid them, so you’re stuck with me.”
Her breath caught. “You little shit!” but she quickly sobered, wrapping her arms around my shoulders so no one could hear our conversation but us.
“I didn’t even know how empty I was until you showed up and called me an asshole.”
“Because you were one,” she muttered, her voice thick. “Still are.”
I smirked, brushing a tear off her cheek with my thumb. “I know.”
Claire wrapped her arms around both of us, pulling us into a three-person mess of limbs and warmth. “Come back, both of you.”
“We will,” I said, the words soft but heavy. I didn’t know if it was a promise I could keep. But Iwantedto. That had to count for something. But there was a world waiting out there for us to explore, and I couldn’t wait.
The sun had dipped almost completely by the time Theo and I made our way down to the private dock. The yacht shimmered in the low light, sleek and beautiful, its silhouette dancing in the water like something out of a dream. Our bags were already onboard. The future—whatever that looked like—was waiting.
Theo’s fingers slipped into mine as we reached the edge. The wind lifted strands of his dark hair and rustled the open collar of his shirt. “You ever think we’d get here?” he asked, eyes fixed on the horizon.
“No,” I admitted. “I thought I’d break you before the world did.”
“You didn’t,” he said, his voice low and fierce. “You’re the reason I survived it.”
The dock swayed beneath our feet as we paused on the gangplank. Water lapped against the hull, the world shrinking behind us. The stars blinked to life overhead like scattered secrets.
“I’ve never had a friend,” I said, almost to myself. “Not a real one. Until you. Then Thalia. Claire. All this. I didn’t even know what I was missing until I had it.”
Theo turned, his hand curling around my jaw, thumb tracing the line of my cheek. “I never needed the future my father promised me. I don’t need any of that. I just needthis. You.Us.”
I leaned into his touch. “Then let’s go make it ours.”
But before we could step onto the yacht, Theo tugged me back. “Wait,” he said, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I forgot something.”
“Seriously?” I pouted. “You forgot toothpaste or some shit?”
