The beach day

the week passed, the excitement for the beach party grew. Wilson had mentioned it in the group chat, and the buzz around school was undeniable.

By Saturday afternoon, Kira, Naomi, Mitchell, and Gemma were at Kira's house, getting ready together. Naomi had brought a whole bag of outfits and accessories, insisting that they all look perfect for the party.

"We need to look good," Naomi declared, holding up a pair of hoop earrings.

Mitchell rolled her eyes. "It's a beach party, not a fashion show."

Gemma laughed. "Tell that to the Tab Girls."

Kira smiled faintly but stayed quiet as she put on her outfit — a simple cropped top and shorts, paired with sandals. She never liked drawing too much attention to herself. Her dad, who had been in the living room watching TV, called out:

"Girls, are you ready?"

Naomi turned to Kira. "Your dad is so cool for driving us."

Kira smiled, adjusting her top. "He had no choice."

Her dad drove them to the beach, cracking a few dad jokes along the way, which made them all laugh. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the sand and waves.

Arrival at the Beach Party

When they arrived at the beach, the party was already in full swing. Music blared from a portable speaker, students were scattered across the sand, and there were snack tables loaded with chips, soda, and cupcakes. Some people were setting up a volleyball net, and others were wading into the water.

Wilson and his friends had already arrived. Wilson wore a simple white t-shirt and black swim shorts, standing out from his louder, more stylish friends — Gray had on designer shades, Kai had a chain around his neck, and Zion was already shirtless, showing off his toned abs.

Not far away, the Tab Girls made their entrance. Trinity, Alicia, and Becca had clearly put in work. Trinity wore a chic two-piece set with a sheer cover-up, her hair styled in soft curls. Alicia and Becca wore coordinating bikinis with matching sunglasses.

Trinity's eyes immediately scanned the crowd, landing on Wilson. She smiled and walked over to him, touching his arm.

"Hey, Wilson." Her voice was sugary sweet. "You look good tonight."

Wilson smiled politely but didn't seem particularly engaged. He glanced toward the entrance just as Kira and her friends arrived.

Kira's hair was pulled into a loose bun, strands framing her face. When Wilson's eyes met hers, something flickered in his expression — interest. He tucked his hands into his pockets, still looking at her.

Mitchell Notices the Look

As they settled near the snack table, Mitchell elbowed Kira.

"See? He's looking at you."

Kira turned, and sure enough, Wilson's eyes were still on her. When their eyes met, Wilson gave her a small, lazy smile. Kira's stomach flipped. She quickly turned back toward her friends.

"Stop it," Kira muttered. "He's not looking at me."

Naomi smirked. "Oh, he's definitely looking at you."

Gemma nodded in agreement. "And he smiled."

Kira's cheeks burned. "Whatever. It's nothing."

Mitchell leaned in closer. "And did you see Trinity's face? Oh my God — she was mad!"

Kira sighed. "Let's just focus on having fun, okay?"

But her eyes involuntarily drifted back toward Wilson. He was now laughing at something Zion said, but every so often, his gaze seemed to flicker back toward her.

The Tension Builds

A while later, Kira wandered toward the edge of the beach, where the waves lapped gently at the sand. She let the cool water wash over her toes.

"Hey."

She turned and saw Wilson walking toward her. He had his hands in his pockets, his t-shirt slightly damp from the ocean breeze.

"Hey," Kira replied softly.

Wilson stopped beside her, looking out at the water. "Are you having fun?"

Kira shrugged. "Yeah. It's… nice."

Wilson smiled. "You don't really seem like the party type."

Kira glanced at him. "I'm not. But my friends dragged me here."

Wilson chuckled. "Same."

There was a comfortable silence between them. The sound of the waves and the distant chatter of their classmates filled the background. Wilson looked at her again.

"By the way… you looked nice tonight."

Kira's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. Thanks."

Wilson smiled. "Do you want to walk for a bit?"

Kira hesitated, then nodded. "Sure."

They began walking down the beach, their footsteps sinking into the wet sand. Wilson's hand brushed hers briefly, and Kira's heart hammered in her chest.

Trinity, standing nearby with Alicia and Becca, watched them with narrowed eyes. Alicia leaned in.

"Are you seeing this?"

Trinity's expression darkened as her gaze remained fixed on Kira and Wilson. "Yeah, I see it," she replied coldly.

Alicia's lips curled into a smirk. "No. I have an idea."

Trinity's gaze sharpened. "What kind of idea?"

Instead of answering, Alicia walked away from Trinity and made her way toward Kira's friend group, where Naomi and the others were laughing among themselves. Alicia's demeanor softened as she approached, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Hey!" Alicia said brightly, slipping into the group's conversation as if she belonged there. "You guys looked like you were having fun, so I thought I'd come over."

Naomi and Mitchell exchanged quick glances, sensing something off about Alicia's sudden friendliness. Still, they didn't want to appear rude.

"Oh, hey…" Naomi said cautiously.

Alicia tucked her blonde hair behind her ear and grinned. "You guys are so cool. I mean, honestly, I think it's great that we're all mixing this term. We should all totally hang out more!"

Mitchell raised an eyebrow. "Um… yeah, maybe."

"So, Kira…" Alicia's gaze sharpened slightly as she turned toward Kira's friends. "Is she, like, close to Wilson? I mean, I noticed them talking earlier. They seem… cozy."

Naomi's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't know," she said carefully.

Alicia's smile widened, though there was an edge to it. "Well, I was thinking… since we're all trying to bond, why don't we all go for a swim together?"

Gemma frowned. "A swim?"

"Yeah!" Alicia said, her tone overly enthusiastic. "It'll be fun — you know, to make up for all the awkwardness earlier this term. We can all just relax."

Kira's friends exchanged uncertain looks.

"It's just a swim," Alicia added. "Unless you guys don't know how to swim?"

Mitchell's expression hardened. "We can swim."

Naomi hesitated. "What about Kira?"

Alicia's smile thinned slightly, but she quickly masked it. "She'll be fine. It'll be fun!"

After a beat of hesitation, the group reluctantly agreed. "Alright," Naomi said.

"Cool!" Alicia's smile sharpened as she turned back toward Trinity and Becca, who had already begun walking toward the water. Alicia leaned close to Trinity and whispered, "I have an idea."

Trinity's gaze slid toward Kira and Wilson, who were still standing near the shoreline. "Yeah?"

Alicia's voice lowered conspiratorially. "I invited Kira's friends to join us so we can… separate her from Wilson." Her eyes glittered with malice. "I overheard one of her friends say earlier that Kira doesn't know how to swim."

Trinity's eyes narrowed with a dangerous gleam. "And you're thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Alicia's smile darkened. "Let's see how well she handles the deep end."

Trinity's lips curled into a smile. "Let's."

Alicia straightened and turned toward Kira's group. "Come on, girls!" she called out cheerfully. "Let's make this a night to remember!"

Naomi and Mitchell still felt uneasy, but they followed Alicia toward the water. Kira, distracted by Wilson's smile from across the beach, didn't notice the trap being set in motion.