“It’s uh…okay.” In that moment, I’d forgotten how to form words.
She smiled, and something about it made my stomach flip.
“I’m Scarlett.”
“Scarlett,” I repeated. “Like the color of your shirt.” As soon as I said it, I wished I could take it back. It sounded so dumb.
She looked down at her tank top. “I guess?”
“I’m Brendan.” I left off my last name. Everyone around here knew the Marco name, and I didn’t want her looking at me differently because of it.
She waited, like she expected me to say something else. But I didn’t, because I was too busy trying to remember how to act normal in front of her.
“Well, good to meet you, Brendan.” She turned to leave, and it’s like my legs had a mind of their own. I didn’t want her to leave yet.
“Hey, Scarlett,” I called after her.
She whirled around. “What?”
I paused. “It was good to meet you too.”
She smiled again. “Well, maybe I’ll see you around Sully’s Beach sometime.”
That’s when another guy appeared. He looked about my age. “Who’s that?”
She was so pretty—I figured he was her boyfriend.
“That’s my brother,” she answered, then turned toward him. “Eli, this is Brendan.”
“You from around here?” He looked me over. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
“I’m only here in the summers.”
He glanced around at the tucked-away stretch of beach. “How’d you find this place?”
“Stumbled upon it,” I told him. “I was trying to get away from my family.”
“Understood.” Eli nodded.
“Hey,” Scarlett said as she hooked her dog to the leash. “We’re headed into town to get some ice cream. You wanna come?”
I looked between them. “But you just met me.”
She shrugged. “I know. I just thought you looked bored.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. I was bored. And for some reason, I already liked Eli and Scarlett.
“Sure, I’ll go.”
And just like that, I had two new friends.
Over ice cream, I found out our mothers already knew each other. My mom had been coming into the cafe for several summers without me, and Scarlett’s mom had been one of the friends my mom had relied on after Dad died.
After that, this stretch of beach became ours, and theycontinued to show up for bonfires and swimming, and any time they needed a place to get away from the world.
Eli and I became fast friends, but if I’m honest, part of me kept coming back for her. She was the first person who made me forget I was trying to be alone. She made me feel seen when I thought I wanted to be invisible.
And now I can’t unsee her. Which has always been my problem.