The sun beat down warmly as we stepped onto the makeshift volleyball court, its golden rays reflecting off the sand and lending a shimmering, dreamlike quality to the morning. The scent of salty ocean air mingled with the faint smell of sunscreen, and the sound of seagulls echoed overhead. The waves crashed rhythmically in the background, their steady roll offering a soothing soundtrack to the competitive energy that began to stir among us.

We'd decided to head to the beach again, just like yesterday. I unrolled my towel and set it out, the sand cool beneath me as I sat down. I pulled out a book, ready to dive into a good read, but as I opened the pages, I couldn't help but notice the guys nearby, unloading their surfboards and chatting animatedly.

Luke twirled the volleyball in his hands, a smug grin plastered across his face as he glanced around at the assembled players. "Alright, losers, let's get this started. Prepare to be dominated," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.

Jaden, arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "You talk a big game for someone who trips over their own feet half the time," he shot back with a sarcastic smirk.

"Not today," Luke retorted, pointing the ball at him like it was a weapon. "Today, I'm in the zone."

"Sure you are," Cameron chimed in, smirking as well. "We'll see how long that lasts."

Aiden, ever the voice of reason, cut in with his usual no-nonsense tone. "Can we stop the trash talk and just figure out teams?"

Luke dramatically sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine," he said. "Alright, here's how it's gonna go-"

"I'm taking Alyssa," Mason interrupted smoothly, his voice calm but deliberate.

Everyone paused, their gazes shifting to Mason, including mine, even though I was still pretending to focus on my book. He stood there, one hand casually on his hip, the other twirling the volleyball like he was preparing for a championship match. His smirk was as confident as ever.

"I'm not playing," I declared flatly, staring down at the pages in my book, pretending to be indifferent.

"Why not?" Aiden asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "We'll be 3 to 3 then. It'll be fun."

"Yeah, come on, Alylili!" Luke cheered, as if my decision mattered more to him than the outcome of the game itself.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Cameron, ever the peacemaker, stepped in before I could get another word out. "Alright, let's keep it simple," he said, glancing at me with a knowing look. "Mason, Alyssa, and Jaden versus me, Luke, and Aiden. Fair enough?"

I hesitated for a moment, wanting to stick to my guns and avoid the inevitable chaos that was about to ensue, but with a resigned sigh, I closed my book and stood up. "Fine, whatever. But don't expect me to be good."

"Don't even think about slacking, Luke," Aiden warned as they all made their way to the volleyball net. His tone was more serious than usual, a hint of annoyance creeping in as he watched Luke's carefree swagger.

Luke, never one to let anything faze him, saluted mockingly. "Yes, Captain Buzzkill," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

As the rest of them walked toward their positions, I stood there, hands on my hips, still trying to assert my right to be left alone. But just as I was about to turn around and head back to my towel, Mason looked over his shoulder, catching my eye with that infuriating grin of his. "Coming, shortcake?"

I groaned in frustration, but before I could protest, Luke's voice rang out from the volleyball court. "ALYLILI, COME ON!"

"Ugh, fine!" I muttered, my protests falling on deaf ears as I gave in and hurried to join them. The rest of the group was already in position, ready to start, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I met them near the net.

Mason gave me a quick, reassuring nod, and though I tried to push it aside, his confidence gave me a strange sense of reassurance. The teams separated, and the playful banter quickly gave way to a more intense atmosphere. Everyone knew what was at stake-bragging rights, of course, but also the satisfaction of winning.

Cameron served first, sending the ball soaring into the air with precision. It came down fast, with such force that Mason had to dive to bump it up. He hit it perfectly, sending it straight to Jaden, who was already in position to set it. With a quick glance at me, Jaden tossed the ball toward me.

I took a deep breath and jumped, my heart pounding as I spiked it over the net with all the power I could muster. It flew through the air, nearly missing Aiden as he lunged to block it.

"Nice save, shortcake!" Mason called out, giving me a thumbs-up.

I shot him a glare, but the smile tugging at the corner of my lips betrayed me. "Don't call me that," I shot back, though it was more playful than serious.

The game quickly picked up speed, with everyone getting more and more competitive as the sun burned down on us. Luke, true to form, sent the ball flying into a nearby tree, much to Cameron's dismay.

"Seriously, dude?" Cameron groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration as he trudged over to get the ball.

"It was an accident!" Luke defended himself, but it was hard to keep a straight face.

Jaden, meanwhile, was in his element, celebrating every point as if we were playing in the World Cup. After a particularly messy but effective save, he jumped in the air. "Boom! Did you see that? MVP right here!" he exclaimed, earning a chuckle from Mason.

"Your 'save' nearly took out my knee," Mason said dryly, shaking his head with amusement.

"Still counts," Jaden shrugged, clearly unbothered.

On the opposite side of the net, Aiden was a machine. He dove for every ball, barked orders at Luke and Cameron, and managed to spike the ball with such force that it nearly knocked Jaden out of the game.

"Take it easy, man," Luke said, brushing sand off his arms. "It's just a game."

"It's not 'just a game' when you're losing," Aiden shot back, his competitive edge glowing in his narrowed eyes.

The score was neck and neck, and by the time we reached match point, the tension was palpable. Everyone was sweating, out of breath, and completely focused on winning. Cameron sent another perfect serve over the net, and Mason dove to keep it in play, barely managing to tap the ball with his fingertips. The ball wobbled in midair, and Jaden was quick to set it up for me once again.

This time, there was no hesitation. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as the ball came flying toward me. With one final burst of adrenaline, I leaped into the air, spiking the ball with everything I had.

The ball hit the sand on the other side, just out of Aiden's reach. A victorious cheer erupted from our side of the court.

"YES!" Jaden yelled, arms outstretched as if he'd won a gold medal.

"Game!" Mason declared with a satisfied smirk, looking over at Aiden. "Looks like you're not as unbeatable as you thought."

Aiden groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead as he stood up, looking both exhausted and mildly amused. "Beginner's luck," he muttered, though there was a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I settled onto the couch in the living room, already peeling off my sandy clothes to change into something more comfortable. I was starting to feel the weight of the day-the sunburn that was creeping up my arms and the exhaustion from the game, but also a strange sense of satisfaction from the victory.

The kitchen was alive with noise, as Luke and Jaden argued over who would make lunch, and I prayed to myself it wasn't Jaden. I wasn't particularly hungry after our game, but the thought of sitting down with the guys for some food sounded appealing. I grabbed my phone from the counter and scrolled through some messages, absentmindedly clicking through my social media as the sounds of pots and pans clanged from behind me.

It wasn't long before the smell of grilled chicken and fresh vegetables filled the air, telling me it was Luke's time for cooking, and also prompting me to get up and join them at the table. Everyone was gathered around, chatting as they dug into their plates. I grabbed a sandwich from the counter, then plopped down next to Mason, who was still sipping on a cold drink.

"You did pretty well today," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement as he turned toward me. "I didn't expect you to actually make that last spike. Thought you were going to panic and flub it."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You were hoping I would, weren't you?"

Mason shrugged, his grin never faltering. "What can I say? I'm a gambler."

I rolled my eyes, despite his cocky exterior, there was something about Mason that kept me on edge in a way I wasn't sure I understood.

Before I could respond, the front door opened with a loud bang, and the sound of high-pitched voices filled the house.

"They're here!" Jaden exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in excitement as he turned toward the door. "Finally!"

I shot a look at Mason, raising an eyebrow. He didn't seem nearly as thrilled, but he didn't seem bothered either.

The girls entered, and instantly the energy in the room shifted. We hadn't seen them in a couple of days, and it was clear everyone was eager to hang out with them again. Hailey and Regina walked in first, laughing about something that I didn't quite catch. Their presence added a sense of ease to the group, as though the day had been building up to this exact moment.

"Hey!" Hailey waved, her face lighting up when she saw the guys. "You guys have fun on the beach?"

Aiden, still looking a little sunburned but more relaxed now, nodded. "We played some volleyball," he said. "And kicked Luke's butt, obviously."

"I'll have you know I only lost because of beginner's luck," Luke shot back dramatically at me, throwing up his hands in mock defeat. "It won't happen again, mark my words!"

Taylor and Zoe took the freedom to sit down a bit while Hailey was talking to Cameron.

"Are we watching a movie or what?" Taylor asked, her voice light with anticipation.

"I'm down for a movie," I said, looking up from my sandwich. I wasn't really in the mood to do much else anyway, especially after the intense game and all the beach time.

Luke raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So you are going to actually watch something for once, huh?"

I gave him a pointed look. "Well, I'm not going to spend my entire day talking about volleyball. It's summer."

"That's the spirit," Luke said, giving me a thumbs-up before turning back to the rest of the group.

As everyone gathered in the living room, the air filled with the sound of laughter, the crunch of popcorn, and the occasional bickering over which movie to pick. I sank into my usual spot on the couch, pulling my knees up and hugging a throw pillow. It was the perfect way to wind down-or at least it should have been. Mason, however, didn't follow the rest of us.

He stood near the doorway, hands shoved casually in his pockets, his expression thoughtful. His gaze flicked to me, and for a brief moment, the noise in the room faded into the background.

"You staying?" he asked, his voice quiet, like he was trying not to draw attention to us.

I nodded, keeping my tone light. "Yeah, I'm good here."

He gave me a look-not teasing, not smug, but something gentler, like he could see right through me. For a second, I thought he might say something more, but instead, he just nodded. "Alright," he said finally, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "I'm gonna head out for a bit."

The crease between my brows deepened as I frowned. "Head out? Where are you going?"

Mason hesitated, his eyes flicking toward the group, then back to me. He leaned in slightly, his voice so low it was almost drowned out by the movie chatter. "Noisy, aren't you?" he murmured, the corners of his mouth quirking up in the faintest smirk.

Before I could respond-or make sense of what he meant-he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall toward his room.

I tried to shake it off, telling myself it was just Mason being cryptic, but for some reason, I couldn't stop glancing at the hallway he'd disappeared down. The others were oblivious, too wrapped up in their sandwiches and Luke's over-the-top commentary on chicken and vegetables. Aiden had finally settled on a movie, the title flashing across the screen as the room erupted into cheers and groans.

American Pie. Of course.

I rolled my eyes, sinking lower into the couch as the opening scene blared onto the screen. Within minutes, the room was filled with boisterous laughter-laughter that made my skin prickle. The humor felt juvenile and over the top, and as much as I tried to ignore it, the discomfort sat heavy in my chest.

Finally, I'd had enough. The idea of sitting through an hour and a half of awkward, raunchy jokes wasn't worth it. I stood and slipped out of the room unnoticed, heading down the hall toward my own space.

As I neared my bedroom door, I paused. Mason's room was just across the way, his door cracked open. Through the gap, I could see the soft glow of the evening light spilling in through the large window at the far end of his room. The door leading to the porch was open, the sheer curtains fluttering gently in the breeze.

I told myself to keep walking, to go straight to my room and leave it alone. But my mind wouldn't let it go-the way he'd looked at me, the way his voice had dropped like he was sharing a secret only I could hear. What was he doing? And why couldn't I shake the urge to find out?

Before I could talk myself out of it, curiosity got the better of me. My feet carried me forward, soft on the floor, I stepped closer to Mason's room. The door creaked faintly as I pushed it open, and the scent of his cologne-fresh and slightly woody-hit me almost immediately. His room was neat, and organized in a way that didn't match his carefree exterior.

I hesitated just inside the doorway, my eyes drawn to the open porch beyond the window. The evening sky was painted in hues of pink and orange, the ocean breeze filtering in and carrying the faint sound of waves. For a moment, I wondered if he'd gone out there, but the room felt too alive, like he'd just been here.

"Mason?" I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was no response, but the quiet felt intentional. Like he was nearby, waiting. And for some inexplicable reason, that thought made my heart race.

And for some unknow reason I was very drawn to know where he went to so I did...I walked in Mason's room.