The air was sticky tonight, the kind of humidity that made everything feel closer, heavier. I could hear the faint sound of the ocean in the distance, a steady rhythm that had been the soundtrack of my summer. It was a sound I'd always found comforting, but tonight, it only reminded me that time was slipping away.

Mason and I had been skirting the edge of disaster all day. There had been the usual shared glances, the subtle touches that sent electricity through my veins, and the constant thrum of something unsaid between us. But tonight felt different. Tonight felt final.

I found him in the living room, sprawled casually on the couch like he owned the place, one arm draped over the back, his head tilted slightly as he stared at the muted TV. He looked so relaxed, so infuriatingly at ease, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers drummed against the cushion. He wasn't as calm as he wanted me to believe.

I perched on the armrest at the far end of the couch, careful to keep my distance even though every fiber of my being wanted to close it. He looked up, his grey eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world disappeared.

"Movie's boring," he said finally, breaking the silence.

I shrugged, pretending to be indifferent. "Then why are you still watching it?"

"Distraction," he said with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Before I could respond, I heard footsteps on the stairs. My heart leapt into my throat, and I quickly shifted further away from Mason, feigning interest in the TV.

"Ay, what are you guys doing?"

Aiden's voice was sharp, cutting through the fragile bubble Mason and I had created. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, his hair rumpled, his gaze suspicious as he looked between us.

Mason didn't miss a beat. "Just watching a movie," he said, his voice casual, easy.

"At this hour?"

"Couldn't sleep," Mason replied with a shrug, reaching for a chip from the bowl on the table like this was the most natural thing in the world.

Aiden's eyes narrowed, lingering on me for a moment too long. I forced a yawn, stretching dramatically. "Yeah, it's boring anyway. I'm heading to bed."

I didn't wait for a response. I stood and walked past Aiden, my legs feeling like jelly beneath me, my pulse pounding in my ears.

Later, in the safety of my room, I paced back and forth, my thoughts racing. That had been too close. Aiden wasn't stupid, and I knew he was starting to pick up on something. My door creaked open, and I spun around, my heart jumping.

Mason slipped inside, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. His expression was serious, his usual smirk replaced by something heavier.

"We need to talk," he said, his voice low but firm.

I folded my arms across my chest, trying to brace myself. "About what?"

"You know what," he said, stepping closer. "Summer's almost over, Ali. What happens when we go back to school?"

I turned away, staring out the window at the moonlit ocean. I didn't want to have this conversation. I'd been avoiding it for weeks, pretending that we could live in this perfect little bubble forever. But Mason was right. The end was coming, and we couldn't ignore it any longer.

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mason came up behind me, his presence warm and steady. "I want to try," he said, his hand brushing mine. The simple touch sent a shiver down my spine. "I want us to try, Alyssa. I know it won't be easy, but we can figure it out. Together."

His words made my heart ache because a part of me wanted to believe him. But reality was heavier than the fantasy we'd built.

"Mason..." I began, my throat tightening. "You know that's impossible. At school, with Aiden... it's not just hard, it's-"

"Impossible?" he said, his tone sharper now. He stepped in front of me, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"Yeah... my brother almost caught us in there imagine in school" I tried to get some reasoning although this wasn't less hard for me

"Why?" he asked his eyes trembling

"Because I'm Aiden's sister, and you're his best friend," I snapped, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "Do you have any idea what he would do if he found out?"

Mason's jaw tightened, frustration flickering in his eyes. "I don't care what Aiden thinks or does"

"Well, I do!" I said, my voice rising. "I care, Mason. He's my brother. He's your best friend. If he found out about us, he'd never forgive you. He'd never forgive me. And I am afraid he will hurt you"

"I'm willing to take that risk," Mason said, his voice low and intense. "Aren't you?"

The room felt heavy with the weight of his question. My heart was screaming yes, but my head was louder.

"No," I said finally, my voice breaking. "I can't. I can't risk it, Mason. And I can't ask you to risk it either. I can't risk you"

He took a step back, his eyes searching mine. "So that's it? You're just giving up?"

"I'm not giving up," I said, tears spilling over now. "I'm protecting you. I'm protecting both of us. This-what we have-it has to stay a secret. No one can ever know. We can't keep doing this."

Mason looked like I'd just punched him. "You really think we can just move on? Like none of this ever happened?"

"We have to," I whispered, wiping at my eyes. "You'll go back to being Aiden's best friend, and I'll go back to being his little sister. We'll live our lives, find other people... but no one can ever know about us."

Mason stepped closer, his voice softer now. "If that's what you want, Alyssa... if that's really what you want, I'll respect it. But don't think for a second that it's what I want."

"It's not what I want either," I admitted, my voice cracking. "But it's what we need to do."

He reached out, brushing a tear from my cheek, his touch so gentle it nearly broke me. "You'll keep my secret?" he asked, his voice raw.

"Always," I promised. "And you'll keep mine?"

"Always,shortcake" he said, his voice steady but his eyes glistening.

"And you can't call me that?"

"Why?"

"Because I need to move on from you so don't make it harder than already is" I said thrufully

We stood there for a moment, the silence between us filled with everything we couldn't say. Then, slowly, he pulled me into his arms.

"This summer was everything," he murmured into my hair. "You're everything."

"You too," I whispered, clutching him tightly.

When we finally pulled away, there was nothing left to say. Mason pressed one last kiss to my forehead, lingering just a moment too long, and then he was gone, leaving me standing in the quiet of my room.

The rest of the summer passed in a blur. Mason and I kept our distance, at least when Aiden or the others were around. But every stolen glance, every accidental touch felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

On the last night before we all went our separate ways, Mason and I found ourselves alone on the beach. The stars above were bright, the waves crashing softly in the distance.

"I'll never forget this summer," he said, his voice quiet.

"Me neither," I said, my throat tight.

He reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "If you ever change your mind..."

I didn't let him finish. I leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, my heart breaking all over again.

"I won't," I said, my voice firm even as tears streamed down my face. "We'll keep the secret. We'll move on. That's what we agreed."

Mason nodded, his jaw tight, his eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I will keep it" he said, his voice barely audible. "But I can't promise you I will make it easier or that I will ever move on from you"

"You should" I whispered.

"But I simply know I won't" he breathed "so can you deal with that"

"I will try" I said my heart clenching "can you keep my secret?"

"I will" he smirked.

As he walked away, the weight of everything we'd shared settled over me like a blanket, warm and suffocating. I knew I'd never forget him, never forget the way he made me feel, never forget the summer we stole for ourselves.

But it was over now. And all I could do was hope that time and distance would dull the ache in my chest.