The bookstore is cooler than the summer heat outside, the faint scent of paper and wood lingering in the air. It's quiet here, the kind of quiet that wraps around you like a blanket.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and wander further inside, trailing my fingers lightly over the spines of books as I pass.

Sophie's at home, painting seashells with Mom. I told her I'd bring back ice cream, but I needed this first – a little time alone, away from the beach, away from... everything else.

My eyes scan the shelves, landing on a familiar title – Pride and Prejudice. I tug it free, flipping through the worn pages until I find one of my favorite lines.

I'm so absorbed in the book that I almost don't hear it – the soft thud of something falling, followed by a whispered curse.

I glance down the next aisle and spot a girl crouched on the floor, trying to gather a stack of books that looks far too heavy for her to carry. Her blonde curls bounce as she mutters under her breath, attempting to keep the pile from toppling over again.

I hesitate for a second, but then step closer.

"Need some help?"

She looks up sharply, brown eyes meeting mine. There's a brief pause – like she's deciding whether to wave me off – but then she laughs.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

I kneel down, grabbing the few books that slid out of her grasp. I stack them carefully, reading the titles as I do.

"The Great Gatsby... Little Women... A bit of everything." I smile.

"What can I say? I have layers." She grins, brushing a stray curl from her face.

There's something magnetic about her – like she belongs in the center of every room she walks into. The complete opposite of me.

"I'm Lily, by the way."

"Emma."

She shifts the books under one arm and offers her hand. I shake it, surprised by how firm her grip is.

"You new around here?" Lily asks, tilting her head as if she's trying to place me.

"Kind of. I'm just here for the summer."

"Ah, summer girl. Let me guess – your family rented one of those beach houses near the boardwalk?"

I nod. "Pretty much."

"Thought so. You've got the look."

I raise an eyebrow. "What look?"

Lily smirks. "Like you've read more books than you've talked to people this week."

I blink, not sure if I should be offended or impressed by how spot-on that is.

"You're not wrong," I admit, and she laughs.

We walk together toward the front of the store, Lily balancing her towering stack of books with surprising ease.

"So, what do you usually do around here?" I ask, curious.

Lily glances sideways at me, eyes twinkling. "You mean besides hoarding books?"

I nod, and she grins.

"Parties. Bonfires. Night swimming. The usual."

I try not to let the surprise show on my face. From the way she was handling Little Women, I didn't peg her as the party type.

"That surprises you," she notes, catching my expression.

"A little. You seem..." I search for the right word.

"Nerdy?" she offers, amused.

"I was going to say 'quiet.'"

Lily bursts out laughing. "Oh no, I'm not quiet. Trust me. I love parties. You should come to one."

I blink. "Oh, um—"

"Not the response I was expecting," she teases, nudging me with her elbow.

I let out an awkward laugh. "I just... I'm not really a party person."

"Well, that's tragic. But don't worry, I'm an excellent bad influence."

I shake my head, but I can't help but smile.

We reach the register, and Lily plops her books down, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the counter as the cashier starts ringing them up.

"There's actually a party tomorrow night," Lily says casually. "It's over at the old beach shack near the cliffs. You should come."

I open my mouth to decline, but she cuts me off.

"No excuses. You're already in town, might as well have some fun."

"I don't even know anyone," I argue lightly.

Lily flashes me a grin. "You know me now. That's a start."

I laugh softly, unsure how I let myself get roped into this. But there's something about Lily – something that makes me feel like saying no would be a mistake.

"Fine. I'll think about it."

"Good." She grins wider. "Now, come on. I need iced coffee, and I'm dragging you with me."

I don't resist.

We end up at a small café just down the street, the kind with mismatched chairs and plants hanging from the ceiling. Lily talks almost the entire time – stories about past summers, beach bonfires gone wrong, and wild late-night adventures.

I listen, caught somewhere between awe and disbelief.

"And then," Lily says, eyes wide with amusement, "Jake tried to surf in the middle of the night and almost ran straight into a sand dune. I swear, I've never laughed so hard in my life."

I shake my head, laughing along.

"You and your friends sound... intense," I joke.

"They're not so bad. You'll meet them eventually."

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? You sound awfully sure of that."

Lily smirks. "I told you – I'm an excellent bad influence. Give it time."

By the time we leave the café, the sun is dipping low, casting everything in a golden haze.

"You know," Lily says as we walk back toward the beach, "I think this might be the start of a beautiful friendship, Emma."

I smile softly.

"Yeah. I think so too."