｡𖦹°‧ 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧' 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐥 ⭑°‧꩜ .ᐟ

( 032. 'something about a beach' )

THE AIRPORT WAS extremely crowded as ariella, walker, and their families made their way through the people, bags slung over their shoulders, chatter echoing around them. 

ariella tugged at her suitcase, her heart skipping every time she glanced at walker. they'd been planning this trip for weeks, and now that they were finally at the airport, everything felt like it was falling into place. walker was just ahead of her, easy to spot among the crowd. ariella couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched him interact with his brother, laughing and joking in the cutest way ariella ever thought she'd seen a boy laugh & joke. 

"hey, you alright?" Blake's voice broke through her thoughts, and ariella turned to find her sister giving her a knowing look.

"mhm," ariella said, trying to hide the butterflies in her stomach. "im just... nervous, i guess."

blake raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "nervous? why? you're literally going to a beach house for a week with your boyfriend."

ariella flushed at the word, but the girl just grinned, her eyes softening. "i can tell you're excited. don't pretend like you're not."

before ariella could respond, walker turned around, giving her a smile that made her heart drop to her shoes. "you coming or what?" he asked.

"yeah, yeah, i'm coming," she replied, hurrying to catch up.

⭑°‧꩜ .ᐟ

the group boarded the plane, and ariella and walker ended up sitting together, as they had hoped. the flight was relatively smooth, and the two of them settled into the cabin, their knees brushing every now and then, a constant reminder of how close they were.

as the plane took off, they spent the first part of the flight talking about their favorite beach activities, sharing stories of past vacations, and making each other laugh. walker told her about his childhood trips to the beach with his family, and ariella found herself lost in the stories, picturing him as a younger version of himself.

at one point, walker reached over and nudged her arm. "here ari" he said, pulling out a bag of tru fru. he handed them to her with a smile, and her whole face lit up. tru fru was one of her favorite snacks in the entire universe. and she was supposed the boy remembered, she'd only mentioned them to him once in target. 

"yes ariella, i remembered your favorite snack because i know you didn't bring any, yes im amazing , and yes i know." he said shrugging his shoulders and going back to fiddling with the screen infront of him. 

"you're such a dork," she teased, smiling as she took a bite.

⭑°‧꩜ .ᐟ

after what felt like hours, the plane finally touched down at their destination, the warmth of the beach breeze hit them as soon as they stepped outside the airport, and ariella couldn't help but let out a excited sigh.

"we're finally here!" she exclaimed, taking in the salty air and the sounds of the waves crashing in the distance. she looked over at walker, who was already grinning at her.

"you ready?" he asked, his voice soft but full of excitement.

ariella smiled, feeling the energy of the trip already buzzing. "absolutely."

the group made their way to the vans that would take them to the airbnb. when they finally pulled up to the house, it exceeded their expectations. the ocean was right outside their windows, the house itself was beautiful, and the whole vibe felt like a dream.

"this is amazing," ariella breathed, standing on the porch and staring out at the sparkling blue water.

"i told you it would be perfect," walker said, his hand brushing hers casually as he stood beside her, his eyes on the horizon.

ariella smiled at him, her heart skipping a beat. "yeah, you were right."

blake rushed to the backyard and threw her arms out wide. "beach time, anyone?" she shouted, her voice full of excitement.

ariella turned to walker with a grin. "i'm down if you are."

the teens made their way to the beach, setting up towels and chairs as the sound of the waves rolled in. ariella and walker found a spot near the water's edge, the sand cool beneath their feet as they walked together. for a moment, they just stood there, taking in the beauty of the ocean, their hands brushing again.

without thinking, she reached for his hand, and for a moment, they just stood there, their fingers intertwined. the sound of the ocean, the warmth of the sun, and the closeness between them felt like everything she'd been waiting for. she knew this vacation was going to be something special.