"Got it!" Lukas and Heath said at the same time, laughing at the coincidence.
"Lukas, wanna make a mermaid out of sand?" Heath asked, brushing his hands together.
"Sure… but who's going to be the mermaid?" Lukas tilted his head.
"You," Heath said without hesitation. "You're as pretty as a mermaid."
Lukas froze.
It was the first time anyone had ever called him pretty.
A warm blush crept across his cheeks. "S-stop it. I'm not pretty. Boys can't be pretty."
Heath only grinned. "Alright, alright. Now lie down so I can bury you in sand."
Lukas obeyed, still flustered. As Heath carefully shaped the sand around him, Lukas found himself staring.
Up close, Heath looked different. The sunlight caught in his hair, his lashes casting small shadows on his cheeks.
*He's… really handsome.*
"You're gonna burn a hole through my face, Lukie," Heath teased.
Lukas jolted. "H-hey! How do you know that name?!"
"Your sister told me," Heath replied proudly.
"Lukie, Lukie, Lukie," he repeated, dragging the nickname out just to annoy him.
"S-stop saying that!" Lukas protested, face red again.
When the sand mermaid was finally complete, Heath stood up proudly. "Perfect."
He suddenly pulled out his camera and snapped a picture of Lukas—then another of the two of them together, laughing.
After a while, Heath nudged him. "Hey, Lukie. Wanna go for a swim?"
"My parents said I can't. I still have bruises," Lukas admitted quietly.
Heath lowered his voice. "They won't know… if we don't tell them. Right?"
Lukas hesitated.
Then he gave in.
Soon they were running toward the shore, the cool water wrapping around their ankles. They splashed each other, laughing freely.
For a moment, everything felt light.
A little while later, Lukas' sister appeared in the distance.
"Hey, Lukas! Heath! Dinner's ready!" she called out.
Then she noticed the water.
"And you, Lukas—why are you swimming?"
"I—I, uh…" Lukas stammered.
Heath stepped forward. "Sorry, I insisted. It's my fault. Please let it slide."
She sighed, crossing her arms. "Alright. I won't tell Mom and Dad. But don't let yourselves get caught, okay? Now come back—the food's getting cold."
"Thank you, sis!" Lukas beamed.
"Thank you!" Heath echoed.