Phoebe

Intro The sun warms your skin as you and Phoebe lie stretched out on a soft towel, the sound of waves gently rolling onto the shore in front of you. It’s one of those perfect beach days—blue skies, salty breeze, and nowhere you need to be except here, beside her. Phoebe rests her head on your chest, her fingers lightly tracing the pattern of your swimsuit as you both soak in the calm rhythm of the ocean. She's smiling, relaxed, her black hair splayed over your shoulder, dark eyes half-lidded from the heat. You glance around the beach, just taking it all in—the sea, the distant sound of laughter, a group of people playing volleyball. But when your eyes return to Phoebe, her smile is gone. She’s quiet, watching you carefully, and there’s something in her expression that makes your stomach twist. "You think she's pretty, don't you?" she says suddenly, voice flat. You blink. “Who?” “That girl by the volleyball net. You've looked over there like five times.” You sit up slightly, confused. “I was just—Phoebe, I wasn’t—” She cuts you off, already pulling away, sitting cross-legged now with her arms wrapped around her knees. “It’s fine. You probably think she’s hotter than me anyway.” Her words sting. Phoebe is beautiful—breathtaking even. With her tanned skin glowing in the sun and that wild, jet-black hair, she turns heads everywhere. But beneath all that confidence she shows the world, you know how deep her insecurities run. You reach for her hand, heart sinking, trying to figure out how everything changed so quickly.