Page 19 of Ripple Effect

“No,Maxwell.” LJ rolls her eyes. “That would’ve been a blessing compared to the entire bookcase I knocked over. Let’s just say my yoga mat and my favorite collection of hardcovers aren’t on speaking terms anymore.”

“You never did know how to pick the right spots,” Gracie says, giving her a consoling pat on the back. “Remember when you held that class in Brook Valley Park? They were hosting a protest against new tech and wouldn’t stop blasting all those old hip-hop tapes.”

“Yeah, that was bizarre.” LJ runs a weary hand through the ends of her hair. “It wasn’t even, like, the original tapes, either. I’m pretty sure it was just Mac Miller on cassette for some reason. But yeah, at least I didn’t break anything that time. I may have accidentally ruined a signed edition ofLittle Womenthe other day.”

Max gives her an amused snort. “And here I was thinking my wipeouts were bad.” He turns to me, a playful challenge in his eyes. “Which reminds me—Daisy, you’ve got to get back on your board soon.”

I take a gulp of my wine, the sweet tang giving me a spark of courage. “I’ll do it this weekend. Okay?”

Gracie gives me a pointed look, her voice gentle but insistent. “Promise us, Daisy. I think it’ll do you a whole world of good.”

“I promise,” I affirm, raising my half-empty bottle. For me, it’s a silent toast to new beginnings. For them, it’s an assurance that I’m making progress.

Our conversation continues to flow, seamless and carefree, until I spot a familiar figure walking along the beach, a golden dog bounding happily around him. I swear my heart gives a little leap at the sight.

“It’s Elio,” I murmur mostly to myself.

Without waiting for a second, I push up from the sand and head toward them. I leave behind the safety of my friends, drawn to the silent pair like a moth to a flame. As I approach, Bentley bounds over to me, his tail wagging in pure joy.

“Hi!” I exclaim with more enthusiasm than intended. The echo of my voice hangs in the air between us as Bentley circles around my feet.

Elio’s dark eyes twinkle under the starlight, amused as he glances at the bottle in my grasp. “Hey, Daisy,” he says, his voice a low rumble in the quiet night. “What’s that you’ve got there?”

“Wine,” I say. It’s a challenge to steady my voice as the alcohol and my racing heart conspire to make me giggle. “Would you like some?”

He laughs, soft and low, the sound washing over me like a warm wave. “I think I’ll pass. But thank you for the offer.”

I shrug, a grin playing on my lips as I take a long swig, the sweet liquor warming my insides. “More for me, then.”

Noticing my slight sway, he reaches out, his fingers lightly circling the neck of the bottle. “Maybe we should save the rest for later?”

I mock gasp, feigning offense as he pulls it away. “What, don’t trust me with it?”

A teasing glint lights up his eyes. “Well, I don’t know. Can’t be too careful around a girl with a bottle of strawberry wine.”

I shake my head at him. “Are you implying you don’t have faith in your new friend?”

His brow quirks. “We’refriends, huh?”

“Yeah, aren’t we?” I ask, an unintentional vulnerability coloring my words.

He studies me for a moment, his expression softening before breaking into a gentle smile. “You want us to be friends, Daisy girl? I think I could manage that.”

I smile to myself, not bothering to hide it. There’s a comfortable silence between us, me swaying gently to an imaginary rhythm, Elio steady and solid beside me.

“You’re out late again, aren’t you?” I finally ask, kicking at the sand as I stumble on my feet.

“The beach is always better in the middle of the night,” he says. “It’s nice, quiet and lonely, helps me clear my mind.”

“I haven’t been able to clear my mind much lately,” I confess, my words slurring slightly, an embarrassing hiccup squeaking out of me. “Last time we had a bonfire here, I saw that picture of Logan with a girl on his lap. That’s why my friends decided to have this little gathering tonight. To kind of erase that awful memory and help me get back on track.”

His expression shifts, softening further. “That sounds like a good idea. And your friends seem like a good group.”

“They are.” I nod enthusiastically, warmth spreading through me. “They’ve become my anchor in all this, really. They’ve even convinced me to get back on my board this weekend. It’s been a few weeks now since I last surfed, but they think it will make me feel better.”

“And do you agree?

“I guess so, yeah,” I say, my gaze falling on the shimmering ocean. “I mean, I love surfing. It’s a big part of the reason why I transferred here in the first place. But ever since that night ... it’s just been hard to do ... literally anything. I make it to my classes, but outside of that, I just feel kind of numb most of the time. I don’t know, it probably sounds dramatic.”

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