By the time we returned to the beach house, our hair was damp with seawater and sand clung stubbornly to our feet.
Daisy collapsed onto one of the living room sofas with a dramatic groan.
"I regret every decision that led to me entering that ocean," she said, shivering.
Isabelle tossed her a towel. "You're the one who ran in first."
Amy disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later carrying a tray of drinks.
"Alright," she announced. "One last toast before bed."
Daisy immediately sat up. "Now that is a sentence I like to hear."
We gathered around the coffee table again, each taking a glass. Amy lifted hers first.
"To friendship," she said.
"To friendship," we echoed.
The glasses clinked together.
For a while we simply sat there, talking and laughing as the warm island breeze drifted through the open balcony doors.
Eventually Isabelle stretched and stood.
"I'm going to bed," she announced. "If I stay up any longer, my children will sense it from across the ocean and start causing chaos."
Daisy laughed. "That's not how motherhood works."
Isabelle pointed at her. "You don't know that."
She waved goodnight and disappeared upstairs toward her room.
Daisy followed shortly after, muttering something about jet lag and needing beauty sleep.
That left Amy and me alone in the quiet living room.
The house felt different now.
Calmer.
The music had stopped and the decorations swayed gently in the breeze coming through the balcony doors.
Amy leaned back on the couch and let out a content sigh.
"Today was perfect," she said.
I smiled. "It really was. It's been a while since we all hung out like this."
"No stress, just fun fun fun."
For a moment neither of us spoke. The sound of the ocean carried softly through the open doors.
Amy suddenly sat up.
"Come with me."
She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the balcony.
The night air was warm and the moon hung high above the ocean, casting silver light across the water.
We leaned against the railing together.
Amy rested her chin on her arms as she stared out at the horizon.
"Do you ever think about how strange life is?" she asked suddenly.
I glanced at her. "That's a very deep question for someone who just spent the evening forcing us to play bachelorette games."
She laughed. "I'm serious."
I shrugged. "What about it?"
She gestured toward the ocean. "A few years ago we were just students trying to survive exams."
"And now you're getting married," I finished.
Amy nodded slowly. "It feels unreal."
The waves rolled gently toward the shore below us.
She turned her head and looked at me.
"Can I ask you something?"
I already knew where this was going.
"You're going to ask about Harley," I said.
Amy didn't even try to deny it.
"Yes."
I sighed and looked out toward the ocean.
"What about him?"
Amy crossed her arms and studied me carefully.
"Why are you still pretending you don't love him?"
My stomach tightened.
"That's not—"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Sophie."
I exhaled slowly.
"It's complicated."
Amy tilted her head.
"Is it though?"
I stayed quiet.
The breeze lifted strands of my hair as I leaned against the railing.
Amy's voice softened.
"You two look at each other like the world disappears."
I laughed quietly.
"That's an exaggeration."
"No it isn't."
She nudged my shoulder.
"Even today at the airport."
My face warmed immediately.
"That was just a hug."
Amy gave me a look.
"That was not just a hug."
I groaned and buried my face in my hands.
"Can we please talk about something else?"
"No."
Of course not.
Amy turned toward me fully now.
"You ran away from him once," she said gently. "Why?"
My fingers tightened around the balcony railing.
For a moment I considered brushing it off like I always did. But something about the quiet ocean and the warm island night made it difficult to lie.
"I was scared," I admitted.
Amy didn't interrupt.
"If Harley and I tried to be together… and it didn't work out…"
My voice trailed off.
Amy finished the sentence quietly.
"You'd lose him."
"And his family," I added.
The words felt heavier once they were spoken aloud.
"You know how much Auntie and Uncle mean to me."
Amy nodded slowly.
"They're basically your parents."
"Exactly."
I looked down at the sand below us.
"If things went wrong… I'd lose everything."
Amy was quiet for a long moment.
The only sound between us was the steady rhythm of the waves.
Finally she spoke.
"You know what Nicholas told me when he proposed?"
I glanced at her.
"What?"
She smiled softly.
"He said love is always a risk."
I frowned.
"That's not very comforting."
Amy laughed quietly.
"I know."
She leaned her arms on the railing again.
"But he also said the risk is worth it when the person matters enough."
Her eyes drifted toward the horizon.
"And Harley definitely thinks you matter."
My chest tightened slightly.
Amy turned back toward me.
"One day you're going to stop running," she said.
I looked away quickly.
"That sounds like a threat."
"It's a promise."
She bumped my shoulder playfully.
"Besides… I think he's patient enough to wait."
The thought sent a strange warmth through my chest.
Amy suddenly stretched and yawned.
"Alright," she said. "Enough emotional conversations for one night."
She turned toward the door.
"I'm going to sleep before Daisy wakes up and forces us to do sunrise yoga or something insane."
I laughed.
"That actually sounds like something she would do."
Amy paused at the doorway and looked back at me.
"Don't stay out here too long," she said.
Then she disappeared inside.
I remained at the balcony railing for a while longer.
The ocean stretched endlessly before me, glowing under the moonlight.
Amy's words echoed quietly in my mind.
One day you're going to stop running.
I leaned back against the railing and looked up at the sky.
Maybe she was right.
But some risks still felt impossible to take.
And yet… whenever I thought about Harley, the possibility no longer felt as terrifying as it once had.
The ocean breeze brushed softly against my face as I closed my eyes.
Somewhere deep down, I knew the truth.
Running away forever wasn't an option.
Not anymore.