Aria's POV
The sound of waves crashing faintly against the shore was the first thing I heard when I woke up. Morning light filtered softly through the white curtains, painting golden streaks across the room. Aubrey's bed was already empty, her side neatly made except for a tossed towel.
"Aria, get up already," she called from outside the bathroom earlier, her voice cheerful and light. "Breakfast's downstairs. Don't take too long!"
By the time I stepped out of the bathroom room, she was gone. I quickly got ready before stepping out of the room. The hallway was quiet except for distant chatter and the hum of soft music from the lounge.
I smoothed my hair and made my way toward the stairs, my flip-flops making a faint sound on the tiled floor. Just as I turned the corner, I spotted Liam standing near the glass railing, his shirt half-buttoned and a cup of coffee in his hand. The morning sun framed him perfectly casual, calm, and effortlessly put-together, as always.
"Morning," he said when he noticed me, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Morning," I replied, returning the smile. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep much," he said, glancing toward the beach view behind him. "You?"
"Same," I said, resting my hands lightly on the railing beside him. "The sound of the waves kept me awake, in a good way."
He chuckled softly. "You'll get used to it."
We stood there for a few quiet seconds, the air between us easy and comfortable. Then, out of nowhere, I heard a familiar voice behind us deep, careless, and one I hadn't expected to hear again.
"Yeah, I just got here. I'll call you later," the voice said.
My heart stopped. I knew that tone, that voice. My breath caught as I turned slightly and saw him near the lobby entrance, phone in hand, talking to someone with that same easy smile I used to know so well.
Panic surged before I could think. I quickly reached out and grabbed Liam's wrist. "Come on," I whispered, dragging him around the corner, my heart pounding.
He blinked, confused. "Aria? What's wrong?"
I hesitated, glancing toward the direction we came from, then back at him. "It's… it's my ex-boyfriend," I said finally, lowering my voice.
Liam's expression shifted not quite surprised, but alert. "Your ex?"
I nodded, still peeking past the corner. "He shouldn't be here. I didn't even know he was in this city."
His brows drew together, but instead of retreating, he straightened slightly, that familiar calm confidence settling over him. "Alright," he said, his voice steady. "I've got a better idea."
Before I could ask what he meant, he gently took my hand and led me back toward the hallway not hiding this time, but walking straight out.
I barely had time to protest before the voice called out again.
"Aria?"
We both stopped. My stomach twisted as I slowly turned.
He was standing there my ex, the same careless grin, the same brown eyes that once looked warm but now felt distant.
"…Ryan," I said quietly, his name slipping out before I could stop it.
His smile widened a little. "Long time no see. How have you been?"
"I'm—fine," I said quickly, forcing a small smile.
Before I could say anything else, Liam's voice cut in smoothly, casual but firm. "Babe, who's this?"
I froze. My brain short-circuited at the word babe. I glanced up at him, startled, but his expression was unreadable calm, almost too calm.
"I—uh—this is…" I started, struggling to find words.
"Ryan," my ex supplied with a faint smirk.
"Right," I said, awkwardly nodding. "Ryan, this is—"
"Boyfriend," Liam said. His tone was cold but carried that quiet edge that said he meant every word.
Ryan's expression faltered. His smile flickered, then dimmed. "Oh. I see."
He shook looked at Liam then looked at me again. "Well… it was nice seeing you, Aria. Maybe we'll catch up some other time."
"I—yeah, maybe," I said, though I didn't mean it.
He nodded once and walked past us, his cologne faintly familiar as he disappeared around the corner.
I let out a slow breath I didn't realize I was holding. My hand was still in Liam's.
He looked down at me, the faintest smirk playing on his lips. "You're welcome."
I shook my head, though I couldn't help the tiny laugh that escaped. "You didn't have to do that."
"I know," he said, eyes softening. "But I wanted to."
We started walking toward the dining area, the faint hum of conversation and clinking dishes growing louder as we approached. My heart was still beating faster than it should've, though I tried to act normal.
Liam glanced sideways at me, hands tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable. "You look nervous," he said quietly.
"I'm not," I replied a little too quickly.
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement tugging at his lips. "Right."
I exhaled, trying not to smile. "I'm serious."
"Sure you are," he said, his voice low and teasing. "You nearly dragged me behind a wall five minutes ago."
I shot him a glare, but the corner of my mouth betrayed me. "That was a reflex."
"Good reflex," he murmured. "Though I prefer my idea better."
"You mean pretending to be my boyfriend?" I asked, looking up at him.
He smirked. "Pretending?"
I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Before I could come up with a comeback, we reached the open terrace where breakfast was being served.
The space overlooked the beach sunlight spilling across long wooden tables covered in fruit, pastries, and coffee. The air smelled of butter and sea salt. Aubrey was already waving from a table near the edge, a bright smile on her face. Caleb sat beside her, animatedly talking about something while Ethan scrolled through his phone.
"Over here!" Aubrey called.
As we made our way toward them, I realized my hand was still brushing against Liam's. He didn't seem to notice or maybe he did and just wasn't saying anything. Either way, I didn't move.
We took our seats, and Caleb immediately grinned. "Finally! You two took your time. What, got lost?"
"Something like that," Liam said smoothly, reaching for a coffee cup.
I busied myself with my plate, hoping my face didn't give anything away. But Aubrey's eyes flicked between us suspiciously, and I knew I'd have to explain or maybe not just yet.
—-
After breakfast, we decided to head to the beach. The sun was already high, shining so brightly that the water glittered like glass. The air smelled like salt and sunscreen, and the soft wind kept brushing against my face as we walked.
We decided to play volleyball Caleb, Aubrey, and me against Liam and Ethan. Caleb was convinced we had the upper hand. "Three against two," he said smugly, tossing the ball into the air. "No chance we lose."
The first serve came from Liam, clean and sharp. I barely saw the ball before it hit the sand beside me. Aubrey groaned, Caleb dramatically fell to his knees like we'd just lost a championship, and Liam smirked across the net.
"Nice teamwork," he called out.
"Show-off," Caleb muttered, dusting sand off his shorts.
Round after round, the guys were relentless. Ethan's calm precision and Liam's focus made them impossible to beat. We managed to score a few points mostly thanks to Aubrey but in the end, Liam's team won.
"You cheated," Caleb said, hands on his hips.
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure skill doesn't count as cheating."
I laughed, shaking my head. "You two take this way too seriously."
"And you," Liam said, glancing at me, "need better teammates."
"Hey!" Caleb shouted, pretending to be offended. "That's my player you're insulting."
We all burst into laughter, the sound mixing with the waves and the rush of wind.
Caleb squinted at him but couldn't keep a straight face. "You know what? I'm getting ice cream. Maybe that'll cool off your ego."
Aubrey laughed, wiping sand from her legs. "Get me one too!"
Caleb pointed a finger at her. "You and Aria are supposed to come with me!"
I shook my head, smiling. "You go ahead. I think I'll stay here for a bit."
He groaned loudly. "Unbelievable! Betrayed by my own team."
"Bring us something sweet, and we might forgive you," Aubrey teased.
Caleb threw his hands up in mock frustration before heading off toward the small snack stand by the beach, muttering something about "ungrateful teammates."
Aubrey followed a few minutes later, claiming she wanted to "make sure he didn't eat everything before coming back."
" I'm coming with you," Ethan said, grabbing his towel
That left just Liam and me.
The sound of waves filled the silence between us, calm and steady. I knelt down, brushing my hands over the soft sand. Liam was still standing near the net, his shadow stretching across the ground.
"Not bad," he said, walking closer. "For someone who said she doesn't play."
I looked up at him. "I didn't say I don't play. I said I'm not good."
"Then I'll have to teach you," he replied, that familiar, confident smile tugging at his lips.
I laughed softly. "You're assuming I'd agree to that."
He tilted his head, amused. "You will."
Before I could think of something clever to say back, Caleb's voice echoed across the sand. "We're gone for five minutes and they are already flirting!"
Aubrey smacked his arm as they returned, both holding cones of melting ice cream. "Ignore him," she said, handing me one.
I just smiled at her as I took my ice cream.