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Belle was lost in the pages of her book, savoring the gentle breeze and the sound of waves crashing against the shore, until Topper barged in, snatching it from her hands.
"Topper, I'm going to kill you!" she exclaimed, laughter bubbling from her as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. The beach party was alive with energy, a vibrant scene filled with laughter and music, all thanks to Sarah's insistence that Belle attend with her and her boyfriend, Topper. From what Belle could see, Topper was a decent guy, and their friendship felt more like a brother-sister bond, deepening with each passing day.
"Belle, hey! Check out the view! It's stunning!" Sarah called from the lifeguard deck, her voice bubbling with excitement. Topper set Belle down and joined his friends, leaving her to climb up the deck with Sarah.
The two girls had been daredevils since kindergarten, inseparable and always ready for adventure.
"Hey, Belle, he's staring at you," Sarah said with a mischievous grin, pointing to a blonde boy with striking blue eyes who was watching Belle with an expression of awe.
"Who's he?" Belle asked, surprised as the boy sent her a shy wave, which she returned with a soft smile.
"His friend John B works for my dad. I think his name is JJ," Sarah explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Before Belle could process this new information, she noticed Topper approaching again.
*JJ, the boy with sun-kissed skin and tousled dirty blonde hair, couldn't take his eyes off Belle. Something about her smile had him entranced.*
"You should go talk to him," Sarah teased, nudging Belle playfully.
Belle rolled her eyes, a mix of shyness and disbelief. "He's cute, but I can't just walk over to him."
"Why not? You've talked to guys before," Sarah countered, nudging her again.
"Yeah, but none of them ever stared at me like that," Belle murmured, stealing another glance at JJ, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
*Sarah followed her gaze, spotting JJ still watching Belle with an intensity that made her heart race.*
"He's still staring," Sarah said, her voice full of mischief.
"I noticed. Why does he keep looking?" Belle asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Honestly, who could blame him?" Sarah said, taking a sip of her drink. "Have you looked in the mirror? You're gorgeous!"
