Sunsets and August

PROLOGUE

The sun was setting over the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the sky. The air was still and quiet, as if the world held its breath, anticipating what would come. It was August, and the last days of summer were slipping away like grains of sand through an hourglass.

I fell in love with Caleb Setheron Grayson that day and didn't even know it. We had been friends ever since we bumped into each other on campus. We have already explored different cities and had fun with our friends every weekend.

But that day was different. Something had shifted between us. Maybe it was how he looked at me or how his hand lingered on my shoulder when he laughed at something I said. Perhaps it was how my heart raced whenever he stood close to me or how my skin tingled when our fingers brushed.

We had decided to walk that day, just the two of us, on the beach. The sky was ablaze with colors, and we walked silently, lost in our thoughts. The air was cool and crisp, and I could feel the sand under my feet as we walked. And then it happened. As we looked over the sea, the world seemed to stop. The sun was setting, and the sky was a deep shade of purple, with stars beginning to twinkle in the distance. It was like we were the only two people left on the planet.

Caleb turned to me, and for a moment, our eyes met. His gaze had a softness I had never seen before, and I felt my heart skip. And then he did something that changed everything.

He reached out and took my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. I could feel the warmth of his touch, and it was like a bolt of lightning had struck me. My heart was pounding, and I knew then that I was falling in love with him more and deep.

We stood there for an eternity, watching the world go by beneath us. And as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, I knew my life would never be the same again.