Red. | Walker Scobell

A Night at the Beach

Chiara couldn't sleep. Her mind was buzzing, still running on the adrenaline of the long day on set. She stared at the ceiling of her trailer, shifting positions every few minutes, but sleep just wouldn't come. It wasn't the filming itself that kept her up—though they had filmed some pretty intense scenes—it was something else. Or rather, someone else.Her phone buzzed on her nightstand, pulling her out of her thoughts. Reaching for it, she glanced at the screen.

Walker: 

Can't sleep. You up?

Chiara smiled, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of his name. They had been texting more often lately, especially at night when everything was quiet and their conversations felt more private.

Chiara: 

Same here. Wanna go out? Beach?

It took barely a minute for his reply.

Walker: 

Meet me outside your trailer in five?

Chiara tossed her phone aside, quickly pulling on a hoodie and grabbing a pair of sneakers. She checked herself in the mirror, running her fingers through her hair before deciding it didn't matter—it was the middle of the night, and they were just friends...right? Shaking off the strange feeling in her chest, she slipped outside, the cool night air instantly hitting her skin. Walker was already there, leaning against the side of her trailer, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets. His face lit up when he saw her. "Ready?"

Chiara nodded, smiling back as they started walking. The beach wasn't far from the set, just a short path through the trees. The sky was clear, with the moon casting silver light over the landscape, illuminating their way. The sound of waves crashing in the distance added to the peaceful atmosphere, but there was something more in the air—a quiet excitement between them.

When they finally reached the beach, Chiara kicked off her shoes, feeling the cold sand under her feet. Walker did the same, laughing softly when the water came up and soaked the bottom of his jeans."Didn't plan for that," he said, shaking his leg a bit.Chiara chuckled. "What did you expect? It's the ocean."They wandered along the shore, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Walker told her about how he used to go to the beach a lot when he was younger, how it was his favorite place to escape and read when things got overwhelming. Chiara listened, her heart warming at the soft way he spoke about his childhood.As they walked, Walker suddenly stopped. "We should take a picture."Chiara raised an eyebrow. "You want to take a picture? You're not usually the Instagram type."Walker shrugged, his lips curving into a playful smile. "Yeah, but this feels like a moment worth remembering."

She pulled out her phone, and they took a few selfies, the glow of the moonlight adding a magical touch to the pictures. Walker even convinced her to post one on her Instagram. It was innocent—just the two of them, grinning at the camera, with the ocean in the background. But the moment Chiara hit "post," she felt a flutter of anticipation. She knew what people would say."You know what's gonna happen, right?" Walker asked, as if reading her mind. "People are gonna freak out."

Chiara shrugged, pretending not to care. "Let them. It's not like they haven't speculated before."But even as she said it, she felt something shift. The air between them seemed charged now, like the tension that had been quietly simmering for weeks was suddenly bubbling to the surface.They kept walking, the conversation flowing easily between them, but Chiara could feel the way Walker kept glancing at her when he thought she wasn't looking. And she did the same. Something was building, something unspoken but undeniable.Out of nowhere, Walker splashed her with water, sending a spray of cold droplets her way. "Hey!" she squealed, jumping back."What? You looked like you needed to cool off," he teased, his grin wide."Oh, it's on," she said, running after him, her feet sinking into the sand as she chased him along the shore.

They laughed and dodged each other, their footsteps kicking up sand behind them. Chiara managed to get a handful of water and splash him back, and before long, they were both out of breath, collapsing into the sand, their laughter ringing out into the night.As their laughter died down, they found themselves sitting side by side, breathing heavily but with smiles still lingering on their faces. The playful energy faded into something softer, more intimate.

Chiara glanced at him, her heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with the running. Walker was looking at her too, his expression suddenly serious, like he was trying to figure something out. The only sound around them was the crashing of the waves and the distant chirping of crickets.

Before she could think twice, she said, "This has been nice."Walker nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, it has."The air seemed to still around them. They were sitting close—closer than they had before. Chiara could feel the warmth radiating from his body. Her heart raced as she noticed how their knees were brushing, just barely touching. She should've pulled back, should've said something to break the tension, but she didn't.

Neither did Walker.

Instead, without even realizing it, they leaned toward each other. It was slow, almost hesitant, as if both of them were testing the waters, unsure of what would happen next. The anticipation made Chiara's breath hitch. She could feel her pulse quicken as Walker's hand lightly brushed hers.

And then it happened. Walker's hands found their way to her waist, his grip gentle but firm, pulling her closer. Chiara's breath caught in her throat as their lips met, softly at first, testing, exploring. But then the kiss deepened, fueled by all the tension that had been building between them for weeks. It was warm and intense, their emotions pouring into the kiss, the world around them disappearing.Chiara's hands found his shoulders, then slid up to his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair as they lost themselves in the moment. Walker's touch sent shivers down her spine, his fingers pressing gently into her waist, holding her close like he was afraid to let her go.

The kiss was everything she hadn't expected. It was slow but passionate, gentle but filled with an electric charge that made her knees weak. Time seemed to stand still, the rain of emotions they had been holding back finally crashing over them, leaving them breathless.

When they finally pulled away, both of them were breathing hard, their foreheads resting against each other, the world around them slowly coming back into focus. Neither of them said anything for a long moment, just breathing, trying to process what had just happened.

Chiara finally pulled back, her heart racing. "Well... that happened."Walker smiled, looking just as stunned as she felt. "Yeah, it did."Neither of them knew what this meant or what would happen next, but for now, it didn't matter. They had shared something real, something neither of them could take back.

And as they sat there, the sound of the ocean around them, Chiara couldn't help but feel like everything was about to change.

For better or for worse, their story was far from over.

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A/N: OMG you guys!!! I hope you loved this chapter as much as I did! AND YES, we finally got the first REAL KISS!!! 😭💖 I've been waiting to write this moment forever, and I hope the emotions hit you as hard as they did me!