Love at First Wave

Part 1: The Beach Kiss That Wasn't Supposed to Happen

Layla had always imagined love would be like a romcom — perfect, predictable, and always ending with a kiss. In reality, though, her life was more like a comedy of errors. So when her first kiss ended up happening with a complete stranger on a beach, well, she couldn't say she saw that coming.

It all started after another long, exhausting day at work. Layla's boss had scolded her for spilling coffee on some important documents — again. Feeling defeated, she decided to meet up with her best friend, Sammy. Sammy, or "Sam" as everyone called her, was Layla's polar opposite — outgoing, fearless, and the queen of last-minute adventures. Layla, on the other hand, was shy, hopelessly romantic, and 23 years old with exactly zero dating experience. She'd been single her whole life and, truthfully, wasn't even sure she'd know what to do if a cute guy so much as smiled at her.

"So let me get this straight," Sam said, laughing as Layla recounted her terrible day. "Your boss yelled at you again? Girl, it's like a sitcom at this point!"

Layla sighed. "I just want to live freely, you know? No bosses, no deadlines, just... life."

Sam's face lit up. "I've got just the thing! My friends and I are planning a trip to this gorgeous island. You have to come! Sun, beach, and a break from all this nonsense!"

Without thinking twice, Layla agreed. "I'm in!"

A couple of days later, they arrived at the island, and it was breathtaking — white sand beaches, crystal-clear water, and the kind of resort where people ordered drinks with little umbrellas in them. After settling into their rooms, Sam convinced Layla to put on a bikini that she definitely wouldn't have worn under normal circumstances. But hey, this was a vacation!

At the beach, the group started a game of "No Truths, Just Dares," and the dreaded moment came when the bottle spun and landed on Layla.

"Oh, come on," Layla groaned, already feeling the embarrassment creeping in.

Sam and her friends exchanged mischievous glances. "We dare you to go over to that group of cute guys and kiss the one you think is hottest," Sam said with a wicked grin.

Layla's eyes widened. "You want me to what?!"

Sam giggled. "Come on, it's just a kiss! It's harmless!"

unwilling, Layla took a deep breath, muttering under her breath, "I cannot believe I'm doing this," and walked over to the group of guys. One of them, a guy in a white shirt with sandy black hair, caught her eye. He was lounging by the water, completely relaxed, and something about his easy smile made her feel less nervous... slightly.

Layla tried her best to flirt, which involved awkwardly talking about the weather and how much sunscreen she had applied. He chuckled at her attempt, and she could feel her cheeks heating up.

Smooth, Layla. So smooth.

Finally, she sat down next to him and, trying to be slick, showed him something random on her phone. While he was distracted, she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. This will be quick, she thought. But just as she was about to go for it, he turned his head, and their faces ended up inches apart.

Layla froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Is this part of the dare?" the guy asked, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

Flustered, Layla nodded. "Yes. I mean, no! I mean... yes?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, if you're going to kiss me, you should probably know that's not how it's done."

Before she could respond, he leaned in just a little, teasing her again. Layla panicked and tried to back away, but in true romcom fashion, she bumped her head against a nearby pole with a loud thunk.

The next thing she knew, she was waking up on the beach, surrounded by her friends — and the group of guys. Everyone was laughing, clearly having a great time. Layla groaned and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping she could just fade into the sand.

But then, she heard a soft voice near her ear. "You're awake, huh?"

She opened her eyes and found herself staring right into the amused eyes of the guy in the white shirt.

"Are you always this graceful?" he teased, offering his hand to help her up.

Layla, cheeks burning, took his hand. "I'm Layla."

"I'm Ethan," he said with a warm smile. "Glad to see you're still with us."

As they rejoined the group, Sam threw her arms around Layla, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "Layla! You're supposed to kiss the guy, not knock yourself out!"

"I was aiming for romantic," Layla said.

Later in the evening, as everyone was winding down, Ethan mentioned that he and his friends were planning a yacht trip to a nearby island the next day. "You girls should come along. It'll be fun."

Everyone agreed, excited about the adventure. As Ethan handed out passes, he saved Layla's for last, holding it just out of reach.

"What about mine?" Layla asked, confused.

Ethan smirked, leaning in just a little. "You still owe me a proper kiss before you get your pass."

Flustered, Layla playfully swatted at him. "Keep dreaming," she said, trying to act unfazed, but her heart was racing.

Later that night, while everyone else was busy packing for the yacht trip, Layla stayed behind in the hotel, reading a book and pretending she wasn't thinking about Ethan's comment. Sam noticed and came over.

"You're not coming on the yacht tomorrow?" Sam asked.

Layla shook her head. "I think I'll stay here. You all should go without me. Plus, who knows? Maybe I'll flirt with some other handsome guys and hook up while you're gone."

Sam burst out laughing. "You? Flirt and Hook up? The girl who fainted before her first kiss?"

They made fun of each other for a bit before calling it a night.

The next morning, after saying goodbye to everyone, Layla settled back in with her book. But after a while, she started to feel a little left out. The idea of sailing on a yacht with her friends sounded too tempting to resist. What am I doing? she thought. She threw on some clothes and rushed to the beach, hoping to sneak onto the yacht without anyone noticing.

Just as she was about to slip aboard, someone grabbed her wrist. She spun around, and there was Ethan, grinning down at her.

"Trying to sneak on without a pass, huh? I thought you said you weren't interested."

Layla, flustered but determined, grabbed his collar, pulled him down, and kissed him — right on the lips. It wasn't perfect, but it sure wasn't awkward like last time. Ethan blinked in surprise, his cheeks a little red.

Layla, feeling bold, snatched her pass from his hand and marched onto the yacht.

Ethan stood there for a moment, touching his lips and smiling. "That still wasn't a proper kiss," he muttered to himself, "but this trip just got a lot more interesting."

To Be Continued.....