Under One Sun

Chapter 1:The First Hello

Olivia stepped out of the taxi and into the warm, salty air of Málaga. The late afternoon sun bathed the city in a golden hue, and the distant sound of waves crashing on the beach added to the surreal feeling that washed over her. It was her first time in Spain, and the promise of summer stretched out in front of her like an open book. She turned to her best friend, Annie, who was grinning wide-eyed beside her.

"Here we go," Olivia said, hoisting her bag over her shoulder.

They made their way up the narrow cobblestone path to the whitewashed villa where they would be staying for the next two weeks. The house was charming, with vibrant bougainvillea spilling over the walls and a small fountain at the entrance. It was everything Olivia had imagined a Spanish summer to be.

"Do you think it'll be weird sharing a house with other students?" Annie asked as they reached the door.

"Depends on who they are," Olivia replied with a smile. "But we've got each other, right?"

Annie nodded enthusiastically, pushing Olivia playfully before ringing the bell.

The door opened almost immediately, and María, their host mother, greeted them with a warm smile. "Bienvenidas, chicas!" she said, pulling them into hugs. Her Spanish was fast, but the girls were able to follow along, their excitement making up for any gaps in language.

"Come in, come in. I'm preparing dinner," María added, motioning for them to enter the cozy villa.

The house was filled with the rich aroma of garlic and spices. Olivia inhaled deeply, her stomach growling. "Smells amazing," she whispered to Annie.

They had just settled into their shared room when the sound of the front door opening and a chorus of voices carried up the stairs. Olivia exchanged a glance with Annie. "Sounds like the others are here."

Curious, they made their way down to the dining room, where María was now greeting two new arrivals—two boys, both about their age. The taller of the two caught Olivia's attention immediately. He stood with a casual confidence, his blonde hair slightly tousled and his blue eyes bright. He was wearing a crisp blue collared shirt and shorts that highlighted his tanned legs, looking like someone straight out of a magazine. There was something effortlessly elegant about him, like he belonged in places far fancier than this humble villa.

"That's Bruno," María said, gesturing toward him. "And Anthony," she added, pointing to the boy standing beside him, who gave them a quick wave. Anthony was shorter than Bruno, with dark hair and an easy smile.

Bruno smiled at them, and Olivia felt a sudden jolt of nervousness. His presence was... magnetic. He had the kind of charm that was hard to ignore, and she had the feeling he knew it. He gave a slight nod in their direction as María ushered them all to sit down for dinner.

"Hey," Bruno said, his voice smooth with a faint French accent. "You must be Olivia and Annie, right?"

"Yeah," Olivia replied, her own voice sounding a little smaller than usual. She quickly cleared her throat. "You're from France?"

"Paris," Bruno said, leaning back slightly in his chair, clearly at ease. "My parents thought a language course in Spain would be good for me this summer."

Olivia noticed the way he said it—like he was used to his parents deciding things for him. "And Anthony?" she asked, looking at his friend.

"Met this guy at the airport," Anthony said, grinning. "We hit it off, so we're sharing a room."

Olivia exchanged a quick look with Annie, who raised an eyebrow. The two boys seemed to already have their own rhythm, Bruno with his cool confidence and Anthony with his laid-back vibe.

As dinner progressed, Olivia found herself sitting across from Bruno, who caught her eye every so often, making her heart skip in a way that surprised her. He seemed comfortable wherever he was, casually leaning back in his chair as he spoke to María in his fluent French-accented Spanish. She had expected someone like him—blonde, blue-eyed, effortlessly stylish, from a wealthy Parisian family—to be standoffish. But Bruno wasn't like that. He was engaging, leaning in during conversations, and surprisingly warm, especially with Anthony, who he had only just met.

"Do you speak Spanish well?" Bruno asked, his attention now fully on Olivia.

"Better than I thought I would, but it definitely needs some work," Olivia admitted with a smile.

"Same," Bruno said. "I know the basics, but I'm hoping being here will change that." He paused, his gaze lingering on her. "And maybe meeting people will make it more interesting."

Olivia felt her face warm under his gaze, but before she could respond, Annie jumped in. "Olivia's actually really good with languages," she teased, nudging her. "She's being modest."

Bruno raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Modesty is a good look on you," he said with a playful grin.

Olivia laughed, trying to shake off the sudden wave of flustered energy he'd stirred up in her. "We'll see if you're still saying that when I'm struggling to order coffee in Spanish."

"Well," Bruno said, his eyes sparkling, "if you need help, I'm here."

The easy rhythm of conversation continued throughout the meal, with everyone sharing stories about why they'd come to Málaga and what they were hoping to get out of the summer. Olivia noticed how effortlessly Bruno charmed everyone, from María to Annie and Anthony. But he kept coming back to her, asking her questions, making her laugh with his dry, understated humor.

By the time dinner wrapped up and María brought out dessert—freshly made churros with chocolate—Olivia realized she'd barely noticed the time passing. It was strange how quickly they had all clicked, especially with Bruno, who had felt like a stranger just hours ago but now seemed almost... familiar.

As they all lingered around the table, Annie caught Olivia's eye and gave her a knowing look, clearly having picked up on the connection between her and Bruno. Olivia rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

"So," Bruno said as they stood up from the table, "what's the plan for tomorrow after school? Explore the city?"

Olivia shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"Perfect," he replied, his gaze lingering on her just a second longer than necessary. "I'll see you in the morning then."

As Olivia headed back to her room with Annie, she couldn't help but feel like something had shifted. She had come to Málaga for a summer of learning, new experiences, and adventure—but something about Bruno told her that this summer might end up being a lot more than
she'd expected.