Sea Star

Fresh off her first year at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Emilia Casey is simultaneously happy to be back in her sleepy beachside town for the summer while also missing her life and friends at college. Located on the other side of the country from UCSB, the last thing Emilia expects to see in her mostly unknown corner of the world is her college friends. And yet, that's exactly what happens when Damian Farago, the most beautiful friend she has, shows up on vacation with his family.
After a startling meeting, Damian ropes Emilia into being his tour guide for the rest of his time in her charming town. As the pair explores every corner the town has to offer, Emilia finds a crush left over from the school year turning into maybe something more.
In this feel-good, summer short story, attractions are strong and smiles can be found all around as two young adults realize that all this time the other had been paying attention.

excerpt:
""Okay, okay!" Damian's laughter was warm as he took the cracker, the smile forming on his face one of the kind that made the world unbelievably bright despite the dark sky above them. Emilia couldn't help but smile in return, warmth flooding her chest at the sight of his crinkling eyes.
He was just so beautiful.
She didn't know how many times she'd thought it since first meeting him last winter, but she was sure, as her eyes lingered for a long time on every angle and curve of his face, that she would never stop thinking it. That she would never think it too much because it was so absolutely true. The way the moon caught on the few gold strands strewn throughout his brown hair, the curve of his lips in his smile, the sparkle of the stars reflected in his eyes. She wanted to memorize him, to recall every freckle and eyelash, to never forget the way he blinked-softly-or the way he breathed-steadily."

**WARNING:
-considerable swearing
-TW: brief discussion of depression in Chapter 4, bipolar disorder in Chapter 5