Our Last Dance

Chapter 25

Layla's dream

Exiting the car, I paused to take in the mesmerizing sight of the sun sinking low on the horizon, painting the ocean in shades of fiery orange and soft pink. The beach stretched out before me, a peaceful retreat enveloped in the soft light of twilight.

"I love sunsets at the beach," I whispered, the gentle breeze carrying my words away.

"We should come more often, I love this place," he said with a smile. I turned to see him, his face still a blur against the setting sun, but his outline clear against the backdrop of the beach.

He was dressed in a white t-shirt and blue jeans, which hugged his lean figure nicely.

"Sure," I said with a grin, nodding in agreement. "But let's make a pact to avoid the seagulls this time. I don't think I can handle another attempted food heist."

"Fair enough," he chuckled. "But if those seagulls try to snatch our snacks, I might have to resort to my secret weapon—my charm. They won't stand a chance."

Cheeky ass.

With a quick peck on my forehead, he added, "I'll grab some snacks from the car. Why don't you go wander near the water? I'll catch up with you in a minute."

As he headed towards the car, I grinned and made my way towards the gently lapping waves, enjoying the feeling of sand between my toes as the wind brushed against it.

I stood there, the cool breeze ruffling my hair as I wrapped my arms around myself, watching the sun sink lower on the horizon. It was utterly captivating, the way its brilliance seemed to intensify as it neared the end of its journey.

A deep purple blush spread across the sky in an ethereal display.

The sound of a crunching bag brought me out of my reverie, my attention turning towards the source of the noise. There he was, walking leisurely down the sand, his arms full of bags. He was wearing denim knee length shorts and a black t-shirt.

"Quit hogging all the snacks before everyone else gets here," I scolded him with a glare. "You're usually fashionably late to everything, and now you decide to be early? What gives?" With a mock scowl, I shot him a side-eye before returning my gaze to the sunset.

He came to stand beside me, still munching on a snack, and let out a dramatic sigh. "Ouch, Layla," he said, his tone exaggeratedly wounded. "Your words cut me deep. Here I am, trying to enjoy a peaceful sunset with my best friend, and all I get is sass." He feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart in mock dismay.

"Keep this up, and I'm telling Sophie to dump your sorry ass" I countered, smirking at his dramatic performance.

He scowled, filling his mouth with more chips and grumbling in mock indignation, while I laughed out loud. Grabbing a chip from the packet, I popped it into my mouth, savoring the salty crunch.

"Where's Esha and Sophie? It's already too late," I remarked, glancing down at my watch. It was 5:45 PM, and there was still no sign of them. "You didn't pick Sophie up?" I asked, shooting him a questioning look as he continued to eat.

He sighed, a hint of a frown creasing his brow. "I told Sophie I'd pick her up like the gentleman I am, but then I couldn't resist saying something like, 'Fear not, fair maiden, for your noble steed shall soon arrive to whisk you away,' and she just laughed and said she'd come directly from college. So, here I am, waiting for her alone," he confessed, shaking his head. "She also threatened to toss me into the water and watch me drown if I didn't quit with the cheesy antics."

I glanced at him, trying to suppress a grin, but it erupted into giggles before I could stop it.

"Serves you right," I chuckled. "I don't know how she handles your cheesy ass on a daily basis."