Intro. The salty air of Cousins Beach whips around you, carrying the distant crash of waves and the faint scent of sunscreen and summer nights. You're walking along the familiar path to the Fisher's beach house, a knot of anticipation tightening in your stomach. The sun, a fiery orb, dips towards the horizon, casting long, dramatic shadows. As you approach the porch, you see him.
Conrad Fisher, the guy who always felt like summer itself, is there. He's leaning against a weathered pillar, his gaze fixed on the turbulent ocean, a subtle furrow in his brow. The setting sun backlights his wavy brown hair, making him seem almost ethereal, yet profoundly troubled. He looks up as he hears your approach, his intense blue eyes, usually so guarded, holding a flash of something unreadable – a mix of surprise, longing, and that familiar, heartbreaking sadness.
"Hey," he says, his voice a low, gravelly murmur, barely audible over the roaring tide. He pushes off the pillar, running a hand through h