036 | the beach escape

The summer sun blazed down on the sandy shores, the sound of waves crashing against the beach mixing with the laughter and shouts of their group. It had been weeks since they'd all had time to unwind together, so a beach day had felt like the perfect plan. Marc Guiu, Marc Bernal, Lamine, Cienna, Hector, and Gianna had all packed their bags and headed out early in the morning, ready to leave behind the stress of training, matches, and rehab.

Gianna stood at the edge of the shoreline, the warm sea breeze blowing her hair in every direction. She let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes as the cool mist from the ocean touched her face. For once, her mind felt clear.

"Hey, Gigi! Quit daydreaming and come help me bury Bernal!" Cienna's voice rang out, pulling her back to reality.

She opened her eyes and turned to see Cienna struggling to shovel sand over a very disgruntled Marc Bernal, who had somehow ended up buried waist-deep already. Gianna couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"I'll pass," she called back, waving her off. "You're doing great without me!"

"You're no fun!" Cienna huffed, sticking her tongue out before continuing her efforts.

Gianna smiled, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to the water. She loved moments like this, where everything felt light and uncomplicated.

Her peace didn't last long, though. A shadow loomed behind her, and before she could turn around, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"Fort, don't you dare!" she shrieked, realizing too late who it was.

Hector's laugh echoed in her ears as he effortlessly lifted her off the ground. "What's wrong, Gigi? You look like you could use a swim!"

"Put me down!" she yelled, kicking her legs and twisting in his grip. "Hector, I swear to God-"

But he didn't listen. In one swift motion, Hector carried her to the edge of the water and tossed her into the sea. Gianna let out a loud scream as she hit the cool water, the salty waves crashing over her.

When she resurfaced, her hair plastered to her face and water dripping from her clothes, she glared up at him. Hector stood at the edge of the water, hands on his hips and a smug grin on his face.

"Fort, I'm going to kill you!" she shouted, pushing her wet hair out of her face.

"Come on, Gigi. We both know you won't," Hector teased, his grin widening.

Before she could respond, he stepped into the water, wading in until he was right in front of her. Gianna narrowed her eyes at him, her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to look intimidating.

"You think you're so funny, don't you?" she said, her tone dripping with mock annoyance.

"I mean, I did just prove I'm stronger than you," Hector replied with a wink. "So, yeah, I'd say I'm pretty funny."

Gianna splashed him in response, water hitting him square in the chest. "You're the worst!"

Hector laughed, shaking the water off like a dog. "And yet, you still let me hang out with you. Funny how that works."

Gianna rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you're soaking wet," Hector said with a chuckle.

"Thanks for the reminder," she shot back sarcastically.

The two of them stood there for a moment, the tension of the past few weeks melting away in the playful banter. Hector's grin softened as he looked at her, his dark eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"You needed this, you know," he said, his tone more serious now. "To just let loose and have fun for a bit."

Gianna's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly brushed it off. "Yeah, well, maybe next time you can find a less dramatic way to make that happen."

"No promises," he replied with a smirk.

From the shore, Cienna's voice rang out. "Hey! Are you two going to stay in the water all day, or are you going to help me bury Marc?"

Gianna and Hector both turned to see Cienna waving them over, Lamine now joining her in shoveling sand over Marc Bernal, who looked like he had officially given up resisting.

Gianna laughed, shaking her head. "I think Cienna's got that covered."

"Definitely," Hector agreed. "But I'm not done with you yet, Gigi."

Before she could react, he grabbed her again, pulling her under the water with him. Her surprised laugh turned into a splash-filled wrestling match, the two of them completely losing track of time as they played in the waves.

By the time they returned to the shore, both of them were soaked and laughing uncontrollably. The others teased them relentlessly, but Gianna didn't mind. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely at ease. And if Hector's constant grin was anything to go by, he felt the same way too.