038 | comfortable?

The boys returned from the food stand, their arms loaded with burgers, fries, and drinks. Hector led the way, a smug grin plastered on his face as he balanced two trays with ease. Behind him, Marc Guiu was arguing with Marc Bernal about the best way to carry ketchup packets without spilling, while Lamine trailed behind, shaking his head at the chaos.

"Food delivery!" Hector called, his voice carrying over the sound of the waves.

Gianna glanced up from her spot on the sand, her heart doing that annoying little flip it always seemed to do when she saw him. Cienna shot her a knowing look but said nothing, instead shifting over to make room for the trays.

"About time," Cienna said, grabbing a burger off one of the trays as Hector set them down. "I was starting to think you got lost."

"Hey, quality food takes time," Hector replied, his tone dripping with mock seriousness.

Marc Bernal snorted as he flopped down onto the sand. "You mean arguing with Guiu about condiments takes time."

"It's called a debate," Marc Guiu retorted, sitting down next to them. "And I was right, for the record."

"Sure you were," Lamine said, rolling his eyes as he joined the group.

Hector handed Gianna a burger and fries, his fingers brushing hers briefly. She mumbled a quiet "thanks" as she took the food, suddenly hyper-aware of how close he was sitting.

The group settled into an easy rhythm, their laughter and conversation blending with the sounds of the ocean. Gianna tried to focus on eating her burger, but her thoughts kept drifting to Hector. She could feel the warmth of his presence beside her, the occasional brush of his knee against hers.

And then, without warning, Hector draped his arm around her shoulders.

Gianna froze, her burger halfway to her mouth as she turned to look at him. He was completely nonchalant, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

"Comfortable, Fort?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Very," he replied, flashing her that boyish grin that always managed to disarm her.

Cienna, sitting on Gianna's other side, nearly choked on her fry. She coughed, quickly covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smirk. "You two are ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.

Gianna ignored her, her focus still on Hector. "You know, you have your own space," she said, though her voice lacked any real annoyance.

Hector shrugged, his arm staying firmly in place. "This is better."

Gianna rolled her eyes, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks were definitely turning pink. "You're impossible."

"And yet, you keep me around," Hector shot back, taking a bite of his burger with his free hand.

Lamine, sitting across from them, raised an eyebrow as he watched the interaction. "Should we leave you two alone?" he teased, earning a laugh from Marc Bernal.

"Yeah, seriously," Marc Guiu chimed in, smirking at his sister. "You're making the rest of us feel like third wheels."

"Shut up," Gianna said, though there was no heat in her voice.

Cienna leaned over, her voice low but teasing. "Still think he doesn't like you?"

Gianna shot her a glare, but Cienna just grinned, popping another fry into her mouth.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter, teasing, and shared stories. Hector's arm stayed around Gianna's shoulders the entire time, and she didn't have the heart-or the desire-to make him move it.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars began to appear, Gianna found herself leaning into him just a little, her head resting against his shoulder. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't so bad after all.