The yacht rocked gently as Joseph stepped on board, one hand still grasping the strap of his camera bag. Salt hung in the air, clinging to skin and hair like a memory that never completely faded.

Preston was already in the middle of everything, dragging bags onto the deck as if he owned the ocean. Which, technically, wasn’t far from the truth. His dad paid for the boat, the island, and probably even the sun.

Sasha was close behind him, clinging to his arm with sunglasses pushed into her hair. She smiled easily and laughed on cue. She had always been good at making herself small to fit into Preston's world.

Leo stood near the rail, talking to Eli about the weather. Joseph instinctively moved toward him; Leo was always the safest person to stand beside. Even when they were kids, he had that older brother vibe—level-headed and warm in a way that made people feel better just by being near him.

Nina leaned on Leo’s shoulder, the sun already catching the copper in her hair. She was the one people called when they needed advice, help, or anything. The kind of good that motivated others to become better just by being around her.

Amelia walked by in a white dress with bare feet, already looking like she belonged on the island. She was beautiful in that slow, careful way—like she knew it and didn’t care, which somehow made it all the more enchanting. Joseph was never quite sure if he admired her or was intimidated by her.

Max jumped the gap from the dock to the deck with too much energy, nearly knocking over a cooler. He had always been the loud one, the clown—sometimes funny, sometimes not, but never quiet.

Celeste followed behind, walking slowly and gracefully. Joseph didn’t look at her for too long. They had a history—maybe not enough to name, but enough to remember. She smiled at him as she passed, but didn’t stop.

And then there was Jude, standing at the edge of the boat as if he were simultaneously calculating wind speed and backup escape plans. He was always the genius of the group. Most of the logistics—how they got the boat, where they hid the better drinks, and which adult to charm for a second house key—had been his idea.

Lena stepped aboard last, already arguing with Eli over trivial matters. That was their dynamic—loud, messy love. They fought as if it fueled them, like they wouldn’t know how to exist without the friction.

Eleven of them, the same group every year. Same trip. Same boat. And somehow, it still felt like something sacred.

Joseph found a seat near the front and set his camera bag down beside him. He didn’t talk much, but that never seemed to bother anyone. He was the quiet observer—the one who remembered things.

Preston reclined with his arm around Sasha, the wind catching her hair as they started to move out of the marina. He kissed her once. Then again. And again, longer this time.

“Oh my God,” Amelia muttered, not even looking up from her phone. “We get it.”

Preston grinned. “Sorry. She’s hot. Can’t help it.”

Sasha giggled and pressed closer to him like she’d never been told to stop.

Joseph turned his head slightly, his eyes on the water. He didn’t mind the public displays of affection, not really. It made him feel like a background character in someone else’s summer.

Behind him, Max started blasting music from a portable speaker, loud and bass-heavy, which clashed with the serene view. Nina shot him a look, and he immediately lowered the volume.

“We’re not trying to scare the fish out of the ocean,” she said.

Joseph half-smiled but didn’t say anything.

Leo came over, balancing two drinks in one hand. Without a word, he handed one to Joseph and leaned against the rail beside him.

“Hey,” Leo said after a moment. “Happy birthday, by the way.”

Joseph blinked. “Oh. Thanks.”

Leo glanced back at the others. “You know it’s Joseph’s birthday too, right?”

There was a pause—just long enough to notice.

“Oh right,” Max said from across the deck, halfway through a sip. “Happy birthday, man.”

Sasha looked up from Preston’s shoulder. “Wait, really? I thought it was just Preston’s.”

“It’s the same day,” Leo said.

“Since always,” Joseph added casually. “Same hospital, I think.”

“Wild,” Sasha said, then turned back to whisper to Preston, laughing at something he said.

Celeste met Joseph’s gaze from across the deck. She didn’t say anything, but there was a flicker of recognition—maybe guilt, or perhaps just the wind catching her expression wrong.

Leo nudged Joseph lightly. “They’re idiots.”

“I’m used to it,” Joseph said, not unkindly. He sipped his drink and let the salt sting the back of his throat. 

It didn’t hurt anymore. Not really.

They cut through the waves, the island coming into view like something pulled from a movie set—green hills, a stretch of white sand, and a single modern villa tucked high into the trees.

Joseph raised his camera and snapped a photo—just the island for now. The people could come later.