HAPPY FRIENDSHIP ANNIVERSARY

 Firelight Confessions

The flames danced, flickering gold and amber against the dark velvet sky.

The ocean's hush filled the gaps between their voices, and the scent of salt and woodsmoke wrapped around them like a familiar sweater.

Nora passed around mugs of warm cocoa.

Kai was poking at the fire with a stick he'd dramatically dubbed Sir Flame-tamer.

Lena curled up in one of the big bean bags they'd dragged from the living room, her head resting lightly against Amelia's shoulder.

And Eli, Eli sat quiet, the firelight catching the letter still folded and hidden in his hoodie pocket.

It was Nora who broke the silence.

"So… how's everyone doing? Not just the social media 'I'm thriving' version," she said with a grin, glancing at Kai.

"And yes, that question includes you, Mr. Influencer."

Everyone chuckled.

Kai mock bowed. "I am deeply wounded.

But fine. I'll go first. Life update: Quit my job last year.

Took six months off to figure out if I liked what I was doing or if I was just good at it."

He shrugged. "Turns out, I didn't like it at all.

So now I'm writing music full time.

Which is terrifying. And freeing. Like skydiving without the parachute part."

"That's actually… brave," Lena said softly.

"Alright, someone else go," Kai said quickly. "Before I cry and ruin my brand."

They laughed, then turned to Amelia.

"I'm still at the architecture firm," she said. "Got promoted a few months ago, but I don't know if I even want to stay long-term.

I miss building for beauty, not just budgets."

"Your campus design sketches were art," Eli murmured. "You should do more of that again."

Amelia gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"What about you, Lena?" Nora asked.

Lena hesitated. "I moved back home last year.

My dad's health started declining, so I helped out. It's hard sometimes. But I'm glad I'm there."

Everyone went quiet for a moment.

Then Nora reached out and squeezed her hand.

"You?" Amelia asked, turning her attention to Nora now.

Nora sighed, looking up at the stars.

"Still teaching. Still tired," she joked.

"Honestly… I thought I'd be in a different place by now. Maybe married.

Maybe with a kid. But life had other plans. And I'm trying not to feel behind."

"You're not behind," Lena said firmly.

"I know. But it still feels like it."

The fire crackled.

Then they all turned, almost in sync, to Eli.

He looked up, startled. "What?"

"Kai shared. Amelie shared. Nora cried a little. It's your turn," Kai said.

Eli gave a dry laugh. "Still writing code. Still staying up too late. Still avoiding feelings."

"Eli," Nora said gently.

He looked at her, and the flicker in his eyes lingered a second too long.

"I guess I'm still figuring stuff out," he said quietly.

"I've been… doing a lot of thinking lately. About what I've said. And what I haven't."

A strange hush fell over the circle. Not heavy, but expectant.

Nora tilted her head. "Thinking about anything in particular?"

Eli's gaze dropped to the fire. "Nothing I'm ready to say out loud yet."

Nobody pushed. But something shifted in the space between them.

And though the laughter resumed minutes later, though Kai started a silly game and Amelia threw marshmallows at him, Nora couldn't help the way her eyes kept drifting back to Eli.

And Eli… couldn't stop feeling like his silence had finally spoken volumes.

One-on-One: Eli and Nora

The others had wandered off to gather more firewood and chat by the edge of the beach, but Eli lingered near the fire pit, the warmth flickering across his face and eyes heavy with thoughts.

Nora quietly approached, her footsteps soft on the sand.

She settled down beside him, not too close, but close enough to bridge the silence.

"You okay?" she asked, voice low and steady.

Eli glanced at her, surprised by the gentleness, unsure if he should answer or retreat.

"Just tired," he said finally, staring into the flames. "It's been a long day… a lot to process."

Nora nodded, her gaze fixed on the fire too. "I get that.

Sometimes it's easier to talk about everything but the things that matter."

He swallowed hard. "Yeah. That's… that's exactly it."

For a moment, they just sat together, two silhouettes outlined by firelight, the ocean murmuring in the distance.

Nora's voice softened. "You don't have to say anything you're not ready for, Eli.

But… I've always felt there was more beneath the surface. You never tell us everything."

He let out a short laugh, almost bitter. "Maybe some things are easier to keep to myself."

Her eyes searched his face. "Or maybe you're scared. Scared of what might happen if you don't."

Eli's jaw clenched, but there was no anger.

Just that old hesitation he'd carried for years, the weight of unspoken feelings.

"I care," Nora said quietly, "more than I probably should."

He turned to her, eyes flickering with something fragile, something aching.

"Me too," he admitted, but quickly looked away.

"I just don't know how to fix what's broken."

Nora reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear.

"Sometimes you don't have to fix it all at once.

"Sometimes, you just start by being honest."

He swallowed, the fire's warmth fading beneath the sudden chill of vulnerability.

"Maybe," he whispered.

They sat a while longer, the night wrapping around them like a quiet promise, words still unsaid but hearts beginning to listen.

Tangled Threads Beneath the Stars

The fire had burned lower, casting soft amber glows that danced over their faces.

With Nora inside sorting out the snacks for the next round of games, Kai, Amelia, and Lena lingered outside beneath a velvet sky peppered with stars.

Kai stretched, leaned back on his hands, and exhaled slowly.

"It's strange, isn't it?

Being here again. Same sand, same sea, but we're different."

"Different doesn't feel like the right word," Amelia murmured, hugging her knees.

"More like... unwrapped. Like we've all been carrying things we didn't dare share before."

Lena gave a quiet hum of agreement, brushing wind-tangled strands from her face.

"And now that we're here, it's like the quiet parts of us are louder."

Kai's gaze slid to Amelia. "You feel that too?"

She nodded, eyes flicking briefly toward the dim hallway where Eli had disappeared earlier.

"Especially with Eli. Something's... held back. Like he's trying to say something but can't."

Lena shifted, thoughtful.

"He didn't read his letter. Everyone else did. And when you asked, he just smiled and brushed it off."

"Classic Eli," Kai said, his voice half-teasing but laced with worry. "Bury the poem instead of reading it."

"But that wasn't just about nerves," Amelia whispered.

"He looked almost scared. Like whatever's in that letter might break him open."

A silence grew between them, not awkward, just heavy with unsaid thoughts.

Kai reached for a seashell and passed it between his fingers. "You think it's about one of us?"

Lena looked at him. "Do you?"

He didn't answer directly. "I just know he's been distant, but somehow… closer too. Watching more. Laughing less."

Amelia didn't respond, only looked up at the stars again, wondering what stories Eli had written that he still couldn't say aloud.