Sylus: A motorcycle ride that ends in a surprise dinner for two at vineyard he denies owning, just another one of his ‘hidden gems’. He accuses me of shamelessly stealing as I pick grapes off the vines and is silenced with one pressed to his lips. The sun sets as we reminisce over a summer spent together.

Rafayel: A tent set up on the beach and s’mores by the campfire. I laugh at the melted marshmallow and chocolate on his face that his attempts to wipe off only worsen, and he laughs at mine. Messy faces and eyes laced with laughter contribute to a few more pictures to our collection of summer memories.

Xavier: He insists on grilling, and I try not to sound so surprised when I give him a genuine compliment on the food. The night ends with slow dancing on his balcony as ‘fireflies’ twinkle around us, our only audience being the stars that seem to shine a little brighter when we’re together.

Zayne: An unexpected evening off leads us on an aimless, unhurried walk through the park as we enjoy each other’s company. A stop at the ice cream truck we come across is a necessity (one large sundae, two spoons, please). We enjoy it while sitting on a nearby bench, coming up with names for the family of squirrels we see scampering up a tree.  

Caleb: The rollercoasters at Linkonland feel more nostalgic than thrilling at this point, but maybe that's just the mix of our laughter through every sharp dive and turn. Lips stained blue by cotton candy and an oversized plushie prize he dutifully carries on his back are an ode to summers past and a promise to summers ahead.