Sora sits in the backseat of the car with the window down and the air blowing through his hair. Nirvana plays through his headphones, and though he appears relaxed on the outside, his body is thrumming with excitement.

He sticks his head out of the window and looks at the car behind him. Kairi, his girlfriend, is driving. After a whole school year of pining after her, he finally confessed his feelings on the last day of school. They've been dating ever since, making this their one month anniversary.

For the first time, he and his friends managed to save up enough money to spend a few weeks at the Destiny Islands Beachfront Resort. He spent the whole school year working at his family's department store, and every last penny went into his vacation fund. It paid off, and now they were headed to the condo where they'd spend the next twenty one days.

"Dammit, Sora," Roxas, his twin brother, yells from the driver's seat. "Get your head back in the car. That's dangerous."

He pulls his head back in the window and tugs his headphones out. "Sorry."

"He was trying to get a peek of Kairi," Tidus says from the passenger seat. "How cute is that?"

"Oh, leave him alone," Wakka says. He's next to Sora, and he turns to face him. "You and Kairi have been a long time coming."

"Heh, yeah," Sora says, smiling sheepishly. "I guess we have."

They'd all been friends as children, and as they got older, his feelings for Kairi grew as well. It wasn't until high school that he realized what they meant. He's just glad that his brother helped him work up the courage to finally ask her out. His life seemed to be going perfectly in order. He was close with his family, he had all the friends he could ever want, and now the most beautiful girlfriend. He'd start his senior year of high school when summer ended, and then he'd go to college at Traverse University. Everything was going according to plan.

"Here we are!" Roxas says, the glee evident in his voice.

They drive past a sign that reads "Destiny Islands Beachfront Resort: Where Memories Are Made." Sora can't wait for the memories they would all make. He wants to have stories they can tell for the rest of their lives.

They drive through rows of large condos, each painted a bright color, before pulling up to one painted a robin's egg blue. Roxas parks in one of the spots available out front and Kairi pulls in right after.

Sora hops out of the car and trots over to where Kairi is pulling her bags out of the trunk.

"Let me get that for you," he says, reaching for the bag.

"I've got it." She smiles.

"How was the ride?"

"Long," she says as she makes her way toward the condo. Sora follows her as she continues talking. "Selphie is...very talkative. But I'm happy to be here, finally."

"Sora!" Roxas calls from the car. "Come grab your bags!"

He grudgingly turns to glare at Roxas who stands by the open trunk with his arms crossed. Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie brush past him with their bags in hand. He turns back to face Kairi, but she's already in the house, so he makes his way down to the car.

"What the hell?" he says. "I was trying to talk to her."

"You can talk to her once we're settled in." He closes the trunk once Sora pulls his bags out and locks the car. "Have you read the brochure on this place?"

Sora nods and smiles. Each condo has a view of the beach and a personal hot tub. There's an on site cafe, a tennis court, and a huge swimming pool for the guests. This was going to be the best vacation ever.

Sora and Roxas make their way up to the room they will share for the next few weeks. It has two beds, and a sliding glass door that steps out onto a small balcony with a couple of chairs. Sora sets his bags on his bed and steps outside, looking at the sky blue waves that crash against the sand. The air smells of salt, and the heat warms his skin. He feels like he's in heaven. He stands out there longer than he realizes.

"Hey!" Kairi's voice shakes him from his reverie. He turns and smiles at her as she steps onto the balcony next to him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he says.

"Yeah, it is," she says, smiling. She turns to him. "We're all gonna go to the cafe to grab a bite to eat. You gonna come?"

As she says that, his stomach growls, causing her to giggle.

"I'll take that as a yes," she says, grabbing his hand and tugging him along behind her.

When they get outside, everyone is waiting for them. Selphie is talking Tidus's ear off about nothing in particular, Roxas is tapping away at his phone, and Wakka is kicking a rock around. They follow Roxas, who has a map of the whole resort, until they come upon a small cafe with a painted sign that says "Sea Salt Shack."

Light streams in through large windows, casting the walls and tables in an ethereal glow. They sit at table in the corner, sharing stories and laughing.

"So Sora jumps up, ready to fight, and immediately slips on a banana peel!" Roxas says in between fits of laughter.

Sora laughs and puts his face in his hands. "Did you have to tell that story?"

"I think it's cute!" Kairi says, leaning her head on Sora's shoulder.

"Yeah, Sora." Selphie reaches across the table and pinches Sora's cheek. "So cute."

Tidus bats her hand away and puts his arm around her. "Sora has a lot of stories like that. He's kind of clumsy."

"Hey, ease up, guys," Wakka says.

Before Sora can respond, he sees someone approaching the table from the corner of his eye. When he looks over, his breath catches in his throat. He's a tall, silver haired boy around Sora's age, maybe a little older. His eyes are the color of sea foam, and he smiles as he makes it to the table, revealing a dimple in his left cheek.

"Hey, guys," he says, pulling a small notepad from the apron tied around his waist. "I'm Riku, and I'll be helping you today. Can I start you off with some drinks?"

Everyone says what they want to drink, but when it's Sora's turn, he's too preoccupied with how the boy's, Riku's, shirt is just tight enough to show off how much he's worked for his figure. He's not too muscular; he's actually quite lean, but he's toned. Sora can't help but notice.

"Earth to Sora." Kairi pokes his cheek, giggling. "Are you thirsty?"

"Uh," he looks down at the menu.

"It's upside down," Riku says. He takes it from Sora's hands and flips it around for him. "I recommend the lemonade. It's hand squeezed."

"Y-Yeah," Sora says. "That's fine."

After Riku walks away, they go back to their conversation, but he catches Roxas looking at him, confused. He ignores it. When Riku comes back with the drinks, he takes their orders, and Sora manages to keep his cool. After they finish eating, they all stand outside while Roxas runs to the bathroom.

"Let's go swimming after this," Kairi says, hooking her arm through Sora's. "It's such a beautiful day."

He swallows at the thought of seeing Kairi in a bathing suit. "Great idea."

When Roxas comes back, they make their way back to the condo and change into their swimsuits. One glimpse of Kairi in her lavender bikini, and all thoughts of the silver haired waiter are pushed out of his head.

He's ready to enjoy his vacation.