“We’ll try,” Ivy calls out.
Once we grab our bags and head down to the beach, I glance at Maya, who has her coat wrapped around her in this Baltic weather.
“You sure the sea isn’t going to be frozen over?” She arches a brow at me.
“Dramatic.” I bump her hip gently. “Don’t worry, I’ll warm you up after.”
Maya draws in a breath and adjusts the strap on her shoulder. I frown at the sight and take it from her hands. “I can carry my own bag,” she says softly.
I sling it over my shoulder anyway. “I know you can,” I say with a smile. “But I want to do it for you.”
When we make it to the beachfront, there’s barely anyone here. Only a few people are walking their dogs early. I dump our bags on the ground, and Maya’s eyes nearly bulge out of her skull at how quickly JJ and Ivy start to take off their clothes.
“Shit,” Maya hisses quietly. “Are we doing it immediately?”
“Breathe, sunshine,” I murmur through her panic. “We can take our time. Don’t worry about what they’re doing.”
Her eyes dip from mine and follow Ivy as she strips down into a red swimsuit with her hair tied back. JJ’s gaze latches onto her as he whips his jumper off, followed by his T-shirt, until he’s in nothing but his swimming trunks.
Ivy clutches her arms around herself and hops from foot to foot. “Hurry,” she says as her teeth chatter. “I will get hypothermia.”
JJ slams his clothes down over his bag before reaching for my sister and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He kisses her head as they start walking towards the water, and Ivy glances over at us.
“You guys coming?”
“Be there in a second,” I call out.
We stand back for a moment and watch as they run towards the water, hand in hand, giggling like a pair of school kids. They crash into the water like the world should fear them, and it fills me with joy to see my sister finally out of her shell since the accident. And that’s all down to my best friend reminding her that life isn’t scary.
Ivy screams out as they both dive under the surface. Maya is visibly shaking beside me.
“I-I don’t know if I can do that.” Maya grips herself tighter.
“We don’t have to.”
She glances at me with wide eyes. “No, you said it’s tradition. You have to.”
“Not going without you.”
She huffs. “Finn?—”
“You and me, together, or I’m not going. But it’s all good, if you don’t want to.”
“I will,” she states. “Just…just give me a moment to psych myself up.”
I bite back a grin as I place my arm around her shoulders. “You’re brave enough to do this, sunshine. I know it. Just breathe. It’ll feel great after.”
Ivy shrieks again as JJ picks her up and she wraps her arms around his neck. Their laughter floats across the beach, and the brightness on both of their faces is nearly infectious. I can’t believe there was a time I despised seeing them together.
“They really love each other, huh,” Maya comments.
“JJ is patient as fuck, and Ivy opened herself up for him because he gave her space to trust. I’m really happy for them.”
Maya inhales before nodding. “They’re cute.”
“Even I can admit that.”
She turns to me with a soft smile as strands of her hair flutter around her face. “Okay, I think I’m ready.”
