A Date With Bridgette ((top)) [ AUTHENTIC · 2027 ]

We found a spot on the sand just north of the pier, where the tide had carved a shallow shelf of wet, packed sand perfect for sitting. Bridgette immediately flopped onto her back, arms spread like she was making a sand angel, and stared up at the sky turning peach and violet.

And because she was a tornado, and because the tide was rising, and because the strawberries were probably going to get sandy anyway—I ran after her. a date with bridgette

“I surfed this morning,” she said quietly. “Before dawn. Water was glass. Saw a pod of dolphins maybe fifty yards out. They weren’t doing anything special. Just... hanging out. Floating. One of them looked at me. Like, really looked at me.” We found a spot on the sand just