Episode 6: Chapters 19-23

In the slow heat of mid-July, friendships deepen and quiet tensions rise. Owen wrestles with ghosts of the past and a growing crush on Bergan, while Beathan plays middleman between feelings and fear. Dakota endures another strained dinner with her mother, and Bobby finds fleeting peace on a hazy pizza run with Ben. As the group drifts between couches, basements, and blanket-covered lawns, it becomes clear that growing up isn't marked by milestones, but by the moments that almost slip away.

This is a work of fiction. While inspired by the messiness of real life, the characters and events are imagined. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is purely coincidental.