The beach house stood like a forgotten memory against the endless summer sky. Sarah had dreaded this moment for months – returning to the place where everything had changed. The salty breeze carried whispers of laughter from summers past, when life had been simpler and her biggest worry was whether to wear her blue or green swimming costume.

Now, at fifteen, she felt ancient. The wooden steps creaked under her feet as she climbed towards the veranda, each groan of the timber echoing the reluctance in her heart. Through the dusty windows, she could see the outline of furniture draped in white sheets, like ghosts waiting to be awakened.

"It's just for the summer," her mother had promised, but Sarah knew that some summers changed everything. The door handle felt cold in her palm despite the blazing July heat, and as she turned it, she wondered if she was opening the door to her past or stepping into an uncertain future.