Okay, so definitely never stopped writing this story. I started editing it this year because there was a lot of mistakes but then you know, grade twelve is a bitch. If you want to read more of my stuff I am pretty active on fanfiction.net I write all Twilight (By Stephenie Meyer) fan fictions and I will be starting an account on another story site soon. My fan fiction is calle After Jacob's First Love and it is under the account name topaz addiction. Remeber to search the name of the story and not the account, it's my friends account it's posted on. If anyone wants me to write more of this story and get updates on a regular basis, e-mail me and I will let you know when I start it back up again. my e-mail is rawrr.hearts@hotmail.com love (L)

The day passed by, cold and miserable. Nate had forbode Sam from surfing until the waters had calmed. Instead of staying on the beach, they drove into the nearby town. Nate drove through the unfamiliar streets with Sam as his guide, although her directional skills were fogged thanks to this mornings' events. Nate knew for sure that something had gone terribly wrong but he wasn't ready to send her through another spin cycle like the one he witnessed the night before. He just wanted to pull her out of this rut that she had seemed to fall deeper and deeper into. Sam's mind was racing, but dead at the same time. Her heart ached to see her Mother once more, but another part of her wished she could just forget about her Mother and Riley both so she could move on with her life, her life with Nate. She knew that her constant tantrums and terrible mood was bringing him down, and the last thing she needed was for him to be dragged down with her. He was her only life line, her only handle on sanity. Right then was when she decided that she was going to try her hardest to hide ever inch of depression and thought about her past and move on. Her future was brighter than the sun, she just needed to push these clouds away. Nate was her sun, he was her future and she knew it. As every part of her did. Nate remained quiet, glancing over at Sam every few seconds, waiting for her to say something. She caught his glance and smiled. He smiled back. "Turn in here." Sam said, pointing to a parking lot in front of a local diner. Nate parked the jeep and as Sam went to open her door he pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. "I love you Sam." She smiled. "I love you too." They walked hand-in-hand into the diner. It was old and out-dated, but warm and inviting still. The smell of fresh pancakes and bacon filled the air and the dull light shone through the windows, still lighting up everything as if the sun was beaming right inside the window. Another memory of her childhood flooded her head, only this one contained no pain. It was the memory of her Dad and her sitting at the bar eating pancakes a few summers back. A smiled flooded her face as she closed her eyes for a momment, savouring one of her favourite smells, breakfast. When her eyelids parted she saw a woman come into the restaurant from the kitchen. Her red skin stood out against her long curly black hair. She was a larger woman, native, and had one of those Grandmother faces that Sam loved. The woman looked towards the door, only too see the little, tanned, sand-coloured girl that she saw years ago. "Saamanthaaa!" She cried as she ran from behind the counter and pulled Sam's tiny figure into her arms. "Oh Love! It's been too long!" She said again as Sam hugged her tight. "Ahahaha! I know Polly!" Sam said almost in tears. Sam had known Polly all her life. Sam's Mother had grown up in Tofino and Polly had been more of a Mother to her than her own. When she was fifteen, she was kicked out of her house and Polly took her in as if she were family and she remained there until she met Sam's father when she was 17. Polly was the only memory of a grandmother Sam, Riley and her sisters had, but after Riley's death, Sam had avoided every aspect of Tofino and the memories that drowned her. As far as she knew, her Father still kept in touch. Polly pulled away and took another look at the little girl that had grown into an adult right before her very eyes. Tears welled and she pulled her into a hug again. Polly could see the pain in her eyes. Sam looked identical to her Mother, the same eyes, the same eyes that gave away the fight they were holding back. Sam buried her head into Polly's neck and cried. "Husshh..." Polly hymned to Sam. After a minute Sam pulled away and looked into Polly's swollen eyes. "Sorry..." She whispered. "Don't apologize love. There is no need." Polly smiled and wrapped one arm around her little girls' shoulder. "So you must be Nate." Polly said in her song-like voice. "Yes, nice to meet you." He said, holding out his hand. Ignoring his hand, Polly gave Nate a tight hug. She smelt of pumpkin and campfires. "Dad called you didn't he." Sam said wiping her eyes on her sleve. Polly just nodded her head. "He was worried about you love." Polly said, looking at Sam. "We are all worried about you Sam." Nate added. Sam just looked around. She ran her fingers along the bar counter and sat in a familar chair, expecting another memory to flood her mind, but she held it back. She was back with the two people left in this world she loved most, and at this momment, she felt at home for the first time in a long time. Over breakfast, Sam was quiet, nibbling on her chocolate chip pancakes the cook, Morty, had always made specially for her. Nate and Polly chatted about Tofino, and the locals. "Sam?" Polly asked, waking her from a daze. "Mhm?" Sam looked up. "Tonight how about you and Nate come over to my house for dinner. I'll make your favourite." Her inviting eyes made her hard to resit. Polly was an amazing cook and would always make Sam fresh smoked salmon that the local boys would catch for her. "I'd like that." Sam smiled and Polly seemed pleased. "Perfect! Dinner will be at 6 on the button." Polly exclaimed as she cleaned their dishes away. Sam tried paying but Polly wouldn't hear of it. "Love, seeing you was all the payment I needed, pancakes and eggs were the least I could give you in return." "Sammy," Morty yelled from the kitchen,"You better not be giving her money, you don't need to pay here!" "Fine!" Sam laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'll see you tonight Pol." She said as she walked out of the diner. As they walked out, Nate turned around and smiled in Polly's direction. "Thank you." He mouthed silently. Polly nodded her head and smiled. He knew that Sam had needed to see her, and he also knew that tonight, she would finally be able to let go of everything she was holding back to Polly and possibly hear something that he couldn't explain to her. He remembered one late night conversation a few months before where Sam had mentioned Polly and how she had always made sense of things, no matter what the situation may be. Nate just hoped that Sam was right. She needed this more than anything right now.

The day passed by, cold and miserable. Nate had forbode Sam from surfing until the waters had calmed. Instead of staying on the beach, they drove into the nearby town. Nate drove through the unfamiliar streets with Sam as his guide, although her directional skills were fogged thanks to this mornings' events. Nate knew for sure that something had gone terribly wrong but he wasn't ready to send her through another spin cycle like the one he witnessed the night before. He just wanted to pull her out of this rut that she had seemed to fall deeper and deeper into. Sam's mind was racing, but dead at the same time. Her heart ached to see her Mother once more, but another part of her wished she could just forget about her Mother and Riley both so she could move on with her life, her life with Nate. She knew that her constant tantrums and terrible mood was bringing him down, and the last thing she needed was for him to be dragged down with her. He was her only life line, her only handle on sanity. Right then was when she decided that she was going to try her hardest to hide ever inch of depression and thought about her past and move on. Her future was brighter than the sun, she just needed to push these clouds away. Nate was her sun, he was her future and she knew it. As every part of her did. Nate remained quiet, glancing over at Sam every few seconds, waiting for her to say something. She caught his glance and smiled. He smiled back. "Turn in here." Sam said, pointing to a parking lot in front of a local diner. Nate parked the jeep and as Sam went to open her door he pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. "I love you Sam." She smiled. "I love you too." They walked hand-in-hand into the diner. It was old and out-dated, but warm and inviting still. The smell of fresh pancakes and bacon filled the air and the dull light shone through the windows, still lighting up everything as if the sun was beaming right inside the window. Another memory of her childhood flooded her head, only this one contained no pain. It was the memory of her Dad and her sitting at the bar eating pancakes a few summers back. A smiled flooded her face as she closed her eyes for a momment, savouring one of her favourite smells, breakfast. When her eyelids parted she saw a woman come into the restaurant from the kitchen. Her red skin stood out against her long curly black hair. She was a larger woman, native, and had one of those Grandmother faces that Sam loved. The woman looked towards the door, only too see the little, tanned, sand-coloured girl that she saw years ago. "Saamanthaaa!" She cried as she ran from behind the counter and pulled Sam's tiny figure into her arms. "Oh Love! It's been too long!" She said again as Sam hugged her tight. "Ahahaha! I know Polly!" Sam said almost in tears. Sam had known Polly all her life. Sam's Mother had grown up in Tofino and Polly had been more of a Mother to her than her own. When she was fifteen, she was kicked out of her house and Polly took her in as if she were family and she remained there until she met Sam's father when she was 17. Polly was the only memory of a grandmother Sam, Riley and her sisters had, but after Riley's death, Sam had avoided every aspect of Tofino and the memories that drowned her. As far as she knew, her Father still kept in touch. Polly pulled away and took another look at the little girl that had grown into an adult right before her very eyes. Tears welled and she pulled her into a hug again. Polly could see the pain in her eyes. Sam looked identical to her Mother, the same eyes, the same eyes that gave away the fight they were holding back. Sam buried her head into Polly's neck and cried. "Husshh..." Polly hymned to Sam. After a minute Sam pulled away and looked into Polly's swollen eyes. "Sorry..." She whispered. "Don't apologize love. There is no need." Polly smiled and wrapped one arm around her little girls' shoulder. "So you must be Nate." Polly said in her song-like voice. "Yes, nice to meet you." He said, holding out his hand. Ignoring his hand, Polly gave Nate a tight hug. She smelt of pumpkin and campfires. "Dad called you didn't he." Sam said wiping her eyes on her sleve. Polly just nodded her head. "He was worried about you love." Polly said, looking at Sam. "We are all worried about you Sam." Nate added. Sam just looked around. She ran her fingers along the bar counter and sat in a familar chair, expecting another memory to flood her mind, but she held it back. She was back with the two people left in this world she loved most, and at this momment, she felt at home for the first time in a long time. Over breakfast, Sam was quiet, nibbling on her chocolate chip pancakes the cook, Morty, had always made specially for her. Nate and Polly chatted about Tofino, and the locals. "Sam?" Polly asked, waking her from a daze. "Mhm?" Sam looked up. "Tonight how about you and Nate come over to my house for dinner. I'll make your favourite." Her inviting eyes made her hard to resit. Polly was an amazing cook and would always make Sam fresh smoked salmon that the local boys would catch for her. "I'd like that." Sam smiled and Polly seemed pleased. "Perfect! Dinner will be at 6 on the button." Polly exclaimed as she cleaned their dishes away. Sam tried paying but Polly wouldn't hear of it. "Love, seeing you was all the payment I needed, pancakes and eggs were the least I could give you in return." "Sammy," Morty yelled from the kitchen,"You better not be giving her money, you don't need to pay here!" "Fine!" Sam laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'll see you tonight Pol." She said as she walked out of the diner. As they walked out, Nate turned around and smiled in Polly's direction. "Thank you." He mouthed silently. Polly nodded her head and smiled. He knew that Sam had needed to see her, and he also knew that tonight, she would finally be able to let go of everything she was holding back to Polly and possibly hear something that he couldn't explain to her. He remembered one late night conversation a few months before where Sam had mentioned Polly and how she had always made sense of things, no matter what the situation may be. Nate just hoped that Sam was right. She needed this more than anything right now.

Morning came sooner than Sam wanted it too. It was a cool, grey morning, but a sea of dull, depressing light filled the tent. Sam rose from Nate's arms and took off her sweater and pj's. She slipped her swim shorts over her sun-bleached bathin suit that rarely left her body, especially when she was in Tofino. She left the tent as she pulled her tangled hair into a ponytail. The ocean dangerously rough, it was like the anger she released last night was let out into the water and now it was rebelling back at Sam. The crashing sets made her feel like they were insider her head rather than in front of her eyes. The loud splashes of water echoed through her head like the memories that made getting up everyday that much harder. At that momment, her urge to enter the waves left her as her heart ached for something different. She started to run. Her mind was empty, but her feet were carrying her to a place she feared and to a place she'd never thought she would see again. Her body ached but her feet kept moving. As she got closer, her heart was beating faster. She kne what she would see and she wanted to scream at her feet to stop, but she knew it was no use. Her heart was the only part urging her feet to move faster. Just through these rocks... As she climbed through the rocks in front of her she saw exactly what she had invisioned. A downward slope to another bed of rocks with the best view of the ocean. This was her and Riley's spot since they were kids. The only other person that had seen it was their Mother. They brought her there and from then on it was like their secret. The last time she had seen this spot was just after their Mother had died. Her and Riley trecked down here after they had spread her ashes off her surfboard in the middle of the ocean, their last trip to Tofino as a family. Her heart ached more, moving her feet cautiiously down the hill to the spot where they would always sit. The spot that they had sworn they would never visit again. Her mind became a movie screen as she replayed that day in her head like it was a tape that she found in a box with old family pictures. She fastfowarded past family picnics, the birth of Echo, and her and Riley's seventh birthday, to that day. They had both sat on the very rock she was sitting on and cried, they cried for hours. Her tears that never seemed to fully escape her returned to the brims of her eyes. "Big girls don't cry..." Her Mother's voice echoed through her mind and shook her body. This had never happened before. The voice sounded so real, like her Mother was right there. Sam's mind became a blur as it rewound to the day when she was 4 when she broke her arm trying to climb a tree at her Poppy's house. She remembered lying on the ground trying not to scream as her Mother and Riley stood over her in effort to calm her down. Sam was petrified. It was like her past was flying through her head at 15 frames per second, as if it were a projector. She looked beside her and Riley was sitting there, he was crying and his mouth was moving as if he were trying to scream at her. Not in anger, but in frustration. His face looked as if he were trapped in a glass box trying to communicate with her, trying to tell her something. But she couldn't hear anything. She got up and slowly backed off the rocks as Riley sat there screaming with no sound. It was like some terrible nightmare that never seems to end until you are about to die under the worst circumstances and you wake up in a cold sweat. She kept backing off getting ready to run, but she hit something behind her which made her jump. She turned around only to see her Mother, bald and in scrubs. She wasn't looking at Sam. She had a scared look on her face, a look that she had never seen her Mother portray before. Her Mother looked to the sky and mumbled a prair, as if she was sitting on the operating table. Sam ran back towards their tent until she heard a scream. She whipped around only to see another vision of her Mother. She was looking down into the sand, dressed in white and glowing. She had never seen her Mother so beautiful in her life. Sam slowly inched back towards her, until she saw her face. It was filled with sheer horror. Then a bloodcurdling scream left her lips. She started pulling at her hair and wincing from the pain. Sam stood there, looking at her Mother in hysterics. She walked forward and bent down, putting her hand on her shoulder. She felt her Mother's skin, it was warm like it always was. Her Mother was startled and looked up. "Oh no! Not you too baby!" Their eyes met. "What?" Sam asked confused. She had no idea what was going on. Her Mother pointed down, to where a black hole seemed to have formed. She was looking at something that was invisible to Sam. Sam couldn't take it anymore. She bolted. Back to the tent, back to Nate. She stopped at the tent and picked up her backpack that sat in front of it. She dug through until she found her cellphone which read 6:14 am. She dropped everything and looked at the water. The waves were even more furious. It was like they were fighting. Sam had never felt so confused, or scared, in her entire life. She grabbed her board, feeling as if she fought through the waves, she could fight for some sort of explanation to everything she just saw. Sam ran towards the waves. She was almost knocked off her feet at her first step into the water. She had anticipated such force. She paddled through, getting thrown into the water twice. It didn't stop her though.. nothing was going to stop her. She had never surfed in anything this intense. She finally reached a spot where the waves calmed just enough that she could keep a steady balance to find a wave to catch. And that's when she saw it, the perfect pipe. A risk, she knew it, but she had too much on her mind to care. She rode through the wave, weaving in and out to avoid loose waves that would send her soaring. As she escaped the cave of dark, angry water she saw Nate standing on the beach. She rode to shore only to see a face of mixed emotions. Fear, anger, confusion, and sheer amazement crossed his face. "What the hell are you doing!??! You could have died out there!" He said wading into the water to meet her, almost getting knocked off his feet the same way Sam did. She just jumped off her board which was immediately washed to shore and embraced him as if nothing, not even the waves crashing against them, could tear her from his arms...

As the group walked back to the beach the sun almost completely drained from the sky. "Where are you guys staying while you're here?" Danny asked as they walked towards the parking lot. "We're staying on the beach actually. We brought a tent." Sam said happily, she loved camping on the beach, she used to do it with her family all the time as a kid. "Oh that's cool, if you don't want to tomorrow night then my place is free." "Oh! Thanks! Are you guys going to be back here tomorrow?" Sam asked. Danny's place was alwasy empty, his Father spent the majority of his time at his long-time girlfriends house, leaving their house to Danny and all his friends, he was a lot like Sam's father and that's why they were really good friends. "You know it!" Danny answered, climbing into his beat-up, orange Chevy truck. Sam remembered his Dad driving it and she guessed he passed it on to Danny. As they drove away Sam and Nate took the camping supplies out of the back of the jeep. They carried the stuff to the beach and while Sam set up the tent, Nate lit a fire. They spent the next two hours on the beach roasting marshmellows and watching the stars. At around midnight a car pulled into the deserted parking lot. The lights shone onto the beach and sparked in the dark water that had risen significantly since that afternoon. They both turned around but were blinded from seeing any further than the lights that filled their eyes. The sound of the car door opening and closing echoed through the quiet beach. Heavy footsteps came after. Finally Sam could make out a figure in the headlights, it was a man, obviously, built, and that's when she realized it was a police officer. "Nice night, huh, guys?" He said in a friendly voice, again the voice sounded familiar. "Yeah, it's really nice." Nate said, seemingly unaffected by the fact a cop was approaching them. As the police officer came closer Sam recognized his face. They used to get in all sorts of trouble when they came here, but it was mainly Riley. He was always getting brought back to the cottage drunk or high, or because he had tresspassed, or vandalized something, he was the troublmaker... always. "Well I just wanted to..." His voice trailed off as he came closer and recognized a familiar face. "Samantha, right?" He said poiting his finger. "Hey Officer Stecyk." She said smiling as she arose from the beach. "Wow I havn't seen your family in a while! How is everyone?" He asked. "They're good, and yeah this is the first time I've come up in a long time..." She answered. Nate rose from the sand. "And Riley? How's the kid doing?" He asked, unaware of the events that passed the following year. "Uhh.. he's.. well.. Officer Stecyk, Riley passed away last year." Sam said looking at her feet, trying really hard not to choke up. "Oh, oh my god, Sam I'm so sorry, if I had of known I would have come up to the funeral. Is everyone alright?" The large amount of concern that he had on his face was evident. Sam knew he cared. She had learned quickly who cared and who pretended to care. "We're dealing with it the best we can, things are finally getting back to normal." She felt her eyes stinging and her face was flushing. "Well that's all you can do I guess, but I'd love to stay and catch up but I really have to get back to work. Next time your family comes up, come by my place for an afternoon. It'll be nice to see everyone again, and make sure to put that fire out soon." He said with a wide smile, their families had always gotten along. All the locals had befriended Sam's family at one point, they had a lot of friends there. "I will Officer Stecyk, take care." He waved back and drove off down the dark road. Sam watched until his car was out of sight and let out a huge sigh. She walked back to their tent where Nate was just putting out the fire. "Are you okay?" He asked, concern flushed his face. "Yep." She answered, obviously disturbed, but again Nate knew that she would talk when she was ready, although it was killing him seeing her hiding her emotions from him. He walked over and gave her a tight hug. Sam buried her face in his chest and hugged him back, he seemed to take every stich of fear and disturbance from her mind. "Come on, let's go to bed." Nate said, still holding Sam tightly in his arms. "Kay." She answered not letting go. He swept her up from under her feet and carried her into the tent. They had both already changed and set up the blankets earlier that night. Sam crawled onto the giant air mattress and into a ball under the three quilts and a sleeping bag that they had brought for warmth, the beach got rather cold at night. Nate crawled under them too, and slid his arms tightly around her body, pulling her closer. Within five minutes Nate was asleep, he found it a lot easier to sleep with Sam in his arms. But that night, Sam had too much on her mind to sleep. After waiting another twenty minutes, she knew she wasn't ready to sleep. She wriggled from Nate's grip and quietly unzipped the tent. She quietly walked onto the sand and looked out at the black waves that were tumbling with force towards shore. Sam moved towards the water until the tide touched her toes and sat down. She couldn't hold them back anymore, a tear slid down the side of her cheek, and more after that. The wind swept over her bare arms and goosebumps formed but she didn't move. Her heart ached, and finally she realized what she wanted more than anything. She wanted one last hug, she knew she couldn't have pursuaded him not to do what he did, but she wanted to at least say goodbye and that she loved him with all her heart, and tell him at he was more special to her than anyone else. Sam and Riley had shared a bond that couldn't have been replaced by anyone, not even Nate. She would never feel that bond again and it killed her inside. "Sam?" A voice broke her sobs. "Sam what's wrong?! Are you okay?" Nate ran over to her. His eyes sank at the sight of Sam crying so hard. She remained silent and kept on sobbing. "Sam... I can't take this anymore, it's killing me. You need to tell me..." Her eyes flooded again and her head fell onto his shoulder. He slid his arm around her and pulled her into his lap. "I...I...I miss him." She said, not even looking at Nate. "I never thought he could do that to me. He swore to me, he made a promise that he would never leave me when our Mom died. He said he couldn't leave me and see me that heartbroken again. But he lied! He lied about it all! Now how can I be sure that he didn't lie about everything else he's ever said to me? All he left was a letter, a letter that basically told me he was a coward and couldn't handle it anymore...." Her flushes of tears turned boiling, anger filled her body. She wanted to strangle something. Her breaths were heavy and her tears choked her. "My Mom's probably standing up there right now, looking at him. Staring him down. She didn't have a choice, but he did. She probably slapped him. I knew she would have been a lot more proud if he had just admitted his problem and got help instead of taking his life out of guilt. She didn't raise us like that, she would have never wanted him to waste his life like that but he did, and what bugs me the most was how she told us, that day, the last time we saw her, one of the last things she said to us in that operating room, all in scrubs and a shaved head, she said to us that if she didn't make it out to never stop fighting, to live our lives, to grow up and give her a reason to keep on smiling. She said that even if we didn't have her, we would always have each other, we had to look after each other. She told us she loved us and that she knew we were fighters and told us how brave we are, BUT LOOK AT HIM NOW! He's dead, he's gone, he went against everything she wanted us to live by. He let her down, and it makes me sick!" She took a deep breath and got up from Nate's lap. "He fucking left me here alone! With NO ONE! NO ONE!" She started screaming. "Yeah well Riley, FUCK YOU! You fucking COWARD!" She fell to her knees and put her head in her hands and kept on crying. Nate got up and ran over to her, scared. He had never seen her like this before. She looked like she wanted to run and drown herself in the ocean. He slid his arms around her and held her and she grasped him tightly back. "Shhh.. Shh. It's alright, I'm here Samantha." Nate whispered calmly into her ear, rubbing her back. "Don't ever leave me, don't ever leave me like he did.... you're all I have left Nate..." She sobbed into his shoulder. Nate pulled her away from his chest and looked into her eyes. Her arms still slung around his neck. "Samantha, I would never do that to you, I couldn't ever hurt you. I will never leave you, I promise." He said, tears almost comming to his own eyes. "Do you mean that?" She said. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Samantha Lena Aviitio, I promise, I will always love you, and I won't break that promise ever." She pulled him close and kissed him. She never wanted him to leave her. Without his touch alone, she wouldn't breath. He then lifted her up like a baby and carried her back to the tent. She was shivering feircly. She tucked her under the blankets and slid in beside her warming her up. Her breathing calmed, her tears stopped and her mind was free. She had been holding everything back for so long that it was a huge releif to be able to let it all go.

Sam's mind raced as the set dragged her surfboard until it hit the sand bank. Her heart beat ran faster, she couldn't beleive the feeling she felt. The wave of shock that floated over head like rapids made her dizzy. She stumbled off her board and sat in the tide trying to catch her breath. She stared at her toes trying to replay in her head the past three minutes. One minute she was riding her board by herself, the next she felt hands on her shoulders, and the next she looked over only to see an image of Riley riding on the board behind her, something they often tried. Sam looked up and looked around, wondering if Riley's suicide was all a nightmare and she was really at the beach a year before, and Riley was still alive, but as her eyes floated from one side of the beach to the other, he was no where to be found. Nate rode the wave skillfully to shore. As he looked to his left where Sam once was, she wasn't there anymore. He panicked and looked around frantically, wondering if she had fallen. Finally his eyes came accross her tiny body sitting up on shore. He quickly paddled up to her realizing that something had changed in her eyes. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Nate asked, abandonning his board in the water, running up to her. Her eyes seemed lost and clearly her mind was lost as well. "Sam?" He asked again as he sat down beside her putting his arm around her shoulders. Snapping out of a trance-like state her eyes darted to his, tiny tears had formed in the corner of her eyes. Nate didn't need an explanation. "I'm fine." Her voice came breathless and she rubbed her eyes. "I just got a huge clump of sand in my eye..." Sam hated lying, but she knew she couldn't handle any more Riley-related thoughts. Nate left her alone with the notion that she would come around to talking, she just needed time... at least that's what he hoped. She grabbed her board and started to head out into the water again. "Sam? Maybe we should grab a bite to eat before we go back out. We skipped breakfast." Sam stopped dead in her tracks, a stack of pancakes did sound appetizing. They walked silently hand-in-hand up to the snack bar and Nate ordered the food while Sam found a table. He sauntered back carrying three orders of pancakes and orange juice. Sam smiled. "You know me all too well." Sam ate most of the pancakes herself, they were her comfort food. No matter what kind of mood she was in, pancakes seemed to calm her down and stop her shakinees. The beach was getting busy as Sam finished the last pancake. "Are you okay to go back out?" Nate worried. "I need to." Nate didn't ask again after that. Sam needed to get over her fear of Tofino, after all it was her favorite place in the world, but putting aside that fact, she was terrified of seeing Riley again. Nate picked up her board off the beach and handed it to her. She smiled, as long as she didn't think about him she would be fine, at least she hoped. The rest of the day was amazing. Nate and Sam spent the whole day surfing. She knew he was having a blast, and regardless of that hidden fear, she wouldn't rather be anywhere else but there with Nate. "Do you want to go down further?" Sam asked, motioning to the cliff that wrapped around the right side of the beach. "There are some pretty intense sets over there if you are up to it..." "Of course I am!" Nate said enthusiastically. They walked down the beach and around the bed of rocks to the other side of the cliff. There were approximately seven other surfers on the shore, and three in the water, getting pounded by the waves. Sam was the only girl. As Nate and Sam approached the group, they all turned and looked. "Locals only, sorry guys." One husky-looking blonde with extremely broad shoulders said. His tone reaked of annoyance. "I come here all the time, relax..." Sam replied rolling her eyes. "I'm sure you do babe. You couldn't handle one of those sets, it bet serious dollars on that." He answered with a chuckle. "I'm thinking the same thing about you hun." She said as he turned away. The guy looked at her again, walking towards her and Nate. Nate stepped in front of Sam. "What did you say..?" "Well, I don't see you out there getting your ass beat, so i'm thinking you're a little hesitant, or maybe you just don't have the balls to paddle out." Sam responded, folding her arms accross her chest. Just as the blonde was about to answer, a familiar voice came from the shore line. "Miss Samantha Aviitio... is that you?" The question came from another broad-shouldered guy, only he was very tanned, almost native, with longer black hair and celtic band tatooed around his left arm. "Danny! Oh my god!" Sam shreeked as she ran over and gave the guy a huge hug. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around. "It's been too long!" He said putting her on the ground. "You know this chick?" The blonde asked in confusion. "Ty, it's Sam! Remember? Back when we were like ten? Her family always came and stayed for the summer at the cottage off Thacks Road by Martin's place?" Danny said walking up the beach towards Nate. Sam followed. "Ty Barns? I thought you moved." Sam asked surprised, realizing who she just told off. "I moved back a few months ago from Calgary. You've changed a lot." He had always been a difficult one to get along with. "So who's this?" Danny asked motioning towards Nate, who just stood there. "This is Nate, he's staying at my place for a while and we decided to come up here for the weekend." Sam answered as she positioned herself beside him again. "I have always heard about the waves out in Tofino so I told her she had to bring me out at some point." Nate said. "Well, it doesn't get much better than this my friend." Danny said looking out into the water where a few more of the guys in the group had ventured out waiting for a wave to catch. "Well let's go already!" Sam said, grabbing her board and jogging down the to the shore. Danny was right, there were no waves like these ones. They came in so fast that you really had to pay attention or else you would miss it by a long shot, and were they ever rough, but the first wave that passed, Sam caught and rode to shore making it look all too easy, Danny did the same on the next wave, but Ty tumbled after realized he didn't paddle hard enough. After one wave passed Nate got the feel of how fast they came in and rode the next one in to shore. Sam had major doubts that he wouldn't be able to handle the impact the first time, remembering her first experience with these waves, a concussion and three stitches over her right temple. But shooting her own doubts and those of everyone around her Nate rode the wave perfectly to shore, not even stumbling. "Holy shit! I've never ridden anything like that before!" Everyone just starred awestruck at the fact that a first-time, non-local, rode an east cliff set without even falling. "Dude, you are welcome here at ANY TIME! That was AMAZING! I've never seen anything like that." Dan said as he ran up to Nate, giving him props. Sam just laughed, clearly still in shock. "I didn't think you were THAT good. Is there anything you can't do?" She laughed. "Well, there isn't much." Nate said, obviously sarcastically, but wide smile formed accross his face. They spent a few more hours together with Sam's old friends, catching up and catching more intense sets as they came in. By sunset they were drained and decided to settle in for the night.

The next morning came with a bright sun filled sky and a warm breeze that blew through the motel room through the window Sam had opened in the bathroom the night before. She woke up to Nate's bare chest to her cheek and him sleeping softly next to her with his arms wrapped tightly around. She sat and savored the moment for a few minutes before she looked over to the clock to reveal it was only 7am. Sam dozed back off for a few minutes and woke up to Nate getting into the shower. When she heard the water turn off she turned over and got up. Nate walked out of the bathroom with only boxers on and his hair everywhere. He saw Sam at her bag trying to find the second half to her bathing suit. He walked over and put his arms around her waist. "I can't wait for today." Sam said as she turned around and put her arms around his waist. They height difference between them was large but yet they still managed to always find a way to fit into each others arms comfortably. "Neither can I." Nate smiled. They finished getting ready and left 20 minutes later. They still had an hour and a hlaf to drive and they wanted to get there by 9. Nate loaded up the jeep while Sam returned the keys. When she left the office Nate was already in the jeep ready to go. She ran to the passenger side and jumped in. On the way to the beach the talked about what they were going to do right when they got there. Finally Sam saw the last hill. She knew exactly what was over it. She knew that when they went over the hill they would see the beach, the parking lot, the locals, the snack bar. The mountains that surround the road were going to break off on one side and line the other side of the ocean. In a way it gave her a sense of anticipation, but again she dreaded the memory of Riley smashing through her brain as soon as she saw the first set. When they pulled over the hill Sam saw exactly what she replayed in her head. "Wow. This is amazing." Nate exclaimed with the sparkle in his eyes. Sam nodded her head and smiled, trying to hold back tears. They pulled into the parking lot facing the beach and got out. Nate ran and grabbed his surfboard. "You comming?" He shouted. "Yeah." Sam answered as she pulled her surfboard out of the back. She watched the water waiting for the first set to come in. She walked on the sand as her hair blew behind her. The set came in strong and she closed her eyes and pictured the past. She remember how she would wait to go in just so she could see Riley ride the first set perfectly, his shaggy blonde hair shaking, the smile streched across his face. She opened her eyes and searched for him but he wasn't there. He would never be there again. And all she wanted to know was why he did what he did. "Sam?" Nate asked with a worried look on his face. He noted the fact she had her eyes closed and was breathing really heavily. "Yeah? Sorry. Too excited there for a second." She laughed and waded into the water. Together they paddled out further and sat on their boards as the smaller waves pushed them out even further. Then out a nowhere a large 7 foot high wave came and Sam with a burst of energy caught it effortlessly while Nate followed right behind her. Although she tried to surf it herself. Riley was holding her up, and she savoured the feeling and let out the first real smile since she had gotten in the water.

After about an hour of just wandering the deck the bell sounded loudly. "We are docking in 15 minutes. Please return to your vehicles." dictated the voice through the loudspeaker. Sam and Nate walked back inside and down the crowded stairs. While they were waiting to get through the doors Nate wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she weeved her arm around his waist. All she could do was smile. They finally reached Sam's jeep and Nate hopped into the drivers seat and turned the ignition starting it. Sam grabbed her Vogue magazine and wool blanket and covered her bare legs. Then the door at the end of the ferry rose and the cars started driving out. "Take the 107 North." Sam said as she pointed to the exit Nate needed to take. "Kay. You are the expert." Nate joked as he turned onto the highway. Sam smiled and looked around the familiar terrain. The trees that lined the highway and the street signs all pointing to different surf spots. It gave her flashbacks of the last trip to Tofino. The sky was almost the same as her last trip too. On the last day, Riley was sitting on the beach.. just quietly sitting looking out onto the horizon. Sam thought it was strange, little did she know that he was saying goodbye to his favourite place in the world. Just the thought of him made her shudder. "You okay?" Nate said, breaking her silence. "Yeah. I'm fine." Sam said shaking sense into herself. He just kept looking at her funny. "I'm sure." Sam said trying to get him to turn around. She knew that he knew something was wrong. She didn't want to burden his trip with her personal feeling of remorse and self doubt. The sky was completely black within the hour. The little stars twinkled in the moonlight. The wind was making Sam shiver. "I wish we didn't take the roof off again." "We should pull off soon, are you okay for like 15 minutes?" Nate asked. "Yeah. There's a little motel just off from the next exit." He pulled off once the next exit approached and pulled into the part empty parking lot of the motel. There was two cars in the parking lot, some sort of family van and a white pick up truck. They hopped out of the jeep and a creepy, 40-ish man starred at Sam from the pick-up truck. Nate noticed where he was starring and held Sam close. She didn't seem to notice. They walked into the office and Nate paid for a one night stay. When he turned around the man was getting out of his car and leant against the side of the door. Nate and Sam left the office and walked back to the jeep where Nate snapped the roof back on and Sam pushed the boards so they were fully in the jeep and grabbed the bag with their clothes. "You done?" Sam asked standing at the door of their room. "Yeah." Nate said as he glanced back to the man and locked the door of the jeep. He handed Sam the key to the room and she opened up the door. "What's wrong?" Sam asked as she saw Nate casually look out the window. "That guy was starring at you." "So? He was just starring." Sam laughed. "Not just starring.. the bad kind of starring." Nate said as he slid the curtain closed. Sam just looked at him. "I'm sorry. It just creeped me out a bit." "It's alright." Sam laughed again. They both changed and went to bed. The sheets smelt of bleach and the blanket was scratchy, but as long as they were curled up with each other, that was all the needed. *Sorry for the long wait. I'll try and write another chapter this weekend it's jsut exams are comming up and I've been really busy.*

Sam kept replaying the words that the Jamaican lady said to her in her head. "Hold on to that one..." For some reason her butterflies were fluttering more then usual everytime she thought about it. She looked over at Nate standing at a table looking through hemp necklaces. He was perfect. Everything about him was. From the way his hair flipped out to the colour of his tan skin to the way he held her every night under the stars and the way he smiled at her when she smiled at him. Nate caught her glance and smiled. Sam smiled back. He didn't know what to think. Her ocean blue eyes were sparkling in the light of the sky comming through the skylights of the buildings. Her sun bleached hair and sun freckles were evident today, she had her hair down and wavy and no make-up on. "Everyone booked to be on the 7:30 ferry to Victoria please make your way back to your vehicles and make sure to secure all loose cargo that you are carrying on." Dictated the loudspeaker. Nate quickly paid for a few necklaces and they walked out, hand in hand, back to the jeep. They hopped in the jeep and Nate made sure the surfboards were on tight. Fifteen minutes later they boarded the boat and parked their cars while more cars and SUVs piled in behind them. Groups of teens were piling out of the vehicles as their cars came to a stop. Sam and Nate parked the jeep and snapped on the roof of the jeep too make sure someone with sticky fingers didn't come by and take something. "Hey do you want a sweater? It's going to be cold up there." Nate asked Sam as she hopped out of the car in a pink Hollister t-shirt and a jean beaded skirt. "Only if I can wear your Volcom sweater." Nate grabbed a sweater for himself and Sam's favourite sweater of his to wear and handed it to her. She zipped it up and they walked to the door leading to the higher decks. They made their way to the top and out onto the deck. The loud sound of the ferries horn set off and they pulled out of the harbour. Sam leaned up against the railing and Nate slid his arms around her. He gently kissed her head and knew he'd rather be no where else then right there with her. "Do you want a water or something?" Sam asked as she was feeling parched. "Sure. Do you want me to come with you?" "No I'll just be a minute." Sam walked through the doors and down the corridor of the ferry looking for a place to buy water. Back out on the deck, Nate was looking out on the water. He glanced over to see two girls, about seventeen, looking his way and smiling. He smiled back and turned back to the water. "Hey." One of the girls said as she sauntered over to where he was standing. "Hey." Nate said in return. The girl was medium height, taller then Sam. Her eyes were small and her hair was dark brown and very curly. She wasn't completely unnattractive. "I'm Marissa." She smiled and held out her hand. "Nate." He shook it. Sam finally found a place that sold Dasani water. She got one large bottle because it was cheaper then two smaller ones. Sam quickly paid the young guy behind the desk and walked back to where she left Nate on the deck. She walked through the doors and saw him standing there talking to two girls. Sam was never one to be the jealous type, besides, he had this 'get away from me' look on his face. "Hey. One big bottle was cheaper then two so I just got a big one. Is that okay?" Sam asked. "Of course that's fine. Sam this is Marissa and her friend Claire, they are heading out to Tofino for the weekend as well. Marissa this is Sam." "Hi." Sam said smiling. "Hey." Said Marissa, confused at what just happened. "Well Nate it was nice meeting you. Maybe we will run into in Tofino. I guess we should go find our friends." Marissa said staring at Sam. "Bye." He said almost bursting with laughter. Marissa looked back only to see Nate with his arms around Sam. "Now that was funny." Sam said to Nate laughing. "They just came up to me and started talki- flirting. I didn't want to be rude but like.. honestly that one was trying way to hard." Nate said still holding Sam tightly. "If I would have realized it I would have walked up and gave you a kiss. I would have liked to know what she would have done." Nate looked over and realized that Marissa was still watching them. "Well she's staring at us right now." Sam looked over and realized that she was casually looking over ever 5 seconds. Sam turned to Nate and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She stayed like that for a second and pulled his lips onto hers forgetting that those girls were there and forgetting about all the people around her. Her lips tingled on his. His body raced with excitement as he pulled her waist closer to his body. The way she fit right into him amazed him. For once in his life he told himself something that made his body race even more. 'She's the one...'

The next few days passed as though they were a dream. A dream in which Sam or Nate did not want to wake up from. Day by day they felt more for one another. Even if they weren't by themselves, their feelings were shaping into something more then just a summer love. They surfed, they lyed on the beach, they hung out with Sam's friends, played Gamecube with Echo, watched the sun rise and set, and slept under the stars countless nights. Nothing ever got old. "What would think if we took a little weekend trip up to Tofino?" Nate asked one night gingerly sipping a Corona watching the stars while Sam was running her fingers through the cool sand. "Are you serious?" Sam said with enthusiasm. She loved Tofino. Ever since she was a little girl when her Mom would get Riley and her out of school on a Friday afternoon and they would head up before all the teenagers got there. She hadn't been at all since Riley died. After her Mom passed away it was hard enough to return to her favourite place in the world with the memory of her mother activly flowing through her mind. She had Riley to help her through it when her Mother passed away, but now that he was gone, she had to go there and see both of their memories floating across the horizon. Sam had Nate this time, although she was in love with him, she knew it wouldn't be the same. The week before, Nate had got a job at the local surf shop after graciously turning down the offer from Sam's dad to work at the tatoo place. "Naw you've done enough for me already." That was Nate's response. And Sam's dad responded, "And what have I done? Nothing!" In, of course, his usual joke worthy tone. Sam and Nate planned to leave on the Friday after he got back from work. As soo as he droves Sam's jeep in the driveway, they loaded it up with all their stuff. Their clothes bags, food, sleeping bags, a tent and the most important thing, their surfboards. "Alright so you guys are off." Sam's Dad said as he walked out of the house just as Nate was hooking in the surfboards. "Yep." Sam said as she hopped in the drivers seat. "Do me a favor, give me a call just to keep me posted on where you are, and if it gets too late to drive any further, pull off to a motel." Sam's Dad added. Her father was a lax parent but still wanted to know where his daughter was, especially if she was going across the water on a ferry to Tofino, although they knew the place backwards and forwards, it was a still and intersting local scene. "Yes Daddy, I have my cell on." She gave him a hug. "Have fun, tear that place up. And make sure not to get the locals jealous with your surfing talents." "Ahah! I'll keep that in mind." Her Dad walked back in the house and Nate walked around to the drivers seat. "Hey Hey Hey, I'm driving." "What?! You don't even know where it is." Sam argued. "No seriously." He laughed. She gave him a look and slid over to the passenger seat. Nate hopped in, turned the keys, and they were off. After getting through the 5:00 traffic an hour and a half later they found themselves at the ferry station. Sam's Dad had bought a yearly pass so they didn't ever have to wait ina big line-up. They drove to the quick-pass line and showed the card and drove to the line. "Next ferry to Victoria leaves at 7:30. Please be back at your vehicles fifteen minutes before you are too depart." Announced the loud-speaker as they parked in the line. The ferry shop was almost just as great as going to Tofino. Sam was always really excited everytime they went over because she loved the building that sat beside the lines for the ferry. It contained almost every kind of food out there and independant bargainers would set up their stands right inside so there was a lot of really neat stuff. Hand in Hand they walked through the building. "Oh look at that, that's so cute!" Sam said as she saw a very thin bathing suit shawl skirt that was pink and black and a shirt that tied around to match. She picked it up and walked over to the lady sitting on a stool braiding some hemp. "How much are these." "I'll say 20." "How about 10." Sam asked, she was a pro bargainer. "Well you are a beauty so I tink I can geeve it to you for tat." She echoed with a beautiful Jamaican accent. Sam pulled a ten out of her pocket but Nate got their first. "Don't worry about it. I've got it." Sam smacked him. "Hey what are you doing." She laughed. The Jamaican lady smiled as Nate handed her the ten. "Beauty, keep heem in your grasp. Hees a very seldom find in theese parts." "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you again" "I'll see you again soon!" The Jamaican lady answered, the accent just flowing like it was a sheet of music.

The morning after the party came faster then Sam had hoped. When she woke up she was covered in Braedan's Hudson Bay blanket. It was the only blanket she ever used when she slept over at his house. She turned over and to her surprise, Nate wasn't there. All of a sudden, this aroma of bacon and eggs came to her nose and Sam dragged her hung-over body out of bed. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where Braedan, Corey, Chelsey and Nate were sitting. "Look who's finally up." Braedan said as he flipped some eggs in a pan. "Where's Alex?" Sam asked as she sat on Nate's lap. The four of them pointed to the couch in sync where Alex was passed out and snoring very loudly. Sam nodded her head and curled fit her body perfectly into Nate's arms. "Good sleep?" He asked. "Not really." "Saaaaaaaammmiiieeeeee, would some coffee and chocolate chip pancakes make you feel any better?" Braedan asked. Sam had always adored his cooking and pancakes were her hangover food. It just so happened that almost every single time she had a massive hangover requiring major pancake therapy, Braedan was always there and willing to make them for her. He quickly whipped up a batch and put them in front of her. The big stack of 6 large pancakes were covered in syrup and gone within 20 minutes. Nate had a half of one, but Sam ate the rest. "I don't know how you can eat all that Sam, I really don't" Chelsey said turning away not even able to watch her. "It's an art my lady, requires a lot of skill and a week of surfing to work it off." Sam laughed as she finished of the last pancake. "We should get going." Sam said as she took the plate over to the sink. Nate pushed the chair in and grabbed their stuff that Chelsey had neatly washed, ironed and folded that morning. "Thanks for the awesome party Braedan, although it did get a bit messed up." Nate said. "Anytime bro." Sam and Nate walked out of the house hand in hand and walked back to Sam's house pretty much silently. It was the company of each other that said a million words already. They walked in the door and Echo was sitting on the couch with her gamecube controller in her hand, looking like she had been staring at that screen for eight days. Animal crossing is never a good game to play when bored. "Where's Val?" Sam asked as she walked to the fridge. "Ehhhhh." Echo groaned, no one was really sure what her response was. "How long have you been playing?" Nate asked as he sat down on the couch. "Iunnoo." Echo replied, still not fully answering. "I'm going to take a shower.. I feel like shit." Sam said locking herself in the bathroom. After she was done she walked to her room and slid some pajamas on. She was in no mood to be leaving the house today. After she was finished, Nate took his turn and joined Sam and Echo on the couch. Valexah came home around ten and went straight to her room. Sam knew she was either drunk and or high, but she wasn't ready to argue with her. "When's Dad comming home?" Sam asked Echo as nate slid Lords of Dogtown into the DVD player. "He's not, he said that he'd be home tommorow." "Ahh I see." They got about halfway through the movie and Sam realized that Echo had fallen asleep curled up against her. "Is she asleep?" Nate asked as he noticed Sam looking at her. "Yeah." Nate got up off the couch and carried Echo to her bedroom and placed her on the bed. Val was already passed out, and a vile smell of rum was pouring from her side of the room. Nate walked back to Sam on the couch and laid down. She curled up beside him and they finished watching the movie. When the credits came up, Nate pressed the off button on the remote. The house was dark, the only light was the light of the moon and reflecting ocean comming through the kitchen door and window. Sam turned over so she was facing Nate. Their faces were close to touching and she could feel his breath on her cheek. Her hands made their way to his neck and his fingers were gently grasping her back. He pulled her closer and their lips touched softly, then harder and faster they kissed with travelling hands. Nate turned over so he was now on top of her, their lips kept moving. Sam pulled off his t-shirt and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him more on top of her. Her mind raced and she asked herself something that she had never even began to think about before. Was Nate really.... the one? *sorry for it taking soo long its just i am moving/working right now so its kinda hard to find time but dont worry i will update as much as possible... i wont forget you guys!*

Well this story here is not a part of Wish you were here its a small story I had to write for english. I liked it and i wanted to get your thoughts on it so. Here it is Pink Hair, Monroe's & The Back Corner "Mom, have you seen my new belt?" Michelle screeched as she rummaged through her drawer's frantically searching for the studded belt she had bought the week before with one hand, while using the other to hold up her favourite pants that now looked like they had been worn by an elephant. "I think it's hanging on the back of your door sweetie!" Her Mom yelled back. Michelle looked behind it and sure enough there it was, with the small 'Garage' tag still on it. She ripped off the little piece of plastic and slid it through the holes on the waist of the jeans. Walking into the en-suite attached to her room, Michelle ran her brush through the little hair that had grown back. In six months her hair was almost down to her chin, but to Michelle it was still this ugly mop that had grown back pin straight instead of the curls that she had loved before the chemotherapy. She had also made the decision to dye the hair that grew back white blonde instead of her original strawberry blonde, bright pink. Michelle stared in the mirror looking at her pale complexion. The Monroe piercing which she'd convinced her Mom to let her get, was finally healed and she was ready to go back to school to shock all her old friends with her new image. After she had been released from the hospital six months before, the only time she had left the house was to either go to her tutor or the doctor. Once August rolled around her mother convinced her to leave the house and be social, Michelle's idea of social after the leukemia was going to the piercing parlor and the one trip to the mall in which her Mom and Rob had dragged her too. Even when she was there she had her hood up and barely spoke just incase anyone recognized her. Now it was time to break out of her little cocoon and waltz back into the real world, otherwise known as grade eleven. "Hey Pinky!" Rob, her boyfriend, called from inside his blue Jeep he had received from his grandparents on his sixteenth birthday. Michelle smiled and hopped in the front seat. Her Mom was standing in the doorway of her house waving them goodbye, Michelle swore she saw a tear run down her cheek. "Ready to go back?" Rob asked as he pulled out onto the main street of Michelle's neighborhood. "I'll never be ready." Michelle mumbled. While she was in the hospital she dreamed of just getting out and going back to school, now that it was time, she really didn't feel like it at all. She wasn't ready to face her so called friends that had stopped coming to see her after the first month of Michelle's stay at the hospital. They pulled into the parking lot and Rob found a spot to park in. He quickly hopped out, ran to the other side of the Jeep and graciously opened the passenger door. "Thank you kindly Monsieur!" Michelle squeaked with a fake French accent. He held out his hand and helped her out. His smile shined from ear to ear as he saw the light come back into his loves eyes through the thick black mascara. As they walked through the halls Michelle felt a little bit better, but just as equally uncomfortable as she noticed how many eyes were following her. "Well I am going to homeroom, do you want me to walk you to yours?" Rob asked. "No it's alright, I'm a big girl." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. Michelle walked off the other way and Rob stood still for a moment watching her until her short figure was covered by a swarm of kids. She weaved in and out of the people in the hallway and found her homeroom. She quickly walked to the back of the class and sat down in the corner with her hood covering her face. "Hey Whit!" a preppy brunette girl said as she walked through the door with a group of girls. "Hey Hun!" The girls sat down in the center of the classroom. 'Didn't they remember I would be coming back?' Michelle thought for a second. Homeroom began and Michelle stayed in the corner, wondering if they were ever going to acknowledge the fact she was sitting right there. Her experiment was ruined when the teacher called out her name during attendance. When her name was said the room went silent. "Michelle? The one who had leukemia?" Everyone whispered as they looked around the room trying to find the strawberry blonde, shining girl they once knew. Eventually their eyes met the little girl with pink hair, sitting in the corner. "Michelle?" The preppy brunette asked. Michelle looked up from under her hood and nodded slightly. The brunette didn't say another word. She turned around and Michelle could picture the look on her face. Throughout the rest of the class all she could hear were the faint whispers and 'oh my god's' from her so called best friends. At that moment her head spun with confusion. Weren't they supposed to be her friends? Weren't they supposed to run over and give her a big hug saying how much they had missed her? 'So this is what it's like' she thought to herself. Michelle finally realized that this is how the girl's whom she had mocked and poked fun at throughout the years felt. Class ended and Michelle stayed seated for a second, thinking of the ignorance that droned in her past. Thinking of the ego's that were destroyed because of her. Thinking of how could she have done something like that just because someone was different or not like her. Thinking of when she wasn't sick and the way she always had to be the center of attention. Then it donned on her... "That was the Michelle I knew."

That was it. Max didn't need to hear it again. Before anyone could say anything he was running. Sam was still on the ground, not crying but still a little shaken. Corey wiped the blood off her cheek and helped her up. Braedan was already in the house getting all Max's groupies out. Nathan turned around and walked towards Sam. Her eyes were red and she was breathing heavily. Corey made sure Sam was stable and nodded at Nate and walked abck in the house. "I...-" Sam started to say before Nate cut her off. "It's okay.. he's not comming near you ever again." He wrapped his arms around her tightly as she stood there, calming herself to the point where she'd be able to walk back in the house. "Come on." Nate helped her back in the house. She broke away from him at the kitchen and walked upstairs to the bathroom to clean up. "I think this party is over." Braedan joked. Corey nodded his head. "Yeah. C'mon let's clear the house." Nate said. Alex and Chelsey started picking up beer bottles around the kitchen and putting them into the empty boxes. Corey, Braedan and Nate all ushered everyone out of the house. Sam sat in the bathroom on the floor, chewing her thumb nail replaying what happened in her head. The way he just came onto her. She had no way of stopping it, and then seeing a whole knew side of Nate, was a lot to handle in one night. She crawled over to the toilet and threw up into the porcelin bowl. Her stomach was turning and she threw up once more. She grabbed a peice of toilet paper and wiped her mouth, flushed the toilet and walked over to the sink. Flushing her face with water made her head stop spinning. She took a gulp of mouthwash and sat back down leaning against the bathtub. Five minutes later a knock came at the door. Sam didn't answer. "Sam.. it's me, can I come in?" She stayed quiet and Nate carefully opened the door and closed it behind him. He looked at her and she was staring back at him with her blue eyes filling up again with tears. He sat down beside her and pulled her against his chest. "Are you alright?" She nodded into his chest and cried. Being held by him made her feel better. "I never thought...-" She started again but couldn't finish. "You never thought I would react like that." He smiled as she starred up at him. "I don't usualy get that mad. Just Sam, having that one glance of another guy hurting you sent me into the spin cycle. I don't like even thinking about it. I.. I love you too much." A smile emerged from her lips and she wiped a tear off her cheek. "Tired?" he asked her. "Exhausted." "Okay." Nate smiled and picked Sam like a baby and carried her out of the bathroom. Braedan was comming out of his bedroom with beer bottles in one hand and dirty sheets in another. He nodded his head at the door. "Go in there, it's cool." "Thanks" Nate said as he carried Sam into Braedan's bedroom and layed her down on the bed. "You staying?" She asked half asleep. "If you want me too." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed. He lay down beside her and put his arm around her stomach. Sam didn't need a blanket. Nate was all she needed. He was all she wanted right then.

The music seemed to go on forever. The feeling Sam had when she was in Nate's grasp was amazing, it was like she never wanted the song to end. Braedan and Chelsey stood watching them from in the kitchen. "He's really nice. I like him." said Chelsey as she gingerly sipped the first beer that she had all night that had already lasted her an hour and she was only half done. "Nate's just what she need's right now. I'm pretty sure he knows it too." Braedan said in response. He knew he was right too, the only thing was he wished he could be the guy that made Sam happy, but they had gone through too much together and Braedan knew he would do more harm then good too her. He just wanted the best for her. "Want another beer?" Sam asked. "Sure." They walked to the kitchen, well Nate walked, Sam skipped. When they got into the kitchen a different song came on and made same break out into a dance as she made her way over to the fridge. "How much have you drank tonight Sammy?" Braedan laughed as he took a shot of Malibu. "Uhm. I don't know." She said as she tried to open the bottle but failed. "Open." She held it out and Nate twisted the top right off. "Where's my Sexy Lexi gone?" Sam asked as she took a big gulp of the beer. "Upstairs? Corey? Some other guy? Maybe?" Chelsey laughed as she finally finished her first bottle. Braedan laughed. "I think I'm going to go outside for some fresh air, this smoke is bugging my eyes." Although Braedan's Mom said no drugs, they allowed cigarette's, Braedan also didn't want a bunch of kids outside everytime they had to go for a smoke. The last thing they wanted was the cops being called. "Need company?" asked Nate as Sam put her beer down on the table. "No it's alright, you can stay here. I'll just be a minute." "Kay." Sam walked back out into the living room and through the croud of people too the front door and slipped outside. She walked down the driveway and out to the curb. Sam carefully sat down making sure she didn't sit in someone's puke or cigarette butt. She ran her fingers through her sun-bleached blonde hair and let out a deep breath. The sky was dark and cloudy, you couldn't see any stars that night. Cars drove past Braedan's house every few minutes. Groups of kids came in and out like a jack in the box and everytime a group came, she got about 3 'hey's' from them. Everyone knew her. A times Sam wished she was acknowledged less then she was. Everyone always knew her buisness and everyone knew what was going on with her. Especially when her brother died. Random kids were comming up to her in the hallway giving her hugs and Sam didn't like it, at one point she told this girl who she had hated for the longest time and was giving her sympathy, to simply fuck off and she didn't need her god damn sympathy. Even the teachers at her school knew exactly what happened and they all gave Sam a little 'talk' saying that she could come to them if she needed too. To a point it was comforting but after a while it got to the point where she just didn't want to be reminded of it. The only person she even began talking about it too was Braedan and then when Nate came along she told him as much as she could handle telling without wanting to go into severe depression and isolation for the next week. But she was over it know, at least she hoped she was. Sam zoned out for a few minutes thinking until a familiar voice broke her daze. It was a voice she didn't want to hear at that momment. "Hey Sam." It was Max. Max wasn't just one of her ex-boyfriends. But he was the one who she lost her virginity too, and he was the one who corrupted her brother. At least that's who she blamed the corruption on. Some stuff had gone on after Riley's suicide with him wanting Sam back which resulted in Braedan threatening him that if he ever went near Sam again he would personaly see to it he wouldn't be able to walk. In the nice, anti-gore way to say it. It shocked Sam when Braendan said that because Braedan is completely anti-violence, and Corey isn't into fights but has gotten into his share over guys that wanted Alex to themselves. The worst fight was when this Pimp thought Alex was his whore, but that's a whole other story. None the less, Max had a lot of guts to approach her again. "Max what do you want?" Sam could feel her heart starting to race as he got closer to her. Just the thought of him trying to do something to her sent chills that felt more like shocks throughout her body. She felt a cold sweat start to break out. "Why you gotta be like that? I just wanna talk." "Fine. Talk. Talk as long as you want but I'm not listening." Sam got up off the curb. "Now you are just being rude!" Max followed her. He had a bad reputation of getting angry when things didn't go his way, and Sam had a few experiences where she wished that she never disagreed and she knew now that it would be best to stay as far away from him as she could. "Sam!" He yelled as he grabbed the back of her shirt and spun her around facing him. His face was tensing and his eye's were burning with anger. She tried to pull away but his grasp was too strong. Back inside Nate, Chelsey and Braedan were laughing and having a good time. That's when they heard Sam scream. "Max get off of me!" She screamed with hot tears stinging as they fell down her cheaks. He had her pinned up against the side of the house trying to press his lips against her. Nate, Braedan and Corey all ran outside to find Max and Sam with Max's hands all over her small, squriming body. Braedan grabbed his shirt and pulled him off Sam. "You know what I told you! You stay away from her." Max fell to the ground and Braedan layed a hard kick to his side. Nate knew about Max and the games he tryed to play. Braedan was just about to throw a punch when Nate jumped in. "This is my job." Nate grabbed the coller of Max's shirt and pulled him off the ground. Throwing him against the house, Nate had Max pinned up a foot off the ground. "You are dealing with me now. Ever even think of comming within ten feet of her again, I'll rip your head off. Do we have an understanding." Nate yelled right in his face. His muscles were tensed and the veins looking like they were going to explode. Nate's face was beet red and their was sweat running down the back of his neck. "ANSWER ME! DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?!" Nate yelled right in Max's face. Max nodded his head in fear. Nate let go of his grasp and pushed him off, but Max wasn't finished, he jumped back throwing a punch that Nate blocked in mid-air, twisted his wrist back and pushed him to the ground. "Get lost!"

Sam and Val scattered around the kitchen pulling out food for dinner. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Sam asked. She starred at Val who was trying to avoid the question. "Valexah!" she said trying to capture her attention. "I wanted. I wanted to say that I was sorry for the way I acted yesterday." Val said as she loaded a bowl with lettuce and took it too the table. "It's alright." There was a short pause as Val noticed Sam glancing out the window towards the beach. Nate and Echo were still on the beach talking. "You really like him don't you?" Val laughed. "What. Sorry?" asked Sam as she snapped out of her own little world. "Nate. You really like him. I've never seen you go all weirded out over a guy before. What's so special about him?" "Everything." Sam said as she put the bread on the table. Back out on the beach Echo and Nate were still talking. About everything, basically getting to know each other a little bit. "Hey Guys! Dinners ready!" Sam yelled from the house. Together they got up and walked inside. They sat down at the table and didn't waste another second. Everyone just dug in and stuffed themselves like maggots. Their only interruption came when the phone rang. "I'll get it." Sam jumped up and picked up the cordless. "Hello? Oh hey Alex how's it going? Yeah. Yeah he's here. When is it? No Alex I mean what time? Oh. Kay. I'll ask him. Hold on-" Sam put her hand over the phone. "Nate do you wanna go to a party tonight?" She asked. "Sure. If you want to go." "Yeah, we'll come. Okay see ya there. Love you. Bye." They finished eating and cleaned up. Together they walked to Sam's bedroom and Nate collapsed on Sam's bed. "So where is this party tonight?" "It's at my friend Braedan's house. We are supposed to be there around seven but we can go whenever." "Oh so you are like VIP?" Nate joked as he played with Sam's overhead light. "Sort of." She laughed and pulled her hair out of the ponytail she had it in. Sam walked over to the bed and layed down beside Nate. "It should be fun, I mean, you get to meet all my friends." "Sounds good." He smiled and stroked her hair. "Are you going to go dressed like that?" Nate laughed. "No. I should get changed." Sam got off the bed and opened her closet that Echo had so generously organized the day Sam had gone to get Nate. Sam knew it would only be the matter of a few days until it was back to the way it usualy was. Clothes everywhere but the closet. She pulled out a pair of light jeans and a black Roxy pullover. Sam walked to the bathroom and changed. When she walked back to her room she opened the door and saw nate pulling a DC sweater over his head. "Sorry." "It's all good." He laughed and threw his swim shorts in his bag. "You can throw all your clothes in here if you want." Sam said as she opened a drawer on her dresser. "That might be a good idea." Nate dumped his bag into the drawer. He didn't care much about neatness either. Him and Sam were a pair. Sam spritzed a bit of body spray on and put her Puca shell necklace on. "You look great." Nate said as he walked up behind Sam and put his arms around her. "Thanks." She smiled and he kissed her head. "Do you want to go?" He asked. "Sure." They walked out of the house just as her Dad was pulling into the driveway. "Going out?" "Yeah we are going to Braedan's" "Okay I'll leave the door unlocked. Have fun." "We will." Nate said back as they started their walk to Braedan's house. They walked past the row of little houses that lined the water and out to the main road. Braedan lived a little bit down the road and in a court. Not that far. Sam had walked to his house so many times before it had become like routine for her. The sun had set and the street lights were comming on slowly. As they approached Braedan's house the sound of heavy music filled the air. "What time is it?" Sam asked Nate as they turned onto the court Braedan lived on. "Just about seven." Nate said as he looked at his cell. "Will people already be there?" "Alex, Corey and Chelsey might be. Other people don't usualy come until about eight." They walked up the driveway of a small white stuco house. The music got gradually louder as they approached the door. Sam rang the doorbell and Corey came to the door. "Sammmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeehhhhhhhhh! What's up? Come in." He said as he opened the door. "Awe man you must be Nate! I'm corey." Corey said and held out his hand. Corey was the life of the party, that's why him and Alex got along as well as they did. "Sup." Nate said and shook Corey's hand. Sam introduced everyone and everyone welcomed Nate with open arms. Alex even gave him a hug. "Hey Nate you wanna drink?" Sam asked before she sat down. "Yeah sure, anything's fine." Sam walked to the kitchen and smiled to herself as she pulled two beers out of the fridge. "I like him. You have Braedan's stamps of approval." Braedan said as he entered the kitchen and took a sip of his beer. "Well I'm glad I have your approval!" Sam laughed as she held out the beer to get Braedan to open it. "Where's your Mom tonight?" "Nova Scotia. Buisness trip." Braedan's Mom worked a lot but she was like Sam's Dad in a way. She let him have parties. She didn't care about alchohal but she always told Braedan. "I draw the line at drugs. No drugs." Sam could picture do her little finger point when she would say no. Braedan listened. He was like a puppy. He twisted the cap off her beer and threw it on the counter. "Is he going to be here for the whole summer." "Hopefully." "Stellar, can he surf?" Sam nodded her head. For not being on a board in a few months she was impressed. Even for someone like Sam who surfed all season and who has surfed all her life and then goes the winter months without it, was even a little rusty when she got back on the board for the first time in the summer, but Nate, nope, he fell once the entire two days and that's because he caught the wave too late. They walked back into the family room and Sam handed Nate the beer. Within an hour people started showing up really quickly. AFter the second time the doorbell rang Braedan yelled for Corey to put away the XBox and PS2. Braedan knew well enough that if he didn't put anything with the least bit of value and could be easily picked up and walked away with away, it would be gone by the next morning. Corey and Nate grabbed the stuff and threw it in Braedan's Mom's room and locked the door. It was the only door in the house that could be locked from the outside. At around nine, the house was packed. Corey and Alex had already paid a visit to Braedan's room and everyone was starting to get up and dance. Sam finished up her third beer and sat back down on the couch beside Nate. "Having fun?" She asked. "Yeah I havn't been at a party this good in a long time. The last few I've gone too have all been busted by cops. Not fun." "Hey you two get your asses off the couch and dance!" Alex yelled from across the room. She was already half bombed and still choking back shots of tequila. "Want to dance." Nate whispered in Sam's ear. "You read my mind." They got up and started dancing. Nate's hands rested on her hips as they moved to the beat of Alex's dancehall remix's.

"Where's Sam?" asked Echo as she walked into the kitchen. "In bed? Where else?" her Dad said, laughing. "Where's Nate?" "With her?" "Oh." Her Dad knew that Nate was in bed with Sam and he also knew that nothing went on the night before and he also didn't care because for the first time since Riley had died, she wasn't faking a smile. Nate opened his eyes and remembered what happened the night before. He looked at Sam peacefully sleeping beside him and looked around her room. The walls were covered in surf posters and bands that she had told him about ages ago it seemed. There were photos all over as well. Big groups of girls at parties, Sam with one friend, with the group that she had told Nate about, that she hung out with the most and those were most of the pictures. He looked at the wall above him and saw two pictures that stood out to him. One of the pictures was of a woman with long blonde hair that resembled Sammie, on a surfboard with two little kids. A boy and girl, who were the same age about and resembled each other. The one beside it was of Sammie with a boy that had blonde hair just like hers. At that momment, Sam turned a bit and opened her eyes. She looked up at Nate who was looking at her favourite pictures that were taped right abover her bed. "Those are my favourite pictures. That one is of Riley, my mother and me, and the other one is of me and Riley on our 15th birthday when we got our digital camera." Sam said sitting up and pointing at each of the pictures. She ran her fingers across them and Nate saw a change in her eyes. The light was still shining but the colour in them was fading to grey. She looked away from the pictures and smiled at Nate. She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "I'm going to have a shower. I'll be back." She walked out of her room and into the bathroom and climbed into a hot shower. After she was done she wrapped a towel around her body and ran to her room. Nate jumped when he saw Sam with only a towel wrapped around her. She looked over at him and he smiled. "Can I?" He asked pointing to the bathroom across the hall. "Yeah, towels are under the sink." Sam closed the door behind him and pulled on a bathing suit and some clothes. She dropped her towel on the floor and brushed her hair. After she was finished she walked out to the kitchen and Echo was finishing her eggs. "Where's Dad?" "He just left for work." Echo starred at Sam as she twirled around the kicthen getting some orange juice. Echo never remembered her being as happy as she was today. She got up and took her plate to the sink. "Sammiee?" asked Echo. "Hmm?" Echo walked over to her sister and gave her a hug. Sam squeezed her back and ruffled her hair. "Heyyyy!" she said as Echo frantically tried to put her hair back the way it was. Nate walked out of the bathroom and to the kitchen. "Morning Nate!" Echo said as she hopped up on the counter. "Good morning." He said back. "Sam I'm going over to Rayne's house and Val's gone somewhere." She said as she hopped off the counter and put her shoes on. "Kay have fun." "Bye." "Bye Echo." said Nate as he got himself a drink. The rest of the day was spent surfing and chasing each other around the beach. When Echo got home she joined in and ended getting thrown in the water with all he clothes on. At around three Val came out on the beach too. "Who's up for a game of beach volleyball?" She said as she got the volleyball off the deck. Sam smiled as she saw her sister come out. "Definetly!" Nate said as he ran out of the water. It was Val and Sam against Nate and Echo and with their combined skills it became a very competitive game of volleyball. Nate and Echo ended up getting the last serve and won by two points. "I should start getting dinner ready. You gusy can stay out here." Sam said as she got up from the sand. After the game they had all collapsed on the beach. "Sam I want to talk to you so I'll help." Val said as she followed her sister in the house. So that left Nate and Echo all alone on the beach. "You are really good at volleyball for being as small as you are." Nate said as he sat up. "You aren't to bad yourself." Echo joked as she dug a little whole in the sand. "You really like Sammie don't you?" She asked as she noticed they were looking at each other from the kitchen window. "Yeah. I do." He said. "Well I know for a fact that I have never seen her so happy before." "Really?" "Yeah. You really got to her." He just sat there and smiled to himself. "Nate can you do something for me?" "Anything." He said. "Don't tell her I've told you this, it's just going to be between us kay?" "Okay, what's on your mind?" "Okay, well. Sam has gone out with a couple of guys that havn't been the nicest people ever. All they really did was hurt her in different ways and at one point it was starting to show, and after Riley died it added to everything that was making her upset in the first place. She is a really strong person and she is the bravest person I know, but she can only hold back so much..." Echo's voice trailed off. She knew she need to make sure Nate was going to help Sam. He just nodded his head waiting for her to go on. "But when you got here everything changed. The light came back to her eyes and she wasn't faking a smile anymore. Even my Dad noticed. She's just been hurt so many times before by guys, I just want to make sure that you won't do that to her." "I would never do anything to hurt her. I promise you that Echo. I promise." He said as he saw this little girl open up too him. "Thanks Nate." "Don't worry Echo. I'll never do anything to her."

They stayed on the beach for what seemed only like a minutes but was really a few hours until they realized the sun had set and the cool breeze was comming in off the water. They walked in the house and Sam realized that everyone had gone to bed. "Where are the blankets?" whispered Nate. Sam looked at him and pointed to a closet. "In there." He walked over and pulled out Sam's favourite blanket and put it on the couch. Sam felt a tinge of disappointment but she knew she couldn't have everything she wanted that day. He walked over to her and slid his arms around her small waist and kissed her lightly. "Goodnight Sammie." "Night Nate." She slowly walked into her bedroom trying not to fall over, the butterflies in her stomach were so bad. She slowly closed the door to her room and slid on a pair of pajama bottoms, and a tank top. Sam climbed into her bed and lay there thinking about what had happened so far. She felt like something was going to happen, but she knew that she needed to get some sleep. Nate lay awake on the couch, he knew that Sam was awake in the other room and for the first time that day he felt lonely. He was debating what he should do. In the end he decided what he had to do. Nate cimbed off the couch and quietly walked to Sam's room. He stood in front of the door for a minute thinking of what he was going to say or do, but before he knew it, his feet were already taking him in her room. She was lying on her bed with no blanket on top of her. Her eyes closed with her hands curled up in front of her. Nate slowly walked closer and her eyes opened. She smiled and knew why he was there. He climbed over her to the other side of the bed and pushed up beside her figure. He rested his arm over her and she held his hand in hers. They both knew that the other wasn't asleep. Neither of them wanted to fall asleep because at that momment their realitites were better then dreams. "I think I remember you telling me you slept with your shirt off.." Sam said as she sat up looking down at him. He rolled onto his back and laughed. "Yeah usualy." She slowly pulled him up and pulled his shirt over his head and traced her fingers over his bare chest outlining all the muscle that was there. They lay back down and Sam liked how she felt his bare skin against her back. Nate kissed her neck lightly and hesitated with what he wanted to tell her. He finally got up the courage and pulled her closer whispering, "I love you." in her ear. It came as kind of a shock to Sam. She wasn't expecting anything like that to come from his mouth. For a second she thought she was dreaming but then she realized she wasn't. Sam turned over, facing Nate and looked at him. She wasn't sure he was serious but at the same time she wanted to melt and never have to leave him again, but she decided she needed to say what was on her mind. "I love you Nate." His face lightened up. His stomach tossed and turned around waiting for her answer and now that she had answered, it felt like it was going to explode. Nate didn't beleive was she had just said. "Really?" He whispered. All she could do was nod her head, she couldn't even speak. She knew if she opened her mouth, her insides would come pouring out and that wouldn't be good. Sam curled up to him, putting her face up against his bare chest and wondering why she was feeling like this. "You're shaking." He quietly laughed as he felt her body tremble as she got closer to him. "I've.. I've... never said that before. To anyone." she stumbled out trying to keep her head from spinning. He looked into her eyes and they were looking back up at him. "Neither have I." Nate said. That was the last word either of them spoke that night. Nothing else happened, but Sam knew she didn't want to be anywhere else and she prayed really hard that morning would never come.

They sat down on the beach quietly. Neither of them really said anything, they were just overcomming a day of excitement. Together they watched the sun slowly start to set. "Sorry about tonight, it's just-," "It's alright, I understand, it's like that a lot at my house too." said Nate pulling Sam closer to him. "What goes on there. You never really described to me what it's like." Sam asked curling up beside him. "It's very... different. In some ways the same as here only it's with my brother. He's into drugs and all that crap and he thinks he's constantly being compared to me, and my parent's want him to be like me. I guess I was sort of what you call a model kid I mean, I had great friends, I did well in school, graduated fourth in my class at MAC, and he just doesn't get it, it's not his idea of what growing up is really all about." Sam knew what he meant, and knew how he felt. Val and her didn't get along because of different reasons, but she still felt the same way he did, like it was their fault their brother and sister turned out like that. "So there is lots of arguing?" Sam asked interested in what Nate's home was like. "Well yeah, it's more of discussion and then my brother storming off. Don't get me wrong, my family is great and I mean I love 'em but sometimes I just want to see Scott turn his life around." Nate said. "I know exactly how you feel." Sam said in return, twidling her fingers. The sun was going down faster now and it made the ocean orange and no matter how many times Sam saw it, she still felt the same awe struck feeling every single time she watched it. Being with Nate escalated the feeling. "Today was the best day I have had in a long time." Sam said as she looked at Nate and the constant smile that had never left his face all day. "Same here." He pushed the hair off her face and starred at her blue eyes that had the ocean's waves reflecting in them. At that momment she leaned forward and set her lips on Nate's and her thought's simply disintegrated into nothing. All she could think about was him and nothing was interfearing that thought. Nate felt like a shot of electricity had gone through his entire body. He rested his hand on her side and he thought about how that momment couldn't be any more perfect then it already was. He had never felt this way about anyone before and he wanted to stay in that momment forever. That momment where it was only him and her and they were together and the feeling that nothing could tear them apart. After a minute Sam pulled back a little and opened her eyes to look at his face and see what he was feeling and if it was the same feeling she had. When he opened his eyes and smiled faintly, she knew they felt the same way in every sence. He saw her face and knew immediatly that he needed to have that feeling again, and he kissed her, he kissed her with more meaning then he kissed anyone with before. Nate wanted it to be that way forever.

Nate pulled out his board and went right out back. Sam stood in her bedroom for a minute and soaked in the fact she was having one of the best days of her life. She pulled off her tank top and jeans and pulled on her board shorts. She ran out back right as Nate was pulling his shirt over his head. She watched him for a minute. "The water looks great." He said as he turned around. Sam nodded her head as she grabbed her board off the deck and walked over the sand. Together they paddled out and sat on the waves and waited for the perfect one. Just then a huge swell came in and Nate looked a little shocked. "I'm going in!" Sam said as she started paddling off towards the wave. Nate sat and watched her as she dissapeared into the wave and came out the other end, riding it perfectly and very quick. He followed her as the next wave came in. He was still amazed at how good Sam was. They spent the next two hours going in and out of waves, seeing who could stay on longer. Before they knew it, they saw Echo waving them in from the shore. "Sammie! Dad's home!" She screamed and ran back in the house. They both quickly swam back to the beach and dryed off. Nate put his shirt back on and Sam took of her board shorts and put them on the deck to dry. Sam quickly ran to her room, slid on a skirt and walked back out the deck. "Ready to meet my Dad?" Sam laughed as Nate dryed off his hair. They both walked inside and her Dad was already making dinner. "Dad this is Nate." Her Dad turned around and smiled. "So this is the ever so famous Nate." He held out his hand and Nate shook it. You could tell he was a little nervous, but he held his nerves pretty good. "Mr. Aviit-" "No. It's Joe. Call me Joe. I'm not some uptight middle aged man with a stick up his ass. Just call me Joe." "Alright, Joe." Nate laughed. "What's for dinner Dad?" asked Echo as she grabbed a cooler from the fridge. "Spaghetti." "Awesome? Do you two want one?" Echo asked, offering a drink too Sam and Nate. "I'll take one, thanks." Nate said taking the cooler from Echo. Like you already read, Echo who was only ten, drank more then most of Sam's friends. "No thanks Echo." said Sam. "Kay." Echo gingerly put the cooler back in the drawer and closed the fridge. She held the cooler out to her Dad and he quickly popped the cap off and she took a sip. "Where's Val?" asked their Dad. Echo and Sam both shrugged their shoulders. At about 11 that morning Val left with some of her friends not saying where she was going. At that momment she stumbled through the door. "There she is." Everyone laughed, but Val didn't find it funny. She walked to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and walked to her room. "And that's Val." said Sam. "Ah, I see. Is she always like that?" Nate asked finishing his cooler. "Yep." All three of them said in sync with each other. They spent 2 hours eating dinner, discussing Nate basically. Their Dad asked him questions about his parents and where he lived in Ontario. Nate lost his nerves very quickly and was fitting in with everyone already. Val stayed silent though. About halfway through dinner Val got up and left the table. "I'll go talk to her." said Sam following her back into her room. Val was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Why are you being so shy?" asked Sam as she entered the room. "I'm just not feeling well." "Oh." There was an awkward silence as Sam sat down beside Val on the bed. "Did you have fun last night." Sam asked, scared of what Val's reaction would be in response to the question. "What the fuck are you doing spying on me?" "Calm down Val..." "No! I'm not calming down! What did you think you were doing." "I wasn't spying on you. I was sitting on my windowsill and i saw the guys walk up from the beach, and then I saw you, wearing my boots by the way, walk out." Sam said, she was acting very calm compared to Val, who was about ready to pull her sisters hair out. "That's a load of bullshit!" "Think that if you want but I saw you leave none the less. How old were those guys anyway?" "None of your god dam buisness and why are you acting like its a crime to go out at night!" "I'm not Val." "You are being such a hypocrite and you know it Sam!" she yelled. "Excuse me?" Sam didn't take kindly being called a hypocrite. "You are always going out late with Alex and you sometimes don't even come home until the next day." Val was twisting Sam's actions and turning them into crimes. "Okay, Yes, I do go out late, I do go out to parties, and yes, I do drink! But you also have to remember Dad knows that I am going most of the time and he also knows the people I am going with! Unlike you! You are going out with guys that are twice your age, you are sneaking out, and then you are bringing them back to our house in the early morning." Sam rarely yelled but she needed to get her point across. "You get drunk and pass out a peoples houses!" Val screamed back. Back out in the kitchen everyone just kind of starred at each other. "Sorry about them Nate, Val's just been acting strange lately." Echo said twirling a small peice of spaghetti. "It's alright, Sam's been telling me what's been going on." "I would go in and talk to her but she doesn't want to listen to me. Sam is the only one who would even start to get her to listen." Joe said picking up everyones plates. Back in the other room Sam and Val were still arguing. "But Val, you don't get it! I'm turning 17! You are only 14! I never did this stuff when I was that young!" "You know what? I don't need to take this shit. Especially from you." Val lay back down on her bed and faced the wall. "I would like for Nate to meet you, if you are done being such a bitch then come out and talk, we all want you out there." Sam told Val before leaving the room. She walked to the bathroom and flushed her face with cold water. After she cooled her temper down she walked back out to the kitchen. "You alright Sammie?" Her Dad asked as she sat on the counter. All she did was nod her head and smile. "Some one ahd to set her straight." Sam laughed. Nate brought the rest of the dishes to the sink and her Dad finished washing them. After everything was cleaned up Nate and Sam walked out to the beach hand in hand.

They stood there for a few minutes, soaking in the fact they were together at last. They finally let go and just starred and smiled. "Hi." Sam said giggling. "Hey." Nate said smiling. "Wanna get going?" He nodded his head and they starting walking away from the terminal. They were quiet. Nate reached out and took Sam's hand. They talked about the flight and other small talk. They were both nervous, but they tried really hard not to show it. Together the two of them made their way to baggage terminal. They stood there with a few other families around them waiting for the bags to come out. She crossed her arms shaking. Her nerves were taking over her body and she couldn't stop shaking. That's when Nate came up behind her and put his arm's around her and kissed her cheek. "I don't want to be anywhere else but here." He whispered into her ear, and she smiled. The bags started piling out. Nate let go of Sam and picked up a large black suitcase. "Now that I have this I have to get the more important part of my baggage." He laughed. Together they walked to the fragile luggage desk and he checked his surfboard. Sam picked it up and started carrying it. "What are you doing? You don't have to carry it." "I'm stronger then you look." She said flashing him her 'yeah you know it' smile. They made their way down to the parking lot and Sam realized she forgot where she parked. "Where is your jeep?" Nate asked looking around trying to spot the jeep Sam had described to him over the phone. She started to laugh and feel like an idiot. "I don't remember, I was so excited I forgot to look." She walked over to a map and found where she entered the airport and realized she wasn't that far away. "This way." She walked with the surboard on her back to a section and she spotted her jeep. She unlocked the trunk and loaded his stuff into the back. They hopped in and Sam drove out from the airport. "How long does it take to get to your house?" He asked playing with her CD player. "It depends on the traffic, it took me an hour to get here so it's probably going to be about an hour to an hour and a half now." She said letting out a sigh. Nate got to her taking back sunday CD and turned up the volume a bit. Sam immediatly started singing. "I'm sorry it took me so long, I'm sorry it took me so long to goo." she sang aloud. "You do have a great voice." "What?" "I was talking to your sister once on the phone and she said you had a great voice." "Oh. Really? Echo said that?" "Yeah." They talked the whole way back to Sam's house. About everything, about what they did that week, about how excited they were to finally meet, everything. She finally reached the suburbs where she lived. She drove through the familiar streets spotting some of her friends as she drove by. They finally made it to her house. "Well, this is it." Sam said as she climbed out. "I like it, I like beach houses." Nate said smiling still. They grabbed his stuff from the trunk and walked inside. One thing about Sam's house, it wasn't exactly clean. It didn't smell bad but there was clothes and games and cd's everywhere, but it was clean today. Sam almost fell over when she saw Echo putting all the Gamecube games back on the shelf. "Yeah I cleaned it, I was bored, I had nothing better to do, Leave me alone!" She said knowing Sam was starring at her like she was on crack. "Hi, you must be Nate. I'm Echo!" She said introducing herself. She was excited too. "Echo did you vacuum?" Sam said as she noticed the vacuum was lying on the kitchen floor. "I attempted too." Sam just smiled at her as she picked up the vacuum and put it back in the closet. Sam was still shocked at the fact she cleaned something. Sam usualy was the one who cleaned everything, but she gave up cleaning because it would just be dirty again the next day. "Come on Nate, let's take your stuff to my room." She led him down the one hallway into her room. "Echo!!!!" Sam screamed when she realized that she had cleaned her room as well. Sam ran out of her room and hugged her sister. "Your welcome, now you cna let go you are choking me!" said Echo almost being strangled. "You know what's funny?" said Nate as he walked towards the both of them. "You guys have almost a seven year age difference, and you are pretty much the same height." It was true, Sam was short, she always was, Echo was getting taller and taller and was soon going to to pass Sam. "Shut up." She laughed as she walked back to her room and put his suitcase on her bed. He followed her back in her room and immediatly looked out the window at the wavvy water. "Let's go surfing." said Nate as he unzipped his surf board. "You read my mind."