The next morning, I woke up and found Breyson outside, watching the waves. And an hour later, after I showered and got ready, he was still in the same position. He looked sad. So, I went to him.

"Morning." I smiled.

"It's four in the afternoon."

I sucked in a breath. "Yeah, I was tired."

"You're friend came by."

"Friend?"

"Josh?"

"Oh, my God! What'd he say?"

"He wanted you to drop by at some coffee shop, that he'd wait for you there."

I nodded.

"Who is he, anyway? How do you know him?"

"Oh, I met him surfing when I was thirteen."

"I didn't know you surfed." He looked at me.

"Well, I don't anymore. I haven't since that summer here. He's the one who taught me." We just starred at each other. "So, lets go!"

"I'm not going."

"Of course you are, come on."

Breyson just shook his head.

"Please. I really want you there."

He was still shaking his head, but then saw the look in my face, and smiled. "Oh, the things I do for you."

"I know, I love you." I hugged him.


I held Breyson's hand as we walked inside The Coffee Shop together, and once I saw Josh I was more than surprised. He looked different, much different.

"Alice!" He said as soon as I got half way through the door.

"Alice?" Breyson whispered in my ear.

"It's his nickname for me, shut up."

"Josh! Oh, my God, you look great!"

"Thanks, you look hot, too."

I heard Breyson snort under his breath, and I elbowed him in the stomach.

We all sat down on the plush red couch in the lounge room. I sat in the middle, with Josh on my left and Breyson on my other side, still holding my hand.

"So, how'd you know I was back?"

"You're mom called my mom."

Josh's mom had met my mom when we went surfing together that year. His mom was at the beach and saw my mom watching us and just assumed that she was my mother, she assumed right. So she introduced herself and they hit it off. They've been in contact ever since.

"So what're you doing nowadays?"

"Cosmetology school. You?"

"No college for me. I've been working at the aqarium a couple blocks down."

"Oh, thats cool."

"Yeah," he paused. "So I can't really stay long, I promised my mom that I would take her dog to the vet. But, we should met up sometime. I'll call you."

"Alright," I smiled. "It was good to see you."

"You too," he shouted as he went out the door.



"Oh, my God."

"Shut up."

"He's horrible," Breyson smiled as he said this.

"He wasn't always like that."

"Did you hear him? 'You look hot, too'." He mocked Josh, laughing.

I couldn't help but giggle along. "Please, shut up." I got up, still holding his hand, pulling him along.

"Where are we going now?" He whinned.

"Shopping," I smiled.



We both knew how much Breyson hated going shopping with me. He thought I took too long, and he absolutely dreaded when I wanted to try something on. But, shopping with Beyson wasn't my favorite thing to do either. Anytime I asked him how I looked in something, his answer would be the exact same everytime: fine.


The Mall wasn't as bad as Breyson thought it would be. It was huge and had some stores that he was actually interested in, so he went his way, and I went my way. When I was done, I called him to meet me at Victoria's Secret.

"Oh, Jesus," Breyson said as he saw me cashing out at the register.

"Hey, help with these." I pointed to my bags.

Breyson carried nine of them and I carried four.

"Was it really necessary to get this much stuff?" He asked as we were walking to the car.

"Yes," I answered plainly.



When we got home, after I changed into some of my new clothes, Breyson loaded it on me.

"I don't like Josh."

"Really? I would have never guessed."

He sighed. "I just, you know, think it would be better if you didn't... you know."

"No, I don't know." I think I knew, I just wanted him to say it so I was sure what he meant. "What are you trying to say?"

"I just think it would be best if you didn't, you know..." He paused, and I just looked at him. "If you didn't... go out with him."

"Excuse me?" I was a bit ticked off. "Since when can you tell me who to date?"

"Alli, I just don't feel like he would treat you the way you deserve to be treated, thats all."

"How do you know? You haven't even known him for a full day."

"And I don't want to, Alli. Something doesn't feel right about that guy."

"From the very long time that you have known him," I nodded slightly.

"And how long has it been since you've been around him? Years." He answered for me.

"I knew him at one point, though. You haven't. And if he isn't going to treat me well then who is?!" I screamed.



"Someone besides him!"

"Who?" I was crying now.

"I would!" He yelled back.

I looked up at him with my teary eyes.

"Me!" He yelled again.

We stood in silence for a little while, then Breyson spoke, his voice now soft. "I've wanted to be more than friends since I met you. I still do."



I left the room. I wasn't good at these type of things, and I desperately needed to call Taylor. Once I was outside on the sand, I grabbed my cell phone out of the back pocket of my shorts and furiously dialed Taylors number. She picked up on the second ring.

"Taylor," I cried as soon as she answered with a tired hello.

"Allison? Calm down. What's wrong?"

"Breyson."

"Is he alright?"

"He just told me he wants to be more than friends." I sobbed.

"Okay, start from the beginning."

And so I did. I told Taylor everything that had happened since we left New York. She didn't sound surprised.

"Tell me what to do, Taylor," I said after she was up to date.

"Oh, Alli. I can't."

"Please," I whispered.

"Okay, listen." She paused. "Talk to him. The sooner the better. Then think about what you want to do."

"I know what I wanna do," I interrupted her.

"Alright, whats that?"

"I want to pretend this never happened and never speak of it again."

"Alli, you can't just do that. This isn't one of your dreams."

I sighed. "I wish it was."

"I know, hon, but it isn't. We can't change that. So, do you know if you like him? Even just a little bit?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, good, that means you like him."

"Huh?"

"If you don't say that you don't like him right away, that means you do like him. So, go talk to him and get together." I could hear her smiling while she spoke.

"What? No!"

"Alli, talk to him."

"Taylor." But it was no use, she already hung up.


I sat down on the sand, breathing in the salty smell of the ocean. I sat there for a long time, long enough to watch the sunset and long enough to see everything go dark. But, even in the black of the night, I still sat there.



About an hour later, Breyson came for me. He knew where I was. I saw him watching me from his bedroom window when I hung up with Taylor.

"Hey," he said as I sat there, hugging my knees.

I didn't reply as he sat next to me, probably too close for what had just happened.

"I know you're anrgy at me and that's okay. I was just sick of hiding it from you. I had been for almost a year. I should've told you sooner."

"Or not at all," I mumbled.

He nodded, smirking.

I turned my head so I could see him. "I wasn't gonna go out with Josh," I whispered and he looked at me. "I would never. He's too much of an a**. When we were younger, if he saw a pretty girl he would be really rude and disgusting." I turned back to the water.

He nodded again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."



We listened to the waves for a very long time until anyone said anything.

Then, I decided that it was time to be strong. "Why do you like me?"

He looked at me, obviously surprised, then looked away. "Because... you're easy to talk to and it's easy for me to be myself around you." When I thought he was done, he continued. "You're a great friend. You're nice, and beautiful. You care about everyone, and you'll do whatever you can for them. Your eyes sparkle, and your smile is gorgeous." He turned to face me. "I could stare you all day. You're perfect."

I tried to hide my smile and failed. Why should I hide it anyway if it's really that gorgeous? "Shut up," I said, smacking him playfully on the shoulder and flopping down on my side so I was closer to him.

"It's true." He sounded serious.

I rolled over more, so I could lay my head on Breyson's chest. As I did, he picked me up and held me in his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, "Tell me what to do."

"I'm sorry. I can't."

"Thats what Taylor said."


We sat like this for another half hour until I was pretty much asleep and Breyson decided he should probably put me to bed. So he got up, with me still in his arms and carried me inside.

Once we were in my dark room he tried laying me down. So, I wrapped my legs around his waist and whispered, "Please, don't leave me. Please."

"Okay. I won't. I promise."



Breyson layed me down, then layed next to me. I snuggled into him and he wrapped his arms around my waist, tight, like he would never let go, and I liked that feeling.

This was when I realized that I liked Breyson. I may have even loved him. I wasn't sure yet, but I was sure of something. I definitely wanted to be more than friends.


When I woke up, it was still pitch black outside my window and Breyson had his head resting on my chest.

I rolled us over and put my arms around his neck. I just starred at him for a long time before I reached up and gently kissed his neck.

He opened his eyes to look at me for barely a second, then closed them as he smiled.

Our faces were touching now. Our lips only millimeters away. So I did it. I did what I wanted to do since the moment he told me he liked me. I kissed him, hard. He kissed me back, harder.