Since Kara had already been there before and knew her away around a little bit, she drove. According to the map I was looking at, my Lady and Papa lived about 3 miles out of town and we had to take a lot of back roads to get there. Kara couldn't remember if she turned right or left on the road with the faded signs.. Most of the signs on the other roads had brand new paint, but these looked really old. She guess that we were supposed to turn right. Turns out, she was wrong, but i was super glad, cause i had met my first set of friends.
A yellow jeep was coming down the narrow road and it scared me so bad I almost peed my pants. A girl stepped out of the drivers side of the jeep and walked towards us. She was tall. Long, curly, brown hair. She had freshly waxed eyebrows and she wore cut-off shorts and a deep blue spaghetti strap. There was something about her that looked.... I don't know, powerful. Kind of like she was royalty, get it? My sister hand rolled the old rentals window down as the girl came towards us. I was embarrassed because of the crappy car we were in.
"You know your trespassing? she asked in a nice, but very high-pitched voice.
" I-I am so so sorry," Kara stuttered, " We couldn't remember to turn left or right so we just picked. I guess I was wrong, sorry."
"No problem. So, I guess your new here."
As Kara and the other girl chatted it up, a boy with shaggy brown hair came out from the passenger side and was walking towards us when he stopped half way between the two cars and shouted, "Lizzie, come on! We've got places to be!”
"Haiden shut up and come here." the girl, obviously named Lizzie shouted back.
"Haiden, this is Kara and Katie.” she said pointing to each of us.
“Kara, Katie, this is my little brother Haiden."
"Hi." we said in unison.
He was tall, muscular, and when he came closer i noticed he had the purest blue eyes. The way he was built reminded me of a soccer player. Which was good cause i could use a little challenge this year if i was planning on being on the varsity team. The way he looked at me made me feel comfortable, like we had known each other forever. We smiled at each other as Kara and Lizzie finished up there conversation.
Haiden and Lizzie turned around and got back in their car. They moved off the road so we could get by and turn around. They waited for us and led us back to where we had turned off.
Kara didn't say another word until we got to the house and we started to unpack. The house was huge. Bigger than I remembered it in the pictures. It had three floors. On the first there was the kitchen, living room, dining room, and a bathroom. The kitchen was enormous with brand new appliances. The living room was also really big with all dark brown furniture and a 60 inch television.
I got the master bedroom on the second floor, and Kara got the master room on the third floor. I loved the room i had, Lady had it arranged perfect and the theme was Texas. I started feeling home sick. As i was unpacking, I noticed how hungry and sleepy I was.
I went downstairs to the kitchen and opened the fridge door, nothing. I opened the freezer, Nothing. I open the pantry, nothing. I walked up to Kara's room where she was still unpacking.
"We gotta go to the store, we have nothing to eat and I'm starving.”
"Okay, I'm almost done, I'll go to the store and I need you to dust the living room and clean the kitchen up. This place is so dusty. I will do the rest tonight." she told me.
"Okay, where are the cleaning supplies at?"
"Under the sink, i think. I'm about to leave, any special request?"
"Anything?" I asked her.
" Yeah."
" Pickles." what? I love pickles... plus they reminded me of my dad.
" Pickles?" she was now staring at me, confusion written on her face.
"Yeah,” I told her. “remember when after my soccer games at the concession stand daddy always used to tell us that pickles made us have pretty legs ?"
"Oh, yeah." she said, remembering.
“Well, I want pretty legs this summer, like yours." she smiled at me and went outside.
I looked under the sink and got out some furniture polish and a dust cloth. I didn't notice earlier how dusty everything was. I turned on the radio to Scott Mccreery's hit song “I Love You This Big” and sang along. I started on the living room spraying down the couches and recliner. I then went to the coffee table. It didn't seem like very long before I was done.
I headed to the kitchen. First i swept, mopped, and half heartedly waxed the floors. Lady and Papa's hardwood floors were gorgeous when they were clean. I wiped down the already gleaming stove and cleaned the stainless steel refrigerator. After I was done with the kitchen, I took a shower. It felt good after the long trip to stand under the steamy, hot water.



When I got out of the shower Kara was back and the fresh aroma of



shrimp filled the air. I slipped on my Tigger sleep pants, even though it wasn't even 7 o'clock yet, and dried my long, sometimes too curly, blonde hair, and headed down to the kitchen. Kara, Lizzie, and Haiden were all sitting around the bar.
" Hey Katie!" Lizzie was the first person to greet me.
" Hey, Kay Kay." that was what Kara called me all the time, I kinda liked it, but it seemed a little childish since Haiden was there.
"I ran into Haiden and Lizzie at the store and I invited them over for dinner. Hope you don't mind."
"Of course not. Just let me go change. I'll be right back." I ran up the stairs and slipped on my cut-off jeans with the holes and slipped on my purple and yellow LSU shirt.
I came downstairs to lots of laughter between Lizzie and Kara, with Haiden trying to figure out how to work the stereo system. I giggled too, although it wasn't as funny as they were making it out to be. Kara had some shrimp boiling, potatoes baking and corn-on-the-cob cooking. I loved shrimp so i figured this would be a great meal. My tummy growled. I went over to Haiden and showed him how to work the stereo. “You have to actually plug it in.” I told him noticing it wouldn't even turn on. He just stood there smiling at me with those huge blue eyes piercing my heart like stones.
Later that night we all sat around the table sharing stories and laughing as if we were old friends. "This shrimp is delicious Kara. You need to show Lizzie how to cook cause all she can make is mac-n-cheese and ramen noodles, and she still messes that up every once in a while." "Haiden James you are so ungrateful!" Lizzie said in a teasing tone. The shrimp really was good, but I was ready for my queen size bed upstairs. I could practically hear it calling my name.
"So, what are you two doing here this summer? I wanna know all about your trip. Where are you two from?" Lizzie said without taking a breath.
" Well," I started to explain. " We are from a small town outside of Austin, Texas. We had a very tiring trip, and...." I stopped right in the middle of my sentence and Kara just looked at me. Anger boiled inside me. Why did she have to ask that question? Did she not realize that some things were better to not know?
"Do you want me to tell them what we are here for?" I stared a hole in my plate wishing i was in my room asleep as I had planned to do before 'they' showed up. "Its okay, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Haiden said. I felt a lump in my throat as i tried to hold back the tears. I just couldn't.
I ran out the door and down the hill towards the bay. I couldn't remember the last time i just ran to be running. I ran and ran. About a mile down I tripped over a rock.
"Are you okay?" I heard a voice ask. A guys voice. I turned around to see Haiden, sweat pouring from his face and struggling to catch his breath. His big, blue now a light grey with tiredness in them.
I cried, like a little baby. I cried as hard as I could ever remember. He pulled me close into his chest and I felt relaxed with him.
"Whenever you are ready to talk, I'm ready to listen." I just sat there for a moment taking it all in. It felt nice to have someone to rely on, and it also helped that he was a freaking greek god!
"Do you really want to know why we are here?" I asked him.
"Of course I do." His voice sounded so comforting.
" My parents sent us here cause they are going through a 'rough spot' and so we are spending the summer in Cape Cod at my grandparents' summer house," I paused for a moment, took a deep, shaking breath so I wouldn't cry, and continued, " We never heard them fight or argue. It was just so sudden. Neither one of us expected it, but I have a feeling that Kara knew about it because she seems to have no emotion towards the situation."
" Well my parents are divorced and I remember what it was like. I'm sorry that you have to go through it, but I want you to know that I'm going to be here all summer and if you ever need anything, I'll be here." We just stood there in the silence. I got a chill, and he offered me his jacket in which he had tied around his waist.
“No, I'll pass.” I told him.
“I insist.”
“I refuse.” I said.
“I can't just let you freeze out here.” He told me, with fake concern in his voice.
“Fine,” I said, trying to sound rude. “whatever helps you sleep at night.” He smiled. He helped me put it over my shoulders. He then zipped it up. Then, he pulled my chin up so that I was looking at him, like he was trying to hypnotize me with his pure blue eyes. “You are beautiful, unlike anyone I've ever met. He leaned in to kiss me, I hesitated a little, but then I realized that I actually wanted to kiss him. I went for it. I wished it could have lasted forever. When we finally parted, I just stood there with my eyes closed, a grin on my face taking in the moment. Everything happened so sudden.
“Think we should be getting back?” He asked still smiling.
“Yeah. Kara will be worried.”
When we were about halfway back he said, “Listen, what just happened... I don't think....” he trailed off “We really don't know each other that well. I'm not saying that it will be like that forever, and I really hope its not, but if Lizzie found out....”
“I get it... I know how older sisters are.” I told him, cutting him off.
“No. You don't understand.” He told me. “Lizzie isn't like Kara. She is controlling, a-and... You just don't get it. I will make it work if there is any possible way, but lets just forget that it happened for now. Please. And it doesn't change the way I feel about you.”
Disapointment filled my body and I felt like this moment would never end.
We were now stopped and facing each other, a mere 25 steps away from where the sand met the yard.
“Katie, listen to me. The truth is, I’m confused. I don't understand this thing. I'm so used to understanding everything that I just need some time to think this through so please, just....” he trailed off leaving me wondering what he was goin to finish the sentence with. We turned and continued our walk.
When we got to the porch, we sat on the porch swing and talked about a lot of things. I told him that my favorite subjects were English and Biology, that I wanted to open up my own large animal vetrinarian clinic, and that I was the starting forward on my High School Junior- Varsity team. He told me he was from New York, he liked Physics and Biology, he wanted to become a surgeon, and he was the starting center for his High School Varsity soccer team at home.
“Oh, a city boy, huh? Naw, I'm just messing.” I looked through the front window to see Kara and Lizzie talking and laughing about God knows what.
“I really do think we are going to be seeing a lot of each other this summer.” I told him.
“I hope so.” he replied, a big, goofy grin spread across his face.
He kissed me on the cheek and we headed up to the house. Lizzie and Kara were at the sink rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. As soon as Lizzie saw me she immediately said,
“Hey, I'm sorry that I asked that. Are you okay?”
“It's okay, you didn't know. Hey, Kara, I'm going to bed, I'll see you guys later.”
Just as I was falling asleep, Haiden comes knocking at my door.
“ Hey, just going to tell you goodnight. How are you feeling?”
“My toe is sore from the whole trip over a rock thing, but other than that I'm good.”
“Well, I guess that’s good. My friends and I rented a field at the park, we have a co-ed team made up if you wanna come join.”
“I'd love too.”
“Great, I'll be here tomorrow at ten. Be ready to kick some butt. We got major challenge.”
I laughed. He, again, kissed me on the cheek and left.
“Goodnight!”
I called after him. I guess he didn't hear me cause he didn't reply. Or if he did hear me, I didn't hear him respond.

The next morning I woke up refreshed and amped. I couldn't wait to go play some ball. I wished I had time to take a shower so I would be refreshed, but time wouldn't allow it. I couldn't stop thinking about lastnight. I kept replaying the night trying to make sence of it all, but I got nothing.
I washed my face and put on my old soccer shorts and a t-shirt. I put a change of clothes in my bag and headed downstairs to get a water bottle and a snack. I decided not to get a snack, it would give us an excuse to stop to get something and spend more time together. It was almost ten so I just grabbed a swig of OJ and waited on the stairs.
I heard a knock at the door.
“Anybody up?” It was Haiden.
“Come in.” I told him, trying to sound sexy.
“Its locked.” he told me.
Boy did I feel dumb. I unlocked the door and welcomed him in.
“Right on time,” I said smiling, “I just gotta grab something then I'll be right down.”
I ran upstairs, put my hair up and brushed my teeth. When I came back down he was sitting on the couch waiting.
“Ready?” he asked me. There was just something about the light in his eyes that told me this was going to be a fun day.
“Yeah.” I told him, flashing my teeth at him.
When we got into the yellow jeep I saw them in yesterday, the radio was on my kinda station. Country. We went down lots of bumpy roads, and I think they have, like, extra hydraulics or something cause it seemed a lot more bumpier than yesterday.
We pulled up to a park looking thing. There were three different fields, only two of which looked like were having games. I realized that there wasn't that many people on our field. I tried to count but I couldn't because they kept moving around. I laughed at how dumb I was being.
“What are you laughing at?” Haiden asked me.
“Nothing, so which team are we going to be on?”
“I've got two more friends that play with us, we have to wait for them to get here, then we will get started for real.”
“Sounds good to me.”
He took me out to the field and introduced me. I'm not good with names, but I think there was Sarah, Jake, Austin, Dallas, Haley, and Rick. Then, after his friends, Alex and Jessica, go there, we started up. The 5 on 5 game was awesome. I had 3 guys on my team. Although they were ball hogs, it was really fun and challenging. I'm going to be a beast by the end of the summer if I keep on having a challenge like this. I thought as I ran the ball down the field and scored the winning goal.
“We are headed to go get ice cream down at Billy's, wanna come?” Sarah asked.
As she was saying that my cell phone rang. It was Kara.
“Excuse me, I gotta take this.”
I fast-walked to the other side of the jeep and answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey. I'm going to the mall with Lizzie and her mom. Be back before 7, that’s when I'm making dinner.”

“Alright.” I slapped my phone shut and went back to join the group.

“So, are you coming?” Austin asked.

“It's up to Haiden, I'm riding with him.”
“Well?” asked Dallas.
“I guess so.” Haiden said.
Then we all got into our cars and left.

“Billy's ice cream parlor” read the sign right off the main road. Right before we got out, Haiden put his hand on my leg and said,
“I'm apologizing ahead of time, my friends will probably ask you the same things Lizzie asked last night. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to.”
“I need to get used to talking about it.”
“You don't need to unless your comfortable with it. It took me a while before I could talk about it without the thought of killing my dad.”
“Okay.”
We were the first people there. We took the booth in the very back corner. The inside looked like it would have in the 50's. I thought it was cool that they still had an old parlor like this. My phone rang again, I asked Haiden where the bathrooms were and he pointed to a door that I hadn't seen before. It was my dad.
“Hey daddy!”
“Hey baby, you busy?”
“Um, kinda, I'm about to have ice cream with some friends. Why?”
“I was just going to ask how you were and how it was going down there.”
“It's going great! But I have to go now, my friends are waiting for me. Love you daddy!”
“I'm glad you are having fun. Love you too.” I shut my phone and came out of the bathroom to find nobody at the table.
I looked to my left and felt relieved to see everyone that I played soccer with in line getting ice cream. I went to the table I was sitting at earlier and pulled a crinkled 5 dollar bill out of my bag. Haiden walked up behind me.
“No need for that. I already got you a cone. Home-made vanilla.”
“How did you know my favorite was vanilla?” I asked, shocked that he knew how much I love vanilla ice-cream.
“You just seem like a vanilla kind of girl.”
I giggled and asked' “Is that good or bad?”
“Oh. That’s VERY good. It's my favorite too.”
I just stood there smiling. I heard a voice ask, “Do you two plan on sitting down?” it was Rick.
“Maybe.” Haiden said sarcasm seeping out of his words.
“So where are you from?” Sarah asked.
“A small town in Texas called Hanson.” I told her.
“You sounded real enthused about that, aha.” Austin added.
“Well, its not really anything to be enthusiastic about.” I told him, grinning.

After everyone got done eating their ice cream cones, Sarah, Jake, Austin, Dallas, Haley, Rick, Alex, and Jessica left. Me and Haiden stayed.
“So how are you settling in here at Cape Cod?” He asked me.
“So far so good.” I told him.
“That's good, thanks to you.” I told him.
“Where do you wanna go now?” He asked me.
“I don't know this town, you pick. Kara told me I had to be home by 7.”
He didn't say anything, just stared into my eyes as if he was trying to communicate with me. I could tell he was contemplating where we should go.
“Let's go.” he said.
“Where?”
“ Just drive.”
When we got in his car, he didn't turn the radio. We just sat there in the parking lot.
“I talked to my sister about us last night.”
“Oh.” I said. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her what happened after you ran out, and how much I struggled to keep up with you.” His head snapped to me, looking into my eyes.
“You were right behind me the whole time?”
“No. not till the very end when you slowed up. It was like you knew I was there and you wanted me to catch up.” he said, embarrassment filling his voice.
“Oh.”
I could feel myself blushing, so I turned and looked out the window. He started the Jeep, and we got on the highway.
“She thinks we should go for it.” he told me.
I turned to him with a side grin trying to tell him that I was hoping he would say something like that. He put a hand on top of mine and took his eyes off the road long enough to smile at me then his beautiful, blue eyes were looking out the windshield.
We drove for miles and miles until we pulled onto a narrow road. It was covered by trees and I could no longer see how light it was. I got a message from Kara saying that she wouldn't be home until after 10 and that I could have leftovers. Haiden stepped on the gas a little bit harder quickening our pace. When we came out of the trees, I saw the sun just setting on the water.
“Perfect” He said, and looked at me.
My mouth dropped and I swear my heart skipped a beat.
“Its beautiful,” I said, my eyes wide and eyebrows raised. “How did you find this?”
“I come down here to think a lot.” He pointed towards a little log cabin type house about a mile down the beach.
“That’s where I go. I like to write down there. Wanna go check it out?”

“Yeah.” I said, my eyes still on the to-good-to-be-true view.
When we got there and he finally figured out which key went to the door, we went inside. I saw lots of Dr. Pepper cans everywhere.
“I guess Lizzie and her friends were here last night. Sorry about the mess.”
He started picking up all the cans. I started at the other end of the one room cabin and met him about halfway with about 25 cans.
“So you blame the sister for the mess, huh?” I asked.
He got the memo that I was teasing cause he said, “Always.” We just smiled.
There was a bed at one end with a mini fridge and a guitar on its stand. I guessed it was Haiden's side cause the opposite side had a big bed with a pink comforter with big brown polka dots on it. It had a mini fridge too, but Haiden's was way better. In the middle of the room there was a bar with four bar-stools on one side. On the other side of it there was a kitchen sink and a bigger version of Haiden's refrigerator with some plastic forks and paper plates on the counter.
“Want something to drink?” he asked me. “Sure,” I didn't realize it before but I was super thirsty. “I'll take a water.”
“Sounds good. Think I might have one too.” He said.
“So do you come here a lot?” I asked him. “Just about everyday that I'm in Cape Cod.”
“Oh, do you ever come when your sister is here?”
“Not really. She always brings a lot of her friends and they sleep over.” he told me.
Just then headlights flashed through the cabin.
“Speak of the devil.” he said in an annoyed tone.
Then we heard three car doors slam. Kara, Lizzie and another woman I had never seen before walked through the door. She was older, maybe in her 40's. I guessed it was Haiden and Lizzie's mom. “Oh, hey Haiden ” the older lady said. “I didn't know you were coming out here. Who is your friend?” “Mom, this is Katie. Kara's sister. We played some soccer this morning' then we went to Billy's for some ice cream. We were driving around and I wanted Katie to see the sunset on the water. We just came to get something to drink. We were about to go get something to eat.”
“Alright,” she said. “It was nice meeting you.” I guess either Kara didn't care that I was here or she would be mad when we got home cause she didn't even make eye contact with me.







We went out of the cabin and went for a really long walk on the beach. “Tell me what your thinking about.” Haiden said unexpectedly. “Um... My parents actually.” I said in a mumble.
“Yeah? I always walk along the beach to clear my head. So, if its okay with you, could I know more about them? Your parents, I mean.”
“My mom, Amanda. My dad, Scott. There's really not that much to it. They just all of a sudden want to get a divorce. But I have faith that the good lord will help to get them back together.”
“So, do you want to go home or do you just wanna chill?”
“As long as I'm not at home, I don't care where you take me.”
“How about some food?” I nodded my head yes. “Last one to the car is a rotten egg.” He said. We took off running.


Judging by what I had saw on the field today, I knew he had let me win.
“Guess who is a rotten egg.” I said.
“Hey!” he said in a manly tone. I giggled at that.
“So, what are you in the mood for?” he asked me sd we were getting in the Jeep. “Hm-mm, I honestly don't know. Just surprise me.” “Alrighty!” He put the Jeep into reverse and almost backed into a tree. “Oh. Now that takes skill.” He said with a grin. I guess he saw how scared I was cause he pulled me close to him and just hugged me as he whispered, “Hey, Don't be scared. I did that on purpose, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry.”
“I'm fine.” I lied to him. He came inches from that tree, do you know how bad that would have been? My mom and dad more than likely would have smacked him with a law suit the very next morning. Haiden put the car into drive and we were off. I got a text from my mom. I flipped my phone open, Hope you are getting settled in well, everything is going well here. I love you girls. call you in the morning. I pressed the reply button and wrote: getting along good, had to go grocery shopping though. Met some friends and played soccer this morning. A guy, Haiden, is showing me around. His older sister, Lizzie, is Kara's age. They have been hanging out. Call you soon. Love you. Tell Dad I love him.
“Do you need a ride home?” Haiden asked me.
“I guess so since Kara is with Lizzie.” I replied.
“Alrighty, I guess I can arrange my schedule and fit you in.” he said with a playful grin.
“But, I need to get the house keys if I plan on getting in through the door,” I told him. “There's no telling how late she will get home, or if she's even coming home tonight, and im pretty sure breaking in through the window would not be very great.”
He laughed. Maybe he was picturing me breaking into the house. Hmm.
Haiden turned the car around and we went back to the cabin. When I walked through the front door of the cabin, I was in for the shock of my life. Kara and Lizzie each had a Carona Lime in their hands. They were laughing and joking around. They stopped as soon as they heard the door close behind Haiden and I. Obviously they were surprised cause they stopped giggling and Kara hid her alcohol behind her back while Lizzie put hers on the counter and threw a hand towel over it. I narrowed my eyes at Kara. “Don't even try to hide it, Kara.” I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Did she not understand that that she was going to turn into Dad? Did she just suddenly forget all the nights she held me in her arms as Mom and Dad fought in the kitchen downstairs? Or did she forget waiting up for Dad to get home just so we would know that he was Okay? I couldn't keep the tears back. I had to cry, I couldn't believe she was doing this.
“I can't believe you Kara. How could you do this to yourself? What are you thinking?” I said. She was speechless.
“How could you? Have you already forgotten? We've only been here two days and you have already forgotten?” I spotted the keys on the counter and snatched them up. I turned around and walked to the door, but stopped and turned around.
“I'll come get you tomorrow. I can't even stand to look at you right now.” I said, tears streaming down my face. And with that me and Haiden left.
He didn't say a word until we turned into the driveway.
“I guess that was surprising to you?” he asked.
“Sorta. I guess I should've seen it coming. I mean, we are in Cape Cod without any parents, so that means she is going to do whatever she wants.” I told him.
“Can I ask you something?” he asked.
“Sure.” I said trying to sound cheerful. We were now just sitting there with the lights off in front of the house.
“What were you talking about when you asked her if she had forgotten? I am just wondering.” I didn't know how to tell him without breaking into tears. “It's a really long, painful story that I don't feel like telling at the moment. I guess if we could hang out tomorrow I could tell you.” I half smiled at the thought of being with him again for a whole day. “Actually, tomorrow I have to go to volunteer at the civic center, but im free after 5. Is that okay with you?”
“Um... sure, 'I guess I can arrange my schedule and fit you in.'” I said, quoting him from earlier. He laughed and rolled his eyes.
“I really like you,” He said. “I have another question for you.”
“Oh yeah? What is that?” I couldn't help but smile. I felt so comfortable when I was around him.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” I could feel myself blush. I was grinning from ear to ear as I looked him dead in the eyes. His crooked little grin was so perfect. It matched his lean, tan, muscular-but-not-too-muscular body.




Uh,” I hesitated just to make him nervous. I gave him a crooked smile back.
“Of course!”
He couldn't hold back his smile now. He grabbed me in his arms and whispered in my ear, “So I'll pick you up at around 5:30 tomorrow?”
“uh huh.” I replied. He kissed my forehead then we got out and he followed me to the door. I unlocked the door and turned around to tell him goodbye.
“Thanks.” I said.
“For what?” he asked me.
“A good day, and a ride home.” I told him.
“ Ah, no problem,” he said. “ I had a good time, today.”
I smiled he leaned in to kiss me, but as he did my phone started ringing. It scared both of us and we jumped back.
“Oh. my. Goodness. I am so so sorry.” I told him. He just grinned. “It's Kara.” I said.
“I wouldn't answer it.” He said.

I pushed the end button and slid it back into my pocket.
“Now where were we?” I asked. He kissed me. I wondered if he could feel my heart beating out of my chest. I sure could. I couldn't believe it. I had a summer love!!! I was so giddy.
“Goodnight,” He told me. “I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Alright, 5:30. G' night.” As soon as I heard his car drive away I sprinted upstairs, plopped headfirst into my pillows and screamed. Oh. My. God. I. Had. A. BOYFRIEND! I cranked up the radio and got into the shower. I took a very long shower. I thought about calling Kara back, but decided not to end my perfect night in a fight with her.

Me and Kara hardly ever fought, but when we did, it was big, and bad. I put on my Eeyore pajama shorts and my coca-cola t-shirt. My stomach growled so I headed downstairs to eat some leftover shrimp. It wasn't as good the second time around, but it would do.
As I layed in my bed I thought through what I needed to do tomorrow. I made a mental list. I needed to, finish unpacking, hangup my clothes, clean the bathroom, wash my blankets and sheets, wash mine and Kara’s dirty- I stopped thinking about what I needed to do tomorrow. Kara. I guess I will go get Kara first thing in the morning. I didn't remember falling asleep. I just remember waking up at two to my phone. I didn't even bother to see who it was. Next thing I knew, I was in the rental car trying to remember which road Haiden had turned on last night. The only reason I remembered it. was the trees. I didn't remember the roads being so bumpy, or so long. I tried to drive slow so I could think of what to say to her. Should I be mean? Should I act like I am pissed, in which I am? Should I just not talk to her at all? I slowly got out of the car. I wondered why Haiden's mom didn't stop them from drinking, but I remembered that the car wasn't there when me and Haiden had gotten back from the walk. I was mad at her but then wasn't again cause it was her life and her fault that they had made bad choices, but then I was again cause I didn't want my sister to turn into the monster my dad did when he drank.
I knocked on the door. After a while Lizzie answered the door. Just like me, she had on her P.J.'s still.
“Were you asleep?” I asked her.
“Yeah, Kara is in the bathroom, she'll be out in a few. I need to talk to you about last night.” she told, and I stepped inside and sat on Haiden's bed while she stood in front of me.
“It's my fault that Kara was drinking. I am the one that coaxed her into it.”she told me.
“Whatever, she needs to learn how to be a little bit more responsible than that. She shouldn't have caved into peer pressure.”

Thankfully Kara came out of the bathroom. Her eyes were bloodshot and I knew that she had continued drinking after I left. I let out a sigh.


“Just... just get in the car.” I told her. I didn't look at her or speak to her the whole way home.


“You can't ignore me forever.” She said as we were getting out of the car. “Well I am for now, so deal with it.”
“Listen Katie,” she tried to tell me, but I cut her off.

“If you think for one second that im going to believe a word your about to say, you've got it all wrong. I can't believe that after everything dad put us through you would even think about putting that crap into your body.” I was shouting now.

“I think that you need to be responsible enough to not give into peer pressure like you did last night. Ya know, up until last night I looked up to you, I wanted to be like you. But once again you have let me down. ”

“Oh my God! SHUTUP KATIE! You sound like your my mother.” I wanted to tackle her and beat her face in. I was so mad at her. How could she talk to me like that. I had a right to be mad. She didn't have the right to yell at me, I didn't do anything wrong. I went to my room and slammed the door. I layed on my unmade bed and cried for what seemed like forever. I was only there for maybe an hour. I heard Kara get into the shower and I got up and started to hang up my clothes. I knew I needed to call my mom, but I didn't want to call her at work and get her in trouble. My mom worked at a house insurance place and her boss is a total buzz-kill so she has, like, no slack.
My dad, however, is his own boss. He is a lawyer, but he goes and spends all his money on booze. I would have to wait until 12:30 to call my mom. I text my dad to see if he was busy, and of course, he was. I text Haiden and told him that me and Kara had a fight and I said that I would tell him about it tonight. I told him to have a good day and I would see him tonight. Honestly, I couldn't wait until I could be with him tonight. Its like when im with him everything just seems to be okay. I’m always so comfortable when we are together. I went outside and found an old net in the garage. I nailed together these four boards to make a soccer goal. I got my ball out of the back of the car and practiced for a really long time. I decided that I wanted to go for a run on the Bay. I ran and got my iPod off the nightstand on my room. I was glad me and Kara had rooms on totally different floors.
My run was very refreshing. I turned around when I got to the patch of trees. I couldn't even see the hill anymore. I had to of ran at least two miles. It was another two miles back home, but I didn't mind. I loved the fresh air and the view. It was beautiful. When I got home I collapsed on my bed. I was tired cause I didn't get that much sleep last night. I took a nap.
When I woke up it was three. I needed to call my mom. The phone rang five times before she picked up.
“Hey, Kay Kay. What are you doing my sunshine?” she said into the phone.
“Hey mom. I just woke up from a nap, actually. What about you?”
“Just going to meet your dad for a late lunch, we are going to talk about some things.” she said.
“Mom, is it happening?” tears welled in my eyes as I spoke. “The divorce?”
“Honey, things are tough. With your dad, and him spending his whole paycheck at the Office club, we can't afford to live off my paycheck. We wouldn't be able to keep the house and the things we need.” I was silently crying. I knew what was happening and I didn't like it one bit.

“We would have to move, and your dad refuses to leave that house that his grandfather built. And I can't take the way he stays up all weekend partying at his friends' house and doesn't come home. I'm sorry that it is happening like this sweetie. Just... I have to go. Enjoy yourself while your there.” I hated when she did this. She would try to explain something, then when she ran out of excuses she just hung up or ignored the subject. I hung up on her. No goodbye, no I love you. I couldn't believe this. My whole summer was going to turn out a bad dream, a nightmare. I couldn't just stand bye and let it go down like that. I knew I needed to enjoy myself while it lasted. I hopped in the shower and rinsed off from my run.
I had just gotten done drying my hair when my phone rang. It was my dad texting me to tell me he was at home now and I could call him. He told me how much he loved me and that he was sorry for everything. My throat got a lump in it and it got bigger with every word that I read. I put my phone in my pocket.
Downstairs Kara was cooking something. I went down there and she was just boiling some tea. I grabbed a water, and after struggling to get the jar open, a pickle. I wrapped it up in a paper towel and went back to my room. As I was munching on my pickle, I read part of the twilight series I got for Christmas. So far, it was pretty good. It was a little past five when Haiden said that he was going to be late. He told me to have my bathing suit on and to be ready to go swimming. I smiled to myself. I went up to Kara's room to tell her that I was going out with Haiden. She wasn't there, so I went down to the kitchen, she wasn't there either, nor was she in the living room. I didn't hear the water going so I guessed she wasn't anywhere.
“Kara!” I screamed.
No answer. I looked out the window. The car was gone. I ran up the stairs and grabbed my phone off my bed, where I was reading. I had a voice-mail. I picked it up and pressed the speed- dial 1.
“ Hey, I know your mad, but im sorry, and I just want you to know that I am at the country club with Lizzie and some of her friends. I promise I will never do that to you again. I love you and I will see you when I get home.” I pressed the call back button and it went straight to her voice-mail.
“Hey Kara, I got your message. I just wanted to tell you that Haiden is coming to pick me up and we are going somewhere. I am still mad, but I guess as time goes by I will learn to accept the fact that people make mistakes. I am just not ready to do that yet. I still love you and always will.”

Not even two minutes after I hung up, the doorbell rang. I sprinted downstairs and checked myself in the mirror by the door. You could see my orange bikini strings sticking out of my tank-top, but It was okay, I opened the door to see Haiden in his black and green swimming trunks and flip-flops, SHIRTLESS!!
“Hey,” he said. “You ready?”
“Yeah, just let me grab a towel.”
He had perfectly outlined abs and his tan was to die for
I went into the laundry room and grabbed the pink and orange beach towel with the flip-flop on it and met him on the front steps.
“Let's go!” I told him.
I got in the passenger side as he got in the drivers side. We went down the road we met him and Lizzie and I asked him,
“Isn't this your property?”
“Yeah, we own a lake down here and my parents have gone out so we have it all to our self to do whatever we want.” He told me with a smile on his face. I grinned as I thought about all the possibilities he had in store for tonight.
He parked the car in the driveway and we walked the worn down pathway to the shore. I could not stop grinning. There was an old dock. You could tell that the wood had been worn down from all the years, and at the end of it there was a ladder to get in and out of the lake.
“You first!” I said, giving him a shove. He almost fell, but regained his balance with a smile.
“Not before you!” at that moment, he lunged towards me grabbing me up, and before I knew it, we were sailing through the air. It seemed like forever before we hit the water and by the time I got back up for air, my head was spinning. I took my breath way to early.
Haiden was already up, and he was laughing as he climbed the ladder to the dock.
“where you going?” I asked. The humid air clawed at my face while the rest of my body was still frozen underneath the water.
He just smiled and, PLOP! He was back in the water, nowhere to be seen.
I felt something grab at my ankle, then a rush of bubbles, and I knew it was Haiden. I screamed to make him think he scared me.
“Gotcha.” he said as he came back up.
“Yeah.” I told him with a half grin.
You wanna catch some sun before it goes down?” he asked me.
“Oh, yeah. Of course.”
I felt his eyes on me as I went up the ladder. First step. Second step. Third- oops. I slipped and Haiden's hand was right on my butt.
Oh my, it was AWKWARD!
He pushed me upward towards the dock but I couldn't grab the rail. Haiden just pushed me all the way up.
After basking in the last few rays of sun, we didn't get up. We just layed there dazing at the sunset.
“I can't believe this is reality. I don't think this is real. Please pinch me and wake my from this sweet, sweet dream.” I thought aloud. He took one hand from behind his head and reached down and pinched my thigh.
“Haiden, not literally. I just.... I just never pictured myself like this.”
“Like what?” he asked. There he goes with his voice, so comfortable, but on edge telling me he was waiting for an answer.
After a few minutes of waiting I replied, “Like this. I.... I just don't know how to explain it.” I sat up and looked at him. His eyes were halfway closed and he looked as if he were a child in a battle between staying up, and going to sleep.

“I get what your saying. I feel the same way.” He sat and looked me straight in the eyes.
His pure blue eyes pierced my dull brown eyes as he said, “I think this is the part where we kiss and the camera pans out and then cuts to the next scene.”
He gently put his hand across my left cheek and leaned in to kiss me. His breath tasted of sweet peppermint. It was exactly the right length kiss. Not uncomfortably long, or short, but just right.
Later on that evening, we decided we were too tired to swim any longer. We went back to his car so I could get my towel and started for a long walk to his house. With our fingers laced together he talked about how when he was little, he and his dad used to go on a three day fishing trip each summer to the middle of the ocean.
“ We always had so much fun,” he told me. “Every night we would stay up in our little boat and look at the stars. He would always tell me a story that went along with one of the constellations he had pointed out.”
We were at his house now. He was trying to find his key. Did I mention he has, like, a billion keys?
“Why do you have so many keys?” I asked him as we were walking through his doorway.
“I don't know. My dad always had a lot of keys so I guess its just a way of reminding me what my dad was like.”
“Oh. I hope you don't mind my asking, but why did your parents get a divorce?” I asked him.
“Well, for starters, they hated each other. If my mom wanted to do something, my dad wanted to do something totally opposite. If my mom wanted to eat somewhere my dad picked something different. Finally,” he stopped. The look in his eyes told me he was remembering something. “ I told them that they were tearing our family apart. It devastated my parents. They didn't realize how foolish they were being, that there own kids noticed they were being like that before they did.” He paused for a long moment, still remembering something.
“For the next three days my dad stayed in a hotel. He would call every night to tell us how sorry he was and how he had messed up. Then, one day, the calls just stopped. Little by little his stuff started disappearing until all of it was gone.” he looked up from staring at his knees.
We were sitting on his couch now. His living room had a HUGE entertainment center and beautiful white furniture. There was an old, polished cedar coffee table in the middle of the room. It smelled like rain.
I was so lost in the essence of the room that I was a little jumpy when he continued with his story.
“My mom would always tell me and Lizzie that he was coming to pick us up. We would pack our bags on Thursday and as soon as we got home from school on Friday we would get our bags and wait by the front door for him, but he would never show.”
“That must have been terrible.” I said, trying to sound sincere.
He perked up a little bit.
“I don't wanna talk about that anymore. Im thirsty, wanna soda?”
He ran to the kitchen and grabbed two sodas. As he sat down he looked at the back of my hand at the scar.“Whats that from?”
“Its from when I was little. I was in an accident. So, my grandparents used to own a horse ranch. There was this one horse I loved to death. His name was shadow. Most beautiful thing you have ever seen. Black, with a white speckled chest and a white nose. He was the only horse I would ride. We had this special connection that I don't think anyone could ever understand. He knew exactly what I wanted to do, exactly where I wanted to go.” I looked up from the empty fireplace to see a wide eyed boy staring back at me in anticipation.
“But one day I was riding Shadow down by the creek. Neither Shadow nor I knew what was about to happen. There was a Black Panther hiding in the trees. As Shadow was bending down to get a drink, the panther dropped from the tree with a loud scream and latched onto Shadows hind legs. Shadow dropped to the ground with a loud thud. I went tumbling down with him. My head landed in a rock and I was knocked unconscious. I layed there for 18 hours and when I gained conscience again, I had blood all over my hand and I was laying in the creek. Shadow's back was all torn up and his blood was everywhere.”

I didn't know it, but I was crying. The tears were coming uncontrollably. Haiden wrapped his arms around me and we sat there until we both fell asleep.
Wen I woke up the next morning, I wasn't on the couch, like I was when I had fell asleep, I was on a bed. I was guessing it was Haiden's bed because there was a shelf above a dresser and it was lined with soccer trophies and medals.
The smell of bacon filled my nose making my stomach roar. I got out of bed, still dressed in my bathing suit. I opened the door to what I thought was the bathroom, and walked into his closet. I shut the door and turned around to find Haiden's gorgeous blue eyes staring back at me.
“Good morning beautiful,” He said in a sing-song voice. “I'm making breakfast downstairs.” I smiled half-heartedly.
“Actually, I was looking for the bathroom,” I told him. “Where can I find it?” He pointed to a door on the opposite side of the room.

I shut the door and locked it. I always locked the door when I was at other peoples' houses, it made me feel weird, kinda like they would barge in on me if I didn't.
I stared into the mirror, trying to get myself together. I just woke up in a guys bed. What am I thinking? I'm only 16. What if Kara tells mom and dad? They would fly me back home and send me to my Aunt Sheri that live in the middle of nowhere in a little bity 'poe-dunk' town of theres that was full of idiot hillbillies and drunks.
The last time I went to visit, my cousin, Jeff, tried to get me to pray to a statue of some kind of voo-doo god. Don't get me wrong, I loved them to death, but we all have those certain people in our families that we dont claim.
I shuddered as a knock at the door drew my attention from my memory.
“Katie?” I heard Haiden's deep, masculine voice. “Are you okay? Breakfast is ready.”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I told him. “I'll be down in a sec.”