I can never forget the summer I turned seventeen…the summer I escaped my feuding parents and boring Chicago suburbs to find refuge in my cousin's beach house in South Carolina…the summer I fell in love for the first…and last time. From the plane's landing onward, I shall remember it all forever…and share my story with those who choose to know.

I awoke on the plane to a dull, masculine voice on the intercom stating that we would be landing soon and to fasten our seatbelts. After pulling my messy mane of long reddish-gold hair into a ponytail, I yawned and stretched as best I could before I looked out the window. What I saw blew me away completely. Never had I seen something so real and so beautiful at the same time; a scarlet sun setting from a coral colored sky into the sapphire ocean that reflected every shade of gold, pink, and blue perfectly. I felt the air leak out of me as afraid as I was to breath…fearful of breaking the peace and serenity this moment of tranquility brought to me. I felt a jolt as the plane began to land and the irritation seeped in…I didn't have to rupture the calm…it was done for me.

Within twenty minuets the plane had landed and in another fifteen I would be ready to turn back around and get back on the plane. I felt sure I had pulled a tendon in my leg tripping down the stairs off the plane and after grabbing the wrong luggage twice I was more frustrated then ever.

Aggravated as I was; I was still excited to see Shauna. We were close growing up but when she turned 18 she fled the hustle and bustle of Chicago life to a quieter atmosphere and I hadn't seen her since two Christmases ago. Since we still kept in touch through e-mail, she knew how miserable I was with my parents splitting up so she invited me to stay the summer with her in the beachfront cottage she rented. I was annoyed as hell but I was sure seeing Shauna would put me in a better mood…that is until I saw my name on a two-by-three foot poster board, held by a fascinating-looking dude in sunglasses I didn't recognize.

If I hadn't been so enraged I would have noticed how bizarrely attractive he was…tall, tan, and slightly larger, but muscular with a mop of curly auburn hair atop his head. His sunglasses, too big for his face, slid down his nose abruptly revealing long dark eyelashes flanking one blue eye and one brown eye. His strange eyes caught my ordinary green ones and his facial expression turned from curiosity to annoyance as he pushed his sunglasses back up his nose. He started towards me and I felt myself warm with fury…where was Shauna, and who the hell was this guy?

We approached each other and as I blurted out, "Who the flaming hell are you?" he growled, "Where have you been?" Surprised at his sudden outburst that came the same time as mine, I set down my bags as I looked away and strangely, so did he. We each attempted to start conversation a few more times, only increasing the embarrassing tension between us.

Finally he stuck out his hand and smiled, "Diego La Pena," he said self-consciously.

I shook his hand and smiled back, "Rachel Elizabeth Dekassi."

He took off his sunglasses and stuck him in his shirt pocket as he chuckled slightly, "I know your name, obviously. They call you Red back home right?"

My mouth dropped in shock as I felt myself blush at the mentioning of my stupid that referred not only to the reddish tint to my hair but to my given name as well. "How do you know that? I hate that nickname! Don't ever call me that again. Ugh where's Shauna? Why the hell are you here?" I said as the words just kept spilling out.

He laughed harder and picked up my bags. I just stood there dumbfounded as my defense mechanism slowly started kicking in. "HEY! Where the hell are you going with my luggage? I don't even know you!!" I said as I started after him thinking He sure does walk fast…

"You sure do love the word 'Hell' don't you?" he called back simply as I made an effort to catch up to him. "Trust me; I'm not that dangerous."

"God you're annoying…" I muttered as I rolled my eyes. We were in the parking lot where I finally reached him.

"Well, from what I can tell, you're no walk on the beach either…" He spat under his breath as he tossed my bags in the back of a navy blue Chevy pickup.

I scowled and crossed my arms as I watched him get in on the driver's side. After concluding that this battle was already lost, I climbed into the passenger's side and waited for him to start the engine. He just stared at me. I rolled my eyes and glared out the window. He sighed and said; "You know my name; so you know I'm Leo's younger brother."

Who the hell is Leo? I thought to myself, I've never heard of him…

"Shauna didn't pick you up because she's working until 10 tonight." He went on, not missing a beat, "She put me in charge of making sure you didn't get yourself abducted."

"Too late…" I whispered to the window.

He chortled quietly, "I told you I'm not dangerous…well, not too dangerous…" He winked at me and I rolled my eyes once more. He shrugged and resumed his explanation; "I know your name and nickname because Shauna has told me about you…a lot about you."

I turned my head at the intensity of his words and stared at him with puzzled eyes. Just what exactly had she told him?

He noticed my bewilderment and hastened to clarify, "I mean she told me, like, the basics, you know? Like that your favorite colors are turquoise, emerald green, and fuchsia; you can't stand tuna; your parents are getting divorced; your eyes are the color of the ocean."

"Hold on, I don't remember mentioning to her that my eyes were the color of the ocean…they're more like the color of a month old head of lettuce." I retorted confused.

"Shauna didn't tell me that…I noticed that on my own. Your eyes are hard to miss." He finally started the truck and began to back out of his parking space as he smiled. "Oh, and I beg to differ about the color. You defiantly have a bit of the Atlantic in you…wild and spirited but at the same time stunning."

"You flatter me with your pretty words" I said quietly as I blushed, "but it isn't true."

Diego smiled wider still, "Oh, it is YOU who flatter ME with your pretty face…and you shouldn't be so modest. I don't give out compliments easily."

I sat in humbly shocked yet euphoric silence for the rest of the ride to Shauna's villa, simply enjoying the pleasant summer breeze from the open window and Diego's now enjoyable company. The smile plastered on my face didn't fade until AFTER I walked into the house…

Okay, thats's all for now...I need to relax now that I got that out of my system O,o

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