As soon as the Penderwick family car pulled up to the small beech cabin they'd been visiting for almost 5 years now, Skye Penderwick leapt out of the car, her blonde hair flying out behind her. She ran through the woods between the Penderwicks cottage at Pointe Mouette and Alec's small cottage. Her bare feet flew over the carpet of pine needles that covered the forest floor. Her father had told her that 16 was too old to run around in bare feet, but Skye hadn't listened. She ran up the steps to Alec's cottage and boldly knocked on the door.

Jeffery appeared. He had grown since Skye had last seen him, over his Spring Break. His blond hair was longer and covered most of his forehead, but his green eyes were as bright and expressive as ever.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." She replied, brushing her hair out of her face. "Were here we would've been here sooner, but Batty and Ben kept having the stop for the bathroom, and daddy got lost because Iantha got distracted by Asimov breaking out of his crate to give him directions, even though we've been going here for years, so he should know the way by know." She said as the pair walked into Alec's music room.

Jeffery laughed. "How is it the Penderwicks can tern something as mundane as a car ride into such a story?"

"I have no idea." Skye laughed as Hoover ran up barking, insistent on saying hello.

"Jeffery, can you PLEASE take the dog out, I can not concentrate and I have a saxophone recital in a week!" Alec yelled from upstairs.

"Sure." Jeffery grabbed a worn red leash that was hanging on the wall and attached it to Hoovers collar.

They walked him down to the beach, where they tried to kick a soccer ball around, but ended up talking while throwing a tennis ball in the waves for the dog to chase.

"How's your mom doing?" Skye's question was met by grumbles from Jeffery instead of an actual answer. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, " bad subject, shouldn't have brought it up." Skye rocked back and forth on her heels.

"No its okay, but as I know you'd rather read all the Sabrina Starr books in a row than actually talk about my mother I shall simply say that she is fine." His voice was dripping with satire, and her met her eyes challenging her.

"You know me too well."

"Oh really?" And before she knew what was going on he had picked her up and dumped her in the ocean." As she wiped the wet, blond hair out of her eyes, she laughed. "Oh you'll pay for that Tifton." Skye grabbed his T-shirt and pulled him down into the cold, Maine water beside her. Hoover ran over and licked the salty water off both their faces.

"Oh that's the last straw, "Jeffery laughed, and her tackled Skye, and kissed her.

Embarrassed he stood and attempted to stammer out an apology. Skye, to his surprise didn't punch his lights out, she calmly stood and said, "Jeffery Tifton, if you are going to kiss me, at least do it correctly." And she stood on her tiptoes (he was quite a few inches taller) and kissed him on the lips. She just pulled away, before she heard a scream from the shore, "Skye! How could you?"

They turned around to see 15-year-old Jane running back in the direction of the cabin.

"Crap." Skye muttered as she and Jeffery grabbed Hoovers leash and the soccer ball and ran after Jane.

They entered the cabin soon after Jane, still soaking wet. Mr. Penderwick spoke first, "Skye Jeffery, can you explain what happened, Jane went out to find you and comes back in tears."

"We thought she might be hurt but she won't say anything exept-" Rosalind was interrupted by Jane's screaming "Curses rain down on you Skye! How could you?" Before she returned to crying into Rosalind's shoulder.

"We didn't do anything to her honest!" Skye pleaded with her father and Iantha.

"Its true Mr. Pen, we were just on the beach playing with Hoover (the dog was outside with Batty, Ben and Hound)" Jeffery did his best to sound convincing, but he knew that he was failing.

"Liar!" This was Jane who stood and stared defiantly at her sister and Jeffery, "I saw the two of you, standing knee deep in the ocean KISSING!"

Skye and Jeffery both turned so red a cardinal would be jealous.

"Well you see-"

"He dumped me in the ocean and-"

"Then she pulled me in-"

"So he tackled me-"

"And then I-"

"So I had to-" They struggled through an explanation, stuttering, stopping, and interrupting each other, the story barely coming across across to the two adults (and Rosalind)

Mr. Penderwick sighed, "Why don't you all go outside, Skye, change into dry clothes first." His finger covered the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "Yes, sir." Skye said softly. She got up to go find her suitcase, and Jeffery left to take Hoover home and to change himself. Now only Jane, Mr. Penderwick Iantha, and Rosalind were left in the room.

"Now Jane, explain to me why you are raining curses down on your sister?" Iantha said as her sat down beside her step-daughter, as Mr. Penderwick and Rosalind went into the kitchen.

"Because, it was supposed to be the other way around, Jeffery and I were supposed to be kissing on the beach." Jane sobbed, she'd always pictured it that way, she and Jeffery walking along the beach at sunset, sitting by the fire, failing to come up for explanation on why the had been kissing in the ocean, but now, all of that was gone.

"Jane, you can't rewind the clock and put yourself in your sisters place, and you can't change who Jeffery wants to kiss. What you can do is be happy for you sister. The same thing happened to my sister and me when I was about your age. She started dating a friend of both of ours and I was furious because I also like said friend, but I got over it and so will you."

"Are you sure," Jane sniffed?

"Positive." Iantha smiled at her.

"That doesn't make feel any better."

"I know, but you know what will?"

"What?"

"Ice cream, why don't you say we go into town and get some?"

"Okay, that sounds good."