~Chapter One~

Bella and her best friend Angela arrived at the beach and laid their blanket down in what Angela called 'the perfect spot'. Bella just rolled her eyes; she really didn't see why this spot was better than any other place on the beach.

"Damn, this sun is hot even this early. I can only imagine what it'll feel like this afternoon," Bella complained.

"Quit your bitching. Be happy that we're here in Myrtle Beach and not in Rhode Island."

"I wasn't bitching, just stating a fact. I'm not used to the heat."

"We both need this vacation and a little fun. It's time to move on from your ex. You know what I always say—"

"Yes, I do. You've said it almost a hundred times since we left home," Bella answered, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, here's a hundred and one. The best way to get over a guy is to get under another."

Bella sighed and lay down on the blanket. Thoughts of her ex, Michael, floated through her mind. She was tired of feeling sorry for herself, but being dumped for someone else cut deeply. Bella had really thought that he was the one. She pushed those thoughts out of her head and focused on being in paradise, far away from her problems.

After about an hour of sunbathing she sat up to grab the water bottle out of the cooler. She looked around and noticed the lifeguard glancing in their direction. Obviously, he was looking at Angela. No one ever noticed her when Angela was around. Angela was drop-dead gorgeous, with a killer body, and Bella thought of herself as just an average looking girl. She felt that her breasts were too small, and she hated that her body didn't really have many curves. At twenty years old, she wished her body was shapelier. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the beautiful lifeguard scan the crowd as she pulled her hair up into a bun.

"Angela, I think that lifeguard over there likes you. He keeps looking over here," Bella said, as she nudged her friend out of her sleepy state.

"Who? What? Where?" Angela replied, looking around as she sat up.

"Over there." Bella pointed just as he turned his head and caught her pointing at him. She ducked her head and blushed in embarrassment.

"Um, Bella, I think the hot lifeguard likes you," Angela giggled.

"I...I don't think so. No one's ever interested in me."

"Bella, stop it. You're beautiful. For some reason you've never understood that."

Bella shook her head. Angela just didn't understand because she was beautiful and men noticed her all of the time. "There's no way he would be interested in me. Just look at him. He could have any girl here."

"Yes, he could, but he seems to have his eyes on you."

Bella was happy when Angela dropped the subject. She adjusted herself on the blanket and closed her eyes. Images of the sexy lifeguard fluttered through her mind. She sighed as she pushed all thoughts of him away. Guys like him never went for girls like her. Bella couldn't settle her mind down and get comfortable; she needed a distraction.

"I'm hungry and I think I'm beached out for the day," Angela stated as she sat up.

"Me too. Let's call it a day and get something to eat. Maybe we can play miniature golf tonight or something."

As Bella and Angela were packing up, Angela poked her.

"What the hell, Angela? That hurt."

"Look! Mister hot-as-hell lifeguard guy is watching you. You should go talk to him."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"You need to live a little and take some chances.'

"Whatever."

"You're impossible. I hope he's working tomorrow, because you need to meet him."

"Why? We live states away from each other. Even if he was interested, why bother?"

"Oh Bella, you're so in need of a hot summer fling. When was the last time you got—"

"Shut up!"

Bella was seething. She loved Angela but the girl never knew when to stop pushing. Angela looked at her and just shook her head.

"You know the best way to get over a guy is to get under another," Angela said for the umpteenth time as they headed toward the rental car.

"Really Angela, your advice to me is to get laid? So having sex with some random guy will magically heal my heart and make forget about Michael?" Bella snapped.

"I'm sorry. I'm only trying to help."

"I know, and I love you for I but please just back off."

Angela nodded as they walked toward their hotel.

Bella wanted to hurt Angela when she was woke up the next morning to the sound of her yelling, "Get up, woman the beach calls."

"Christ, the ocean isn't going anywhere."

"I'm going to get coffee and some breakfast sandwiches. You'd better be ready when I get back," Angela warned before she walked out of their hotel room.

"You're impossible" Bella muttered as she got up and headed to the bathroom.

They arrived at the beach two hours later and Bella watched Angela select "the perfect spot" once again. It didn't escape her notice that today they were much closer to the lifeguard's perch.

"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work."

"I think it's working just fine. Look, he's already watching you."

Bella turned and glanced where she knew he would be. To her astonishment he was looking at her. Their eyes met and she drew in a deep breath at his stunning looks. He smiled at her. Blushing, she looked away to find Angela smirking.

"Stop."

"He likes you," Angela sang.

Bella just rolled her eyes. "Just drop it."

Angela put her hands in the air in mock surrender.

The rest of the morning and well into the afternoon they simply soaked up the sun.

"Don't look now, but someone is checking you out again!" Angela giggled.

"Angela, just drop it already."

"Your loss. It's a shame because it does seem like he's interested in you."

"Doubtful," Bella replied but she sat up too, just in case. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him looking in her direction.

"Just go talk to him already."

"Not going to happen. Get over it."

"Fine! Then let's go cool off in the water," Angela suggested.

"Good idea. I'm hot and could use a refreshing swim."

The girls were having so much fun in the cool ocean, they hadn't even realized how far out they had swum until Bella looked back towards the shore.

"We should swim back."

"Yeah, you're right," Angela answered once she too realized how far out they were. "We're in the ocean after all; you never know what's beneath us."

"Christ, Angela, I never gave a thought to what creatures lurk in these waters," Bella snapped and then started swimming back towards the shore trying not to think about the movie Jaws.

"Race you!" Angela challenged, swimming past her friend.

"You're on."

Bella was swimming as fast and hard as she could to catch up with Angela, when she felt an overwhelmingly sharp pain in her right leg. She panicked, immediately stopped swimming, and began to tread water. Her heart pounded. The pain in her leg intensified. It was hard to stay afloat or call out for help. As she fought to stay above water her mind was racing a mile a minute. Is this it? Am I going to die and become shark food?

She risked a glance at the shore. Then a choppy wave splashed over her. With a mouthful of water; Bella began to cough and choke. Another wave crashed over her head and her eyes stung. She was exhausted and tried to suck in a breath to scream for help, but all she got was more water. Her vision began to go dark and her lungs burned as another wall of water engulfed her.

Bella felt herself being pulled onto something. She could feel the vibrations of the engine beneath her exhausted body. Relief flowed through her. She was safe on something and was moving above the water. Bella felt the machine under her shut off. Someone picked her up and placed her down on solid ground. She shivered when her back hit the wet sand. She could hear people around her and the sound of a soothing male voice, but she couldn't open her eyes. Her head was pounding. Her lungs ached and her throat burned. She tried to gasp for breath and coughed up salt water. Instinctively, she placed her hand over her throat before slowly opening her eyes; the first thing she focused on was the beautiful green eyes of the hot lifeguard hovering above her.

"Please, try to relax. My name is Edward, what's yours?" he asked while he checked her vitals.

"Bella," she choked out. She looked around to discover that all eyes were on her. She could feel a blush take over her skin; she hated being the center of attention.

"Nice to meet you, Bella."

Bella once again glanced around her. She was relieved to see Angela approaching with another lifeguard. "Bella, I was so scared."

"I was pretty freaked out myself," Bella replied with a shaky voice. Angela wrapped a towel around her and looked toward the lifeguard. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, she is. She's swallowed a lot of water, but she'll be fine," Edward responded.

"Thank God." A look of relief crossed Angela's face.

"I'm Edward and I see you've already met Ben."

"I'm Angela. Thank you both so much," she said as she sat next down next Bella. "It's nice to meet you both."

Bella rolled her eyes as she took deep breaths trying to get her breathing under control. Leave it to Angela to use any opportunity to flirt.

"Bella, I'm going to pull you up into a seated position. Is that okay?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded. Edward wrapped his arms around her and began to pull her up. Bella felt the butterflies in her stomach go into overdrive at the contact. She gasped as his deep green eyes once again met her brown ones in a long gaze. He pulled her into a seated position and wrapped a blanket around her.

"As soon as you feel up to it, I'm going to take you to the first aid station where you can rest."

Bella nodded, very aware of how close he was to her. She noticed that Edward was incredibly beautiful; she liked the way it felt to have his well-toned, muscular body pressed up against hers. After about ten minutes, Bella stopped coughing and her breathing evened out. The four of them the first aid station where she could lie down and rest.

End Notes:

I own nothing Twilight!

Thanks to Elodie Whitlock and SassYNoleS for looking this over! You ladies rock!

Chapter Two will be up Wednesday!