Drew dropped me off at home and then went back to to tell my teachers i got sick. I went to my room, dropped my stuff and sprawled on my bed.

Why did we get in that dumb fight? It didn't even make sense! What about Sean made him so mad? After staring at my walls for a while, I decided that i needed to get out.

I grabbed my cell phone and left my house. I walked straight to the beach. It was my best place to think. I'd just listen to the waves and let the water was up on my toes. I always went, when life got to be too much.

I sat down in the sand and brought my knees up to my chest. I wrapped my arms around them and put my chin on my knees. The waves crashed. The sound helped to clear my head. The salty air filled my lungs.

Out of nowhere, the tears started again. I don't know where they came from. But i couldn't get them to stop. A sob ripped through my chest.

"It's ok," a voice murmured to me and two arms wrapped around me. I looked up to see Sean.

"What are you doing here?" i croaked through a couple of sobs.

"Drew told me that you were upset. I wanted to make sure you were ok." he said.

"How'd you find me though?" i asked. I didn't care though. I was happy he found me...I was also happy that he had cared if i was ok.

"Your brother said that you liked going here when you wanted to be alone." he said.

I pouted. I thought i'd kept this place a total secret.

"Is it ok that i came? I'm sorry." he said and seemed to blush.

I grabbed his hand. "Thanks for coming." i said and leaned my head against his shoulder. The tears were pretty much gone by now.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

I sighed. "I got into a fight with Adam." i explained.

"Oh. What about?" he asked.

"You," I said and blushed.

"Me?" he asked. His tone was shocked.

"Yeah. He doesn't like you," I explained.

"What? What'd i ever do to him?" he questioned.

"Nothing. It's just..." i stopped talking. I didn't want Sean to know what Mitchel thought.

"Just what?" he asked.

"Nothing," I repeated and looked down. The blush came back again.

He lifted my chin with his finger. "You can tell me you know."

i looked into his eyes and sighed. "Ok. So Adam thinks that you like me and that since you are two years older you would hurt me. I thought that that was stupid and told him to butt out. He said he was trying to protect me but i just told him to leave me alone." i explained. The words came out in a barely comprehensible rush.
.

"Oh." He said. "Well he was right about one thing."

What? I looked at him with such a confused expression that he chuckled.

"He was right about the fact that i do like you." he said and smiled.

I was shocked. Inside i was screaming and jumping up and down. He liked ME! On the outside, i couldn't seem to be able to move.

"Um...I'd feel so much better if you would say something." he said and looked embarassed.

"You like me?" i asked still unsure.

"Yes. I really do." he said and looked deeply into my eyes.

I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. He hugged me back and i heard him laugh.

"I hope this means that you like me too." he said.

"YES!" I yelled and pulled away. He kept his arms wrapped around my waist and smiled. I grinned back.

I just stared into his eyes and got lost. I just got caught up in the moment and leaned up. He was a lot taller than me so i had to stand on my tiptoes, and then I kissed him. It was magical. Everything around us disappeared. None of it mattered. It only mattered that we were here.

I finally pulled away and looked at him. He grinned.

"Sorry," i said kind of embarrassed.

"For what?" he asked.

"That was...really sudden. I don't want you to think we're moving to fast," i said and looked down.

"Hey," he said and lifted my chin again. "I'm not complaining." With that he kissed me again. We only pulled away when we felt the first drops of rain hitting us.

Hey," he said and lifted my chin again. "I'm not complaining." With that he kissed me again. We only pulled away when we felt the first drops of rain hitting us.

"Do we have to go?" I asked tracing his lips with my finger.

"Yeah," he said with a voice full of regret. "Drew's gonna pissed enough when he finds out we kissed. I don't need him killing me for keeping you out in the rain all night too."

I laughed and we started walking. Sean grabbed my hand. "Yeah." i agreed, then it hit me. "Wait, what are we going to tell him?" i asked.

"Um," Sean said and paused. "Well...we could tell him that we are dating? i mean...if you want to."

I beamed and kissed him again. "Yeah. Do you think he'll be mad?" I asked my voice full of worry. "I mean, you are his best friend and I'm his little sister."

"Yeah he'll be pissed. But don't worry, i know him. He'll just be mad at me. He can't stay mad at you." He said and grinned.

My forehead creased. "I don't want him to be mad at you." i said.

He sighed. "I don't see any way around it." he said.

I thought about that. "We could keep it a secret?" I suggested.

"No. If he found out we lied to him, he'd definitely kill me." Sean said and shook his head.

"I'm sorry," I said and leaned my head against his arm as we walked. "I'm gonna get you in a fight with your best friend." The guilt washed over me.

"Don't be sorry. My friend being mad at me for a while is a small price to pay if it means that i get to date you." He said and smiled.

I grinned back. I looked in front of us. We were at my house. Drew would be freaked out that i wasn't home. I took a deep breath and we walked towards the door. It swung open and Drew stood there.

"Here we go," Sean whispered to me and we walked forward to greet him.
I grinned back. I looked in front of us. We were at my house. Drew would be freaked out that i wasn't home. I took a deep breath and we walked towards the door. It swung open and Drew stood there.

"Here we go," Sean whispered to me and we walked forward to greet him.

"Clare! Where were you?" he asked. His expression went from worried that i'd been gone, to relieved that i was back. Then it changed again, suspicion haunted his features.

"Um, i was at the beach. I needed some time to think." i said.

"Ok. Well, why's Sean here?" He asked. seemed to notice the electric charge between the two of us.

"Um..." i began.

"I found her there. And we walked home." Sean said quickly.

"Ok..." Drew said and his eyes narrowed. "What else happened?" he demanded.

"Can we come in first?" i asked.

He sighed. "Sure," and opened the door a bit wider.

We all walked to the living room. Drew sat in the single chair while Sean and I sat on the sofa. It was awkward as we waited for someone to speak first.

"So...The whole story," Drew finally said.

"I got in a fight with Adam today." I started looking down.

"What?" Drew asked shocked. "You two never fight."

"We usually don't," i continued. "But he was being a jerk about Sean and I just got so mad. We started yelling at each other and i finally told him to just leave me alone to live my life. That's when i ran into the hallway and you found me."

"And then i drove you home. What happened next?" Drew asked warily.

I sighed. "Well, like i said i was really upset. Then i went to the beach to think about things and Sean found me there. We started talking and he comforted me about the fight." I smiled at him. "He's really sweet."

"Where is this going?" Drew demanded. He could tell that we were trying to avoid something.

"Look man, we both admitted that we liked each other and kissed-" Sean began.

"I kissed him!" i interrupted.

He smiled at me quickly but then continued. "We kissed and decided that we wanted to try dating. Then it started raining and we walked home."

He'd left out all of the times we kissed, but that was probably for the best. I didn't want Drew to explode.

With the story over, Sean and I sat there anxiously awaiting Drew's reaction.

He just sat there and watched us intently for a few seconds. and then he sighed deeply.

"Clare, why'd you have to choose my best friend?" he asked but not in an angry way.

"Um..." i didn't know how to answer that. "Wait. Why aren't you mad?"

"You thought that I'd be mad?" He asked.

"C'mon," i said and gave him a look.

He laughed. "Yeah. You're right, i guess i probably would be mad. But i can't be. You guys are just so damn happy."

I grinned. "Really? So it's cool with you if we date?"

He groaned. "Yeah. i guess it's fine with me. But you do have to ask Mom and Dad."

Crap. I hadn't thought about that. "Where are they?" i asked. might as well get it over with.

"They're not home now. They left on another business trip." he said and anger was plain in his voice. He hated that our parents left us alone so much. He had always been the one to take care of me. He was always the one i went to for advice or anything i needed.

"Oh. I'll tell them when they get back." I decided and then stood up.

"Where are you going?" Drew and Sean asked.

"Backyard. I think it stopped raining." i said and walked out.

We still had the swingset that Mom and Dad had got me and Drew when we were little. i sat down in the swing and watched the sun setting.

"It's beautiful," I murmured to myself.

"You're beautiful." Sean said as he came up and sat on the swing next to me.

I blushed and looked over. "Thanks."

He just smiled and then kissed me. We kissed for a long time until I heard the gate creak open as someone walked into the backyard.