Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except the drama and tension I'm going to cause. Enjoy.

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Chapter Two

"I'm fine."

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"Lucas." Sara called gently from the bathroom. "Are you sure, positive, that it's okay that I'm coming home with you? I mean, I wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone, especially because you see your family so rarely."

I smiled at her thoughtfulness, reminding myself of one of the many reasons I loved Sara. She was so kind and gentle, never wanting to impose on anyone she didn't know very well, or places where she felt she wouldn't be welcomed. It was one of the qualities that had attracted me to her in the first place. She'd reminded me of Mattie in that aspect, always worrying about everyone else around her before even daring to think about herself.

"No honey." I replied as I walked into the bathroom and pulled her pale, petite figure into my arms. "For the millionth time, Dad and Beth are dying to meet you, having heard so many wonderful things about you. And Martha and Tasha are hanging out too; they can't wait to take you shopping and show you all the amazing spots in Summer Bay, even though I know you're not much of a sunbaker." I said, hopefully tactfully, skipping over…

"What about Matilda?" Sara asked rather fearfully, biting her lip and gazing up at me with her deep brown eyes.

Mattie. The one person I was never sure of. She'd been such a huge part of my life, and letting go had been one of the hardest choices I'd ever made. But not being with her… not being able to hold her and kiss her, to play with her hair as she lazily ran her fingers over my arm on a long summer day… I couldn't spend a year without her. And deep down I knew in the end she understood… because she felt the same way too.

Each phone call would become shorter, each email further apart, until it came to be that we were grasping at this air, holding onto something that had been, not something that could be.

So I'd ended it. One rainy night. And the tears had fallen… for once in my life I hadn't even tried to hold them back. Each day without her seemed an eternity to begin with, but, as the weeks went by, I found myself building something else with her. The friendship that had never truly been explored was finally given a chance. I found myself smiling, laughing, able to life my life again, and just knowing Mattie was there to listen meant the world to me.

Then, one day early in semester two, Sara had appeared by my side in a lecture and we'd just, hit it off. We'd gone out for coffee and ended up talking late into the night about anything and everything. She'd smiled and laughed, making her curly red hair bounce as she'd looked away shyly.

The first tentative steps of a new relationship were created that night, and since then I'd never really looked back.

Except the night that I'd told Mattie. That had been the hardest thing in the world. I avoided it for as long as possible, until I realised that I was falling for Sara. Really falling for Sara. It was then that I knew she had to know. Otherwise I would never have forgiven myself for tearing her down again.

I'm not entirely sure what thoughts passed through her mind that night… she seemed so lost on the other end of the phone, so alone, so unfeeling, and I hadn't wanted to push her more than that. So she'd hung up, and the distance between us had felt even greater that night. I couldn't focus for days after that conversation. My mind constantly flew to Mattie, and thoughts about her. Was she okay, did she hate me, what could I do to fix things between us?

But then, she'd called that weekend, and wished Sara and I all the best. Not being able to see the truth in her eyes, I had to take her word for it, but since that moment I'd been wary of mentioning Sara to Mattie, not wanting to force the situation on her. I honestly didn't know how she was going to react to the fact that Sara would be spending the summer with us, but I did know one thing.

"I'm sure she'll be very interested in meeting you Honey." I replied to Sara, kissing the top of her head as she smiled broadly up at me and snuggled into my embrace. I smiled down at her and closed my eyes, willing all the memories that had resurfaced to disappear once more.

Mattie and I were only friends, that was something I still needed to repeat to myself every now and then; just every so often when I would think about the past four years, late at night, when Sara slept quietly by my side. Those years seemed a lifetime away now, and even though I was spending a summer with her, I could only hope that they would remain that way.

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"Honey" Sara called to me a little later on, as I finished putting the last of our bags into the car. "Ric's on the phone for you." She continued as she reached me "He said he just wanted to clarify the meeting arrangements and that it wouldn't take more than a few minutes. So please hurry, we're running late as it were." She finished, handing me our phone as she checked her watch for the umpteenth time that hour and walked away mumbling about presents. I grinned a little as I spoke into the phone.

"Hey mate." I said happily. "How are things?"

"Good, as usual." Came the crackly reply. Obviously he and Parker were already on the road. "Parker's just in a state about whether Sally, Grandad and Aunty Morag will like her enough." He continued, laughing as Parker said something inaudible in the background.

"Sara is exactly the same. She's stressing so much about the presents we got for Dad and Beth I'm surprised she hasn't had a heart attack. And don't even get me started on the Mattie and Cassie deal…" I began as we both began to laugh a little.

"Oh yeah." Ric agreed though the receiver "Parker is in fits about that. She's convinced that they still hate her from last summer, and will make this one a nightmare for her."

"Anyone would think them insecure" I said sarcastically, knowing full well how horrible, yet tempting it was to mock our girlfriends ridiculous insecurities.

"I know." Ric said "But this summer its going to stop. Its high time we proved to them that they've got nothing to be insecure about, right Luke?" He asked, as I heard the sounding of a playful slap through the receiver.

"Right." I agreed firmly, my laughter having subsided, feeling and memories of Mattie washing over me once more. On the other end of the phone I was met with an overwhelming silence, as I realised that they must have stopped for some reason.

Gulping in air and checking around to make sure Sara wasn't in ear shot, I half whispered into the phone to Ric "What do you think it will be like… with them, I mean… what do you think they'll be like?"

I heard him sigh, and I could almost imagine Ric rubbing his creased forehead. "I have no idea." He answered finally, unsurely. " We're best friends, we've spoken at least once a week all year, and sent emails in between, but to see her… to speak to her… to be around her… them… all summer… I don't think you or I could even begin to predict how it will turn out. Not any more." He finished sadly.

He was right, of course. At one stage, not so long ago, I could have told anyone the next move Mattie would make, the next action she would do, her next facial expression, her next comment. But now, we were worlds apart. And I just didn't know any more.

"So." Ric said finally "We should be there about four. Meet you and Sara next to the sign?" He asked, and I almost nodded, forgetting once more that he wasn't there with me any more.

"Sounds good." I replied, "And just remember, you better have that board ready, I'm seriously in the surfing mood." I said, grinning, as Ric laughed on the other end of the line.

"Some things never change, do they mate?" He asked, as I laughed back into the receiver.

"With us and surfing? Dude, do you honestly have to ask?" I said, as we continued to laugh. "See you at four." I said finally, hanging up the phone and sighing.

Sometimes forgetting just felt too hard.

"All done then honey?" Sara asked as she leant up and kissed my cheek before taking the phone and walking back into the unit. But I could only nod distractedly as my mind swirled with feelings and memories I'd long since locked away.

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AN: Thanks to Jade for proofing. Don't hate me. They'll meet up again... eventually. I'm hoping everyone is still enjoying it. More soon.