Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a great holiday. Consider this your "holiday gift" from me. Hopefully you'll appreciate and enjoy it. Remember: criticism is accepted. Happy Holidays :) ~with Love, assataISfree

Chapter 2

- Two Friends, Hangin' at the Beach

Beck's POV-

Man, yesterday was crazy! I broke up with my girlfriend of two whole years! And in a teenagers life, that is a very long time to be in a relationship. But we needed to. It was best for both of us to just part then, before things got even worse. And Tori really helped. She's a great pal. I feel weird about what happened last night with me trying to kiss her. I don't know what I was doing. Maybe I just felt tempted to because we were alone, I just broke up with my girlfriend, and I really needed comfort. I'm just glad we're cool now. I pulled up to her street and got out of the truck. I ran across the street excitedly, and rang the door bell. I could here scuffling on the other side and a couple of screams. Probably just Tori and Trina fighting as usual. I leaned against the door frame while I waited. All of a sudden an agitated Tori opened the door screaming at Trina.

"No Trina! You cannot go with us!", she yelled.

Trina was standing right behind her with all her stuff ready like she was going to the beach with us.

"But that's not fair! I've got all my stuff ready!", Trina yelled back.

"No! And if you follow us, I'll sell someone a picture of you the time you had that bladder infection, and you peed all over Santa!", Tori countered.

"Fine!", Trina said.

Tori slammed the door shut, and ran to the truck. I walked behind her. She looked good. Really good actually. I would say sexy, but I don't need to think like that after the close one last night. I shook my head to clear it, and ran to catch up with her. I opened the door for her like a gentlemen which she thanked me for. I smiled in return, and ran to my side of the truck. I got in and started her up. Tori sighed loudly. I laughed.

"You guys are crazy!", I told her.

"I am not the crazy one! The only crazy person in my family is Trina!", she yelled.

I laughed more.

"Whatever you say, toots.", I said.

She just shook her head. By the time we got to the beach it was almost 10.

"See", I told her. "Hardly anyone is here yet."

"Yeah", she said quickly. "Now let's go!"

She started running with stuff in her hands, and then I started running behind her. Soon we were on the sand. We dropped our stuff at a good spot, close to the ocean. Then without warning I picked her up bridal style, and headed straight for the water. She began screaming.

"Ahhhh! Beck put me down right NOW!", she screamed.

"Why should I?", I questioned her.

"Because I need to take my clothes off, we need to set our stuff up, and-"

I cut her off "- Well all of that can wait.", I said right before I jumped in the water with her still in my arms.

I held her the whole time, and when we came back up she wrapped her arms around my neck unintentionally. Water was dripping down her face.

"Beck! What the hell is wrong with you!", she screamed.

I could tell she was upset because she never cursed. But I didn't care.

I just laughed and said "Relax babe! I gotcha!"

"What's with all the nicknames today?", she asked me looking confused.

I hadn't even noticed. "What are you talking about?"

"Toots, babe? You've never called me anything but Tori before."

"Oh. I didn't even realize. It was just… just an accident."

She looked upset with my answer, but just said "Oh."

I put her down and we walked back to our stuff. She dried off her face then pulled out her beach chair, and laid it down on the sand. Then she began putting her umbrella up behind it. While she did this she called "What am I gonna do now Beck? You got my clothes wet, and I don't have anything extra."

"I'll buy you something since it was technically my fault."

"No, I'll buy myself something.", she said.

"No. I want to. It was my fault, and now I have to pay for it…literally."

She laughed and said "Fine, but I'll pick out what you buy."

"Sure thing", I said.

I began setting up my chair and umbrella too, a little away from hers. She put her wet clothes on the arm of her chair, took out her sunglasses and put them on her face. Then she sat down, and put her head back like she was going to sleep. I didn't mind, at least she was here. I noticed her bathing suit. It was nice. It was a red bikini that had a short matching skirt. I didn't notice until she said "Like what you see" that I had been staring at her the whole time.

"Uhh…", I didn't now what to say. She laughed.

"I just umm…I noticed that you were starting to get red from not putting on sunscreen.", I told her. That was a good one.

"Oh wow! I completely forgot! Maybe if someone hadn't thrown me into the ocean as soon as we got here I would've put some on.", she said sarcastically.

I laughed. "Sorry", I said.

She began rubbing sunscreen on her arms and legs. Then on her stomach. I tried my best not to stare. What is going on with me? I keep getting weird feelings whenever I look at her. Like I like her or something. Maybe I do. Oh what am I saying? I don't like Tori like that. This was all in my head. And now wasn't the right time anyway because I just broke up with Jade. When I finally looked back up at her she was trying hard to get sunscreen on her back, but she couldn't reach. I started laughing.

"Here, let me help you.", I said.

I walked to her chair, and sat behind her. Then I grabbed the bottle of sunscreen and rubbed some in on the top of her back. She was soft. And warm. I liked how her skin felt under mine. I moved lower and could feel her tense up a little, but she didn't say anything. I moved lower. I was getting very close to her… yeah, that. I didn't move any lower, but rubbed some in just above… yeah, that. I kept rubbing her even though the sunscreen was completely rubbed in. Finally she asked "Is it rubbed in?"

"Uhh, yeah. Your all good."

I realized the position we were in- I had one leg on each side of her body- and quickly got up. My face was very red, but I wouldn't let her see. This is getting to be too much. I really needed time to think about all this. Tori interrupted my thoughts and said "I'm starving! Let's go get something to eat!"

"Yeah, I'm hungry too. Let's go.", I told her.

"But first I'm gonna need something to wear", she said smiling.

"Okay well let's find a store."

We picked up our stuff, and headed to my truck. We put the stuff in and I grabbed my wallet. We walked down the boardwalk. It wasn't long before we found a clothing store. She walked through, and looked at a couple of things. I got on my phone while she searched. After a couple minutes she found a dress she liked.

"I liked this one", she told me. It was a short white dress with black Hawaiian flowers on it.

"Great!", I said ready to go eat.

She smiled and went to try it on. When she came back she studied herself in the mirror. I walked behind her and whispered "You look beautiful."

She blushed hard and said "Oh, Beck."

I smiled at her. "I'm being honest with you."

She didn't look so sure of herself. I searched her face to figure out what was wrong. She looked down. I lifted her chin. She was crying.

"What's wrong?", I asked her. Was it something I said?

"Nothing, it's just… I don't always feel so confident, ya know?", she sniffed.

I'd never seen this side of Tori before. She always seemed sure of herself around me. I thought about what to say, but I figured it would be best to just tell her the truth.

"Tori. You have nothing to worry about. You're beautiful, you have a great personality, and you're very talented. Girls would kill to be you. Why do you think Jade is so jealous of you?"

It was the first time I had mentioned Jade all day. She looked shocked at what I said.

"Jade is not jealous of me.", she said.

"Oh yeah she is. I know her better than anybody, and I know for a fact that she is jealous.", I told her.

She looked down for a second. When she looked back up she asked "You meant all that stuff you said?"

"Of course I did. I don't say things I don't mean. And if I were joking I would have been laughing.", I said looking at her seriously.

I smiled, and she returned it. We walked to the counter, and I paid for the dress. On our way out the door I grabbed her hand. She hesitated a moment, but soon got comfortable and held my hand too. We walked to a little pizza place. It smelled great in there! When we got to the counter, a women in her 20's took our order. She kept smiling and winking at me. I felt uncomfortable. I wrapped an arm around Tori's waist to give the impression that we were a couple. Tori was taken by surprise and gave me a look that said "What are you doing?". I just smiled at her and when the pizza came I walked quickly to a booth.

"Uhh, what was that all about?", she questioned me.

"I'm sorry Tori. But that lady kept smiling at me, and I needed to get her off my case."

"Oh, so you used me?", she asked.

I took her seriously "No! I would never! I just…"

She laughed at me.

"I was joking Beck! Chill!", she said.

"That wasn't funny Vega!"

She kept laughing. I started tickling her. I laughed too. Her face started turning red.

"Beck, stop!"

"Fine. But don't you ever do that again! I thought you were really mad at me!", I said.

"Well that's good! It means I'm a real actress!", she answered.

I shook my head. We finished eating, and got up to throw out our trash. I met the cashier lady's eyes, and when she saw Tori next to me again, she looked disappointed. I laughed to myself. We walked out and I realized it was already 1 something. We walked back to the beach just to sit near the edge of the water. Tori let out a happy sigh.

"The water looks beautiful.", she whispered to me.

"Yeah. It does.", I simply said.

She had a dazzled look in her eye. I smiled. She looked up at me.

"You ready to go?", she asked me.

"Only if you're ready.", I told her. Honestly I could have stayed right there with her forever.

"Yeah, I think we should go now.", she said.

"Cool. Let's go!", I said.

I helped her up, and we walked back to my truck. I opened the door for her and she sat down. When I got in we rode off to her house. It took longer since more people were out now. By the time we were at her house it was 3 o'clock, and Tori was knocked out. I tapped her lightly.

"Tori", I whispered. "We're here."

She groaned. "I don't wanna get up", she said frowning.

"Want me to carry you?", I asked.

"Please?", she asked me.

I went to her side of the car, and picked her up. She was a lot heavier since she was drifting off to sleep. I took the key she handed me and unlocked the door. Trina wasn't home and I figured her parents were still on their cruise. I walked up the steps and to her room. I gently lay her on the bed.

"There ya go Tor.", I said quietly.

She didn't answer so I figured she was sleep. But as I began to walk out she whispered "Beck?"

"Yeah?", I asked her.

"Please stay.", she said.

"Sure. I'll be downstairs until you-"

She cut me off "-No. Stay in here with me. Please."

I sighed. "Alright." I sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her back. She smiled. I smiled too. She looked like an angel when she slept.

"Lay down with me.", she said.

I didn't know whether or not I should. Maybe she didn't realize that she was talking to me. I would have, but I didn't want to take advantage of the fact that she was half sleep. I shook her a little, and she opened her eyes.

"What's wrong?", she asked confused.

"Are you sure you want me to stay here. I can just come back when your fully awake.", I told her.

She copied my words from earlier and said "I don't say things I don't mean."

I stared at her for a minute.

I took off my shoes, and laid next to her. She moved closer, and I wrapped my arms around her. She closed her eyes, and I kissed her forehead. Then I slowly drifted off to sleep as well.