After sitting here for what seems like an eternity, I slowly get up and start to walk back along the beach. As I approach the spot where I had left Ric and the girls, there's no one there. I guess I have to go back to the house and show my face – I really can't hide out forever.

I breeze through the door trying to look cheery. "Did you have a fun time sunbaking? Have you seen Ric?" I ask, noticing his absence.

"Yeah, we had a great time but we thought that Ric was with you didn't we Cass?" said Maddie.

"Yeah" trailed Cassie, looking concerned.

"I guess he'll reappear for dinner", I said, trying to reassure myself and the girls.

After quietly excusing myself, I go upstairs and flop down onto the bed. So many thoughts are spinning in my head, it is making me dizzy. Just last night me and Ric were in this room together, on this very bed. And now today someone had told me that they loved me and I pushed them away and now they've disappeared, how stupid could I be? BLEEP BLEEP I feel my 'phone vibrating in my pocket. I need 2 c u, plse cum n meet me at the Diner. R

Jumping down from my bed I ran downstairs and shout hurried excuses to the girls as I go through the door. Walking down the road towards the Diner, I wonder nervously what Ric's gonna say.

Thinking about Luc walking down the road towards the Diner, my mind went back to that party. The fun we had, how I got butterflies in my stomach knowing he was across the room from me. As I wake up from my reverie, I see a pair of piercing blue eyes looking straight into mine.

"Hiya" I say nervously. "What did you want to see me about?" My mind is telling me to run now, but somehow my feet stay rooted to the spot.

"Umm…." Ric stammered. "I just wanted to apologise for freaking you out earlier…."

"Ric, can we take this outside please" as I see Colleen, the town busybody, hovering in the corner.

"…What have you got to be sorry about?" I continue as we walk outside into the sunshine.

"Well, it looks like I freaked you out and I really really truly didn't mean to".

I hope Luc accepts my apology. I truly didn't mean to freak him out. What if I've ruined even our friendship permanently? It doesn't bear thinking about. Nothing surprises me more than the next thing that Lucas says.
"It doesn't matter Ric, 'cos I love you too".
"You know what, that's the best thing that anyone's told me for a long time."
"Even Cass?" Luc ventures.
This stops me in my tracks. Cass…she doesn't deserve any of this. She doesn't deserve all these problems. She deserves a boyfriend who can love her as much as she loves him. But it's obvious now that I'm not that person. "Yeah, even Cass" I say truthfully and I realise at that very moment what I want.