Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to the Seven Network. This is simply my way of evening the couples out.


Beautiful Disaster

Part Nine

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"Okay, I'm bored." I sighed, throwing my book down onto my towel and groaning in frustration. Belle snickered at me as I glared at her, but Cassie appeared to be oblivious to my annoyance.

"Oh Anna." Mattie replied finally. "What are we going to do with you?"

"Kill me now." I replied dramatically, as Mattie raised an eyebrow at me.

"And why would that be?" She asked, grinning at me. I could only glare back, before adjusting my sunglasses and looking out over the ocean. Summer, it turned out, was long and boring in Summer Bay. Fancy that. And despite the fact that I actually had friends in this godforsaken town, it still didn't stop the mind numbing boredom that it managed to create. Not that the girls ever let things get to that stage of boredom.

Oh no, they always managed to find some kind of creative activity for everyone to be involved in. And more often than not it involved pairs. The worst kind of pairs too, because by the end of the day, Belle and Drew would have excused themselves and left for my private quarters, Henry and Cassie would be lost in their own world, and Mattie, Luke, Ric and I would be left to our own devices.

Which, as it were, generally turned out to the most fun anyway. Mattie had become one of my closest friends. Apparently, as Luke and Ric told us time and time again, she'd been a little lost until I arrived, because Belle and Cassie were so clearly wrapped up in the boys, but Mattie and Luke had a different kind of relationship. One where they mucked around, they mocked and tortured one another, one that didn't involve kissing or touching. One that was just perfect.

And well, we just floated around together. Ric and I as friends, Mattie and Luke as something more. It was good though, because for the first time, I felt as though I fitted somewhere. Like Mattie, I was a little lost before I arrived here. And while Mattie had taken me under her wing, I'd kind of taken her under my own.

"Anna…" Mattie called, breaking me from my thoughts, "I really don't mean to alarm you…" She said, but stopped, as I felt two very strong arms wrap around me and pull me over a shoulder.

"No, no, NO!" I screamed, as I heard Ric laugh. "This is cruel. What have I done to deserve this?" I squealed as he ran towards the water. "Ric, put me down this instant." I cried sternly, as he continued to laugh. "Ric." I groaned, hitting him a little. "This isn't going to turn out well, for either of us." I screamed, before I became engulfed by water.

I felt the crisp water freeze over my heated body as it rushed around me. Gasping for air, I surfaced, spluttering the remnants of seawater that had forced its way into my mouth. Pushing my hair forcefully out of my face and glared at Ric who was standing a little away from me, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Ric!" I screamed, but he just shrugged his shoulders at me innocently and laughed some more. "That was not nice." I screamed, as he continued to grin. "So I'm not a nice person." He replied. "Sue me."

"Oh," I said, as I thrust myself through the water towards him. "I think I'll do worse than that." I said, throwing my body against his own and pushing both of us back into the water. His hands gripped onto my hips as I fell onto him, and the cool water overcame us once more. My body wriggled as he embraced me, pulling us to the surface, holding me close as the warm summer air enveloped us. Gasping for air, it took me a few moments before I realised that his body was pressed so closely against my own, his arms wrapped strongly around my body, pulling me to him, not letting me go. His dark, soulful eyes looked down into my own, and I felt his arms pull me, if possible, closer to him.

I closed my eyes, sucked in my breath, and prepared myself for anything that could happen in this moment. His hand felt its way to under my chin, and I felt his rough hands gently tilt my head upwards. His breath was hot on my lips, and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat, before all rational thought was thrown out the window as his lips touched against my own. The kiss was soft at first, delicate, sweet. Maybe even a little afraid, a little shy. But my body responded hungrily, my hands wrapping around his neck and deepening the kiss, pulling my body closer to his, desperate to feel his firm muscles against my body.

I felt him smile at my response, but my own thoughts had clouded over with the lust that was finally being released, with the sparks of electric feeling that were sending shivers down my spine, with the fire that was igniting in my body.

His lips continued to dance against my own as his hands moved up and down my bare back, leaving tingles wherever they trailed. My own hands reached up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging at it playfully, causing him to groan into my mouth. A giggle escaped my mouth as his lips moved inches away from my own. I looked playfully up into his eyes, which sparkled down at me, not dark any more, but bright and wonderful. His grin broadened as I continued to giggle, standing up on my toes and connecting my lips against his for a moment.

"If that's what happens every time I dump you in the water…" He said huskily, his hands moving up and down my back lightly "I should really do it more often."

Nodding my head, I bit my lips before leaning up, readying to kiss him once more, only to be interrupted by catcalls and wolf whistles coming from the shore. I watched, as Ric grinned, before picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder, amid squeals coming from me once more, and this time ran towards the shore.

I cringed as he placed me down on my towel, before falling down next to me and instantly taking my hand in his, as Mattie smiled broadly at us, while Belle and Cassie smirked knowingly. The boys simply gave Ric that look that said, "Just wait until we get our hands on you later." And I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all.

I'd come to Summer Bay determined not to make friends. Not to fit in. Not to be happy.

Yet somehow, that's how I ended up.

Sometimes, all you needed was a little push to get going.