Disclaimer: Same

On the way back from the Airport Chris and I had a nice car ride listening to country music. Something that I never did in California. I realized how much I really do like it. It is not all about tractors and beer, it just something people over look. When we pulled up to my old house that I knew as a kid I saw an Austrailan Shepard puppy.

"Chris when did you get a new dog?" I asked him.

"I didn't." he said.

"What?"

"You did Layne. Happy Birthday."

I had almost forgotten that tomorrow was my birthday.

"Oh my gosh Chris thank you so much!"

"Go inside and meet her."

When i walked in the door almost everything was the same. The furniture, the carpet, the paint on the walls. The only thing that was missing was the family pictures that my mom had taken of us. One thing that most people didn't know was that my mom could take some really good pictures. She isn't the best with art or anything but one thing she could do was take pictures. I bent down to pet my new puppy when I saw the pink bows in her fur. She was so cute. I could tell that Chris had gotten her from Todd's family. They bred Australian Shepards. And they always gave you a puppy collar when you got the dog.

"Her name is Baeley."

I turned around and it was Todd. My bestfriend since birth. Our moms went into labor at the same time. Same birthday, 2 mintues apart.

"Todd!" I said running up to give him a hug.

"Long time no see." he said.

"Tell me about it." I looked at him. He had gotten muscular arms, tanned skin and his blonde hair and blue eyes still looked the same.

"So I hear that you are playing in the beach volleyball tournament this week." he said with a smrik on his face.

"Yeah that's right." I said.

"Have you figured out who you are going to play with yet?"

"Um i don't know, I think i had someone in mind."

"Who might that be?"

"Just some guy that I have known almost like... all my life."

He just laughed. He already knew that I was going to play with him. My dad had already figured that out for me.

"Well Smythe I hope that you have practiced your serve because I have a reputaion that I have to maintain so if I look like a loser, it's your fault."

I laughed. I picked up Baeley. She was so soft and just fell asleep in my arms. Chris walked in.

"Just to let you know I have a crate for you to take her home in. And before you ask, she is already paid for."

"Thank you so much Chris." I said putting her down and giving him a hug.

"The only way to thank me is to go out to Sandbridge and get out in the water."

I just sighed I knew that he was going to do this to me. All I wanted was to get some sleep and go out tomorrow.

"Can I at least get some sleep first?"

"i don't think so. Go get your luggage and board and lets leave."

So i did. I went out walked to the truck and started to pull out my duffel when Todd walks up and tries to take it from me.

"Todd I got it."

"No its fine."

"Todd really I got it."

"Okay." he said sounding sort of annoyed.

It was wierd how he was doing this. When I still lived here I opened the doors for myself and got in to car with no help from him. Now he is trying to change it and acting all weird while doing it. Chris took my bag up to my old room and set it on the bed.

"Thanks."

"Sure, we are leaving in ten so be ready."

I searched around in my bad for my baithing suit that Ryan gave me for christmas, but I couldn't find it. Finally when everything was laying on my old bed it was at the bottom. I started to put things in drawers and hanging in the closet when i heard Chris calling my name. I changed and pulled over my old sundress from my last visit to virginia.

"Chris it is 7 am, i don't think there are going to be very many people there."

"You never know Layne, that's why we have to get there earlier. "

"What ever you say Chris." I saw Todd in the back of the truck.

"When did you start surfing?" I asked a little confused.

"Like a while ago."

i had a feeling that he was lying, but I didn't think much about it because I just wanted to get to sandbridge and see our beach house and go out in the water and come back to get some sleep.

I knew that would never happen, but it was worth a shot. Chris got in the truck and we pulled out of the driveway without a word. I looked at everything as we drove to the beach. It seemed like everything has changed. Either that or i had changed. Houses looked different, the land looks like it has changed. When we got to the beach house, it looked like nothing had changed. It still looked like the house that I stayed in every summer up until the last move to California. We got out of the truck and grabbed the boards and walked out to the beach. I took off my dress and it felt like Todd was staring at me the whole time, so I hurried up and put my leash on my ankle and ran out to the water. It was warm. Something that I wasn't used to. It was flat, or to me it was because I was used to the waves in Carlsbad.

"Let's see what you got." Chris said.

"I would if there were waves here." i said.

"Oh come on, give old Virginia a chance."

"I would if I could catch a wave." I said and that's when I saw something that was worth going for. I turned around and started to paddle. I stood up. It was a different feeling riding the waves here than in California. There was no one on the beach, where as in Carlsbad no matter how early you got up there was always people. I rode the wave all the way into shore when i saw Todd just sitting in the sand with Chris's old board. He was just sitting there staring at his feet. I got back in the water and an hour went by and there was nothing coming worth riding in.

"I think you scared the waves away." chris said trying to be funny.

"Sure I did, now can we just go home, I am tired."

"I guess." Chris said. We packed up the car and it felt like forever the whole ride home. When we pulled up in the driveway Baeley was barking at the front door and wagging her little nub for a tail. I pulled my board out of the back of the truck and put it against the side of the house and walked inside the house and went up the stairs, Baeley followed. I threw all the clothes on the floor and changed into shorts and a tank and layed ontop of my bed and Baeley tried to jump up but she couldn't. I picked her up and she layed right next to me and she fell asleep instantly. I checked my phone and Ryan still hadn't texted me back. I looked at the clock on the wall it was 10, which meaned it was 7. He should be up, becuase he had training with my dad. I called him.

"Hello?"

"Ryan, hey, why didn't you text me back?"

"I never got a message."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I am sure. Are you sure?"

I checked my phone. I had sent the message to Sophie instead.

"Now I am. I sent it to Sophie not you."

"Oh. No wonder why she was asking me what went on last night."

"She asked you that?"

"Yep. I gotta go. Call you later?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Bye."

"Bye."

i hung up and Chris walked in the room.

"Who was that?"

"Ryan."

"The boyfriend?"

"Yes, now don't make a big deal about it."

"Okay, geeze. I forgot how cranky you are when you don't get sleep."

"Well if you didn't make me go surfing like dad does, then I wouldn't be this way."

"Whoa, wait. Dad now makes you go surfing?"

"Yeah and before I left Rip Curl wanted to talk to me about a sponsorship."

"Really? What did you say?"

"Nothing. They said that they would sign when reginals came. And before you say anyting to dad or anyone, I don't know what i am going to say because I don't want dad to make me choose between volleyball and surfing."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He just walked out of the room and closed the door. I just layed there thinking about what my dad would say because he would more than anything want me to surf than to play volleyball. With my mom she wanted the oposite. She wanted me to cheer. I didn't want to cheer in Carlsbad. The only thing that I was sure of was that I didn't want to have to choose.