"I'll go get us some towels, be right back," Robbie left to the pantry.

I checked the clock at the kitchen counter: 12:20 AM. What?! We stayed out all night! Where'd my Saturday go?

"Here ya go, Cat."

"Thanks, Robbie."

We sat at the kitchen counter and tried cleaning the sand from our bodies off before stepping on the carpet.

"What time is it?" Robbie asked.

"Almost 12:30."

"No way, we stayed out that long?"

"Well time flies when you're having fun," I said.

"That it does."

We were as clean as we could get, but didn't feel like leaving each other's company just yet. I grabbed some blankets on the couch and tossed one to Robbie to wrap himself in, and wrapped one around myself as well. It's summer time in California, but even the summer rain can make the nights pretty cold.

"It hasn't been this cold in weeks!" I said as I settled on a barstool.

"Seriously. But you know what I'm in the mood for? Something cold."

"Me too."

"Ice Cream?" he suggested.

"Sure."

Robbie got the ice cream and toppings and I grabbed the bowls and spoons. He prepared it and we sat at the counter. Ice cream on a rainy summer night. It's the best feeling I tell you.

"So, Cat… Uh, you didn't answer my question earlier…"

"Which one?"

"The one uh, right before we went inside…" Robbie was looking down at his bowl, not daring to make eye contact with me.

"Oh," I remembered, "Yeah, we kissed that night," I said non-chalantly.

Robbie looked at me, baffled. "So we did?"

"Yes Robbie, we kissed that night at the pier," I giggled. "Why do you ask?"

"Why'd we kiss?"

"I don't know? But really don't look into it. I guess we were in the moment. That's all." This time I was looking down at my ice cream.

"Any what about tonight?"

"Robbie, I said it's ever girls dream to kiss in the rain. You did me a favor, silly. Thanks," I winked.

Somehow Robbie wasn't convinced. "Jen broke up with me that night. That's why I was sad. Why were you?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok…"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" I snapped.

"All I said was ok?" he raised his hands defensively.

"Oh. Sorry." I tried for a whole year to rid that memory from my life, and this summer was doing just that. But I knew it was unfair to Robbie if I kept this from him. Even though it had nothing to do with him.

"He was another stupid mistake in my life, that's all."

"Since when does Cat Valentine let a guy ruin her life? I thought you were above that?"

"Duh, Robbie." I tried to play it off as nothing, but I was still torn.

"Come on Cat, it couldn't have been that bad…"

"It doesn't even matter, Rob. That part of my life has passed, let's talk about something else," I shrugged and played with my slowly melting ice cream.

"Cheer up, Kitty-Cat. I'm sure it couldn't have been worse than me," Robbie tried making me feel better. "I mean, Jen and I went out for two years, exclusively. I thought she was the one. But she left me for another guy."

"Mine did too," I softly spoke.

"Oh. Well… Hey you win some you lose some, right? I mean it's not like we were engaged or anything, right?"

Bingo.

"Right?" He asked again, this time unsurely.

"Oh, Cat…" He dropped his spoon and gave me a hug.

"Robbie, it's ok. You didn't know."

"Yeah, but If I'd have known…"

"And knowing that you care is all that matters. It's fine."

We awkwardly sat there, playing with our bowls of ice cream.

"I'd never think you'd be engaged at such a young age."

"Me either."

"Then what changed your mind, if you don't mind me asking."

I sighed. I knew this day would come when I'd have to tell it to someone.

"He was sweet to me. He was persistent. He knew my game; I mean he was a player too. But for some reason he stayed with me. And to think that he changed because of me, I gave it a chance. We were together for 6 months before he proposed. Actually it was impulsive because I thought I was pregnant. A couple days later I told him it was false alarm. He didn't seem like he was bummed about it, but he wasn't relieved either. I told him he could take back the engagement but he insisted he wanted to be with me forever. So we planned the wedding. His sister and I were close so she was my Maid of Honor. He kept going on business trips to San Diego, claiming he had an old client that his dad introduced him to. Then his sister told me one day he was hanging out with old friends, one of them being an ex girlfriend, ex fiancée actually. I asked her what the reason for their break up was and she admitted that he was in this situation before. He thought he got her pregnant so he proposed. But when she had a miscarriage, he split. I was getting worried so one night I asked her to drive me to San Diego and when we got to their parent's house, there he was, cheating on me with his ex fiancée."

Robbie was staring at me, listening intently. It gave me the courage to finish.

"I was pretty civil about it, not like Jade who dumped gelatin down Beck's pants," I chuckled. He did too but Robbie knew I was just lightening the mood.

"He and I met at a park near the pier to settle things. He told me that going through the situation a second time, he realized he was wrong to walk away on his ex. It's why he became less serious about relationships. When he met me, I reminded him a lot of her. That's why our relationship lasted so long. He wanted to see if there was something still there with her so he saw her one night. Since then, he's been seeing her on the weekends and planned to break up with me anyways. I decided to just end it there, go our separate ways and take this as a learning experience. He and I were alike. My parents didn't last so I didn't take love seriously. And when I finally did, my fiancée cheated on me. Some love life, huh?" I sadly chuckled.

Robbie sat across from me, taking in what I just said. I did too. I finally got this off my chest and told someone. Now it's so surreal. Here come the tears…

"Cat don't cry," Robbie handed me a napkin.

"I'm sorry. I'm fine, I really am." Robbie handed me more napkins. I took a minute to get my composure back together and I sadly smiled.

"Then why did you care about my well being more than your own?"

"When you care about someone, sometimes you have to think of them before yourself. And besides, you were always there for me in high school after every heartbreak I had. We only remember the things that matter. You matter to me, Rob. You're my best friend. It was my turn to return the favor."

"You're awesome you know that?" He smiled.

"Yes I am!"

"But really Cat, even superman had kryptonite. Nobody is invincible. I mean I saw it in your eyes that you were broken. You're a tough girl, but just because you were hurt doesn't mean you shouldn't stop the bleeding."

"Robbie, that's the most honest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"Uh… sorry?" He apologetically said.

"No no, I need that. I need to feel vulnerable sometimes."

"Everyone is vulnerable sometimes. Just, don't forget to smile Kitty-Cat."

"Smile?"

"Yeah. If you could only see in the mirror what I see. When you smile, the world's troubles go away," he smiled at me.

It's scary to think that love can abandon you in an instant. Even platonic love. I'm always scared I'll never have Robbie or Jade or Andre around. But when I need them, they always seem to follow through. Like now, Robbie's here. He truly cares for my well-being.

"Hey now, don't cry some more, Kitty-Cat."

"Sorry, that was just a really nice thing you said, it cheered me up," I giggled.

"Hey let's play a game!"

"Like what?"

"Uh… truth or dare?"

"How about just dare? We've told enough truths tonight," I stated.

"You're right. Truth is dramatic anyways. Ok me first. I dare you to eat as much cherries as you can in one minute!"

"How is this amusing?"

"It's fun!" He said.

"Ok. Time me." I grabbed the bowl of cherries and started eating. I think I ate like 14; they were too sweet.

"Impressive."

"Thanks. My turn!"

"Alright, Valentine, hit me with your best dare."

"Ok…. Uh I dare you to drink a glass of warm ice cream."

"Ew," he simply responded.

"It's a daaare" I sing-songed.

"Fine hand it over." I heated a cup of ice cream in the microwave and handed it to Robbie. He just chugged that sucker down.

"I'll never like ice cream the same way ever again," he gagged. "Ok, my turn. I dare you to chug that whole bottle of chocolate syrup."

"That's a lot. Might take me a while."

"Ok, then give me a dare while you do it."

"Hmm, ok, I dare you to eat a whole can of whipped cream then."

"Deal!" We both grabbed our respective food items and Robbie counted down.

"Three, two, one… Go!"

I started to drink the syrup but man was it sweet. Robbie was slowly spraying whipped cream into his mouth; It was probably too creamy for him.

"This is too sweet Rob, I lose."

"No, Cat. We had a deal! Come on!" He pointed at me with the whipped cream in his hand and accidentally sprayed some my direction.

"Oh chizz, Cat that was an accident!" He said trying to contain his laughter.

"An accident, huh?" I smirked. I took the other can of whipped cream on the counter and sprayed a good amount on his face.

"Oopsie" I playfully said and took a piece of whipped cream from his nose on my finger and put it in my mouth.

"Oh we're playing that game now?" He said.

"Bring it, Shapiro."

In an instant we sprayed whipped cream at each other, grabbing other toppings like chocolate syrup, gummies and sprinkles and throwing them at each other as well. We chased each other around the kitchen counter until Robbie disappeared to the dining room. I crept inside to find him though he jumped from the stairs to scare the chizz out of me. He sprayed me with his can and got a hold of my can. We laughed so hard when we were out of ammunition. We stood at the stairs chuckling at how ridiculous we both looked.

"Robbie you look so ugly right now," I snickered.

"You're telling me. You look hideous too! Is that a gummy bear in your hair?" He reached for my head to pull it off and let it fall on the floor. We were laughing so hard and were so absorbed with each other that when we stopped for a fraction of a second and looked into each other's eyes, the heat of the moment kicked in.

He grabbed me roughly and crashed our lips together, I responded just as aggressively tangling my hands in his hair, our sticky bodies pressed together. His arms snaked around my waist, lifting me up, wrapping my legs around him. If I wasn't so vulnerable I'd reach my common sense and stop this, but I didn't care. He kissed me and I kissed back.

He kissed me again.

And again.

And again.