The next morning when Cody woke up, he was happy to see Sydney fast asleep beside him. Right, he recalled as a grin slowly spread over his mouth. The night before they had kissed and kissed and kissed some more until she'd fallen asleep and he'd lay awake, just listening to her steady breathing and feeling like the luckiest guy alive.

He stretched and looked at the clock. Only six thirty, perfect for an early morning surf. He got out of Sydney's bed and walked to his own room, where he changed into swimming trunks in the half light then walked over to Jake's room and knocked on the door. When nobody answered, Cody opened the door anyway.

Jake's room was empty, and Cody frowned. He and Gabi had come home last night, hadn't they? He walked out of Jake's room and into Gabi's, expecting emptiness.

But, Gabi and Jake were both asleep on her bed him with his arms around her and her head on his chest.

"Jake," Cody muttered, walking over to his best friend. He nudged him, and Jake started. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times as Cody came into focus.
"Oh, hey," he yawned. "What's up?"

"Feel like going for a surf?" Cody asked hopefully.

"I suppose," Jake yawned. He leaned over and kissed Gabi's forehead before getting up and stretching.

"Jake?" Gabi stirred and reached out for him with her eyes barely open. He took her outstretched hand.

"Jake," Cody's eyes widened at the sight of the golden ring on Gabi's ring finger.

"Not what you think," Jake muttered to him, giving him the "I'll explain later" look. He knelt down next to Gabi, beside the bed and reached up with the hand that wasn't holding hers to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

"I'm going to go surfing with Cody, okay princess?" he asked in a low voice.

"Mhm," she nodded, snuggling deeper into the blankets.

"Maybe you and Syd can come out and meet us a little later on?"

"Okay," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Love you."

Jake kissed her forehead again and stood up.

"Love you too."

He and Cody walked out of the room, and Jake was careful to close the door for her. They stopped in Jake's room for Jake to change into a pair of swimming trunks and then started towards the beach.

"So explain the ring."

Jake laughed.

"It's a promise ring," he shrugged. "I bought it for her."

"That's actually really sweet of you, Jake," Cody sounded surprised. They walked to the little shed where they were keeping the boards. Jake pulled Cody's board out and handed it to him. Then he got his own and they started to wax them.

"She's not just another girl," Jake said as he waxed. "She's special…But you know all about that, right Codes? I went into your room last night before Gabi and I went to bed and there was a distinct lack of Cody. Spend the night with Syd?"

"I finally kissed her," Cody grinned. "It was amazing, literally the best kiss I've ever had. And the way she was smiling afterwards, I don't think I've ever seen her happier."

"You've known that girl for years," Jake straightened up. "Are you saying that was the first time you kissed her? Ever?"

"Well, yeah," Cody looked confused. "We just started dating, Jake."

"I know, but what about like dares? Or acting to scare off an ex-girlfriend? Or spin the bottle?"

Cody shook his head to each one.

"Last night was the first time?" Jake asked. "For real?"

"Yeah, I'm telling you we weren't even close tom romantic before this trip," Cody said with a laugh. "It's crazy."

They walked to the crashing surf and waded in.

"This is just like it used to be before you got all famous," Jake said as they swam out past the crashing waves. "Do you remember? Every single morning, you and I would go out before school on the Gold Coast and catch waves? We'd talk about everything that was going on, about girls and stuff?"

"I remember," Cody grinned. "How fun was that?"

"Do you miss it?" Jake blurted out, and Cody gave him a confused look as they waited for the perfect wave. "Australia, I mean?"

"Of course," Cody said. "But I visit often enough."

"Yeah, but when you do it's all meet and greets and concerts and stuff. Don't you miss just being normal?"

"I'll try not to take that offensively," Cody chuckled. He gestured out at the surf. "Check this wave, Jake."

They both stood up on their boards and caught it. They spent a good part of the morning surfing on the huge waves, until Gabi and Sydney appeared on the shore dressed in bathing suits.

"Come in before you get all pruny and gross," Sydney called out to them, and they both laughed as they rode two separate waves onto shore. Jake landed smoothly, but Cody stumbled.

"Haha," Jake pointed and laughed at him.

"Hey, I'm just a little out of practice," Cody defended himself as Sydney handed him a beach towel and he dried himself off.

"Maybe someone should spend less time singing and more time surfing, aye mate?" Jake chuckled walking over to Gabi and wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Jakey, you're all wet," Gabi wiggled away from him.

"I saw you out there," Sydney admired Cody. "Awesome, awesome job."

"See what she does?" Jake teased Gabi, poking her in the side as she and Cody kissed. "She gives him a towel, tells him he did an awesome job on the waves, and then gives him a kiss."

"Yeah, yeah," Gabi fell down onto the sand, huge sunglasses masking her eyes. "Sydney's a perfect girlfriend."

"It's true," Cody agreed, wrapping his arms around her and sitting too.

"But she didn't bring you breakfast," Gabi continued. "Did she?"

She took a picnic basket both boys failed to notice from the beach blanket and handed it to Jake.

"And that's why I love you," Jake sat down beside her and opened the basket. He grabbed the box of cereal, the bowls, and the carton of milk and poured himself a bowl of cereal then handed it to Cody.

"You girls are amazing," Cody poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"We know," Sydney laughed. She sat down on Cody's lap and he held her with one arm and ate his cereal with the other.

"I'm going to go play in the water," Gabi got up and walked across the sand.

"Wait," Jake called after her. "The waves close to shore are really huge, Boo. I almost fell like, six times."

"So I'll go further out," Gabi replied, pausing but not turning around.

"There are currents, are you sure you don't want to wait?"

"No, I'm good."

Gabi continued to walk across the sand and then got to the crashing waves. She waited for a break and then made her way through the strong current.

Jake turned back to Cody and Sydney, who were now lying on the beach blanket and talking.

"No," Cody was saying. "If we had a baby it would look way cuter with your eyes."

"No, your eyes!" Sydney giggled.

"Okay, my eyes," Cody leaned forward. "But your lips."

He found her mouth with his and started to kiss her, nibbling on her bottom lip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he tangled his fingers in her hair.

"Gross," Jake sighed, and he turned away from the happy couple. He looked back out to the ocean as he finished his cereal, and noticed that Gabi was gone.

"Gabi!" Jake stood up abruptly and ran to the water's edge, looking out for her. He saw a tangle of brown hair being tossed along through the crashing waves and waded out towards her, his heart hammering madly.

He swam out, but was knocked back by the waves. He felt something collide with him, and he reached out to hang onto her.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" he panted once she was safe in his arms. Her face was very white.

"No," she shook her head. She held up her empty hand.

"Oh no," Jake's eyes widened.

Her ring was gone.

Note: Uh-oh! Review, and take my poll if you want to find out if Gabi ever gets her ring back! Mwahahahaha! Ahem. Evil laughter doesn't suit me. :) Review, 143!