The Pier Diner
"Thank you for meeting me, I know you were busy today." Kyle says to his girlfriend as they sit towards the back of the diner.
"You know I'd drop anything for you babe." Emily smiles, taking his hand. "Is everything okay?" She asks, sensing something was off.
"I've just been feeling really down. Brax said it was best to talk to you about some things instead of keeping it to myself, so here I am." Kyle lightly smiles, briefly glancing down.
"To talk to me about what?" Emily frowns. "Ky, you're scaring me."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out, it's just… I don't want you to go to New York, but I know it's your dream job." Kyle says, not knowing how she'd react.
"I know." Emily says. "If I'm being completely honest, I don't know if I want to go either. I've made a life for myself here, I like living here. There's just so many memories that I don't know if I'm ready to let go of yet."
"They're going to fire you if you don't accept." Kyle says.
"I know. I don't want to be with a company that makes me choose them over my life here. I've got a lot of meetings with them over the next week, but hopefully something can come out of this." Emily says. "It's just a job, and there has been a lot that has happened that has made me realise it's not just about the job. It attracts creeps and gives me unwanted attention like Brent. I'm not enjoying it anymore. I want a normal life away from a camera and if they want to fire me because I won't go to New York, then so be it."
"Em, you love your job." Kyle frowns.
"I love my freedom more. Accepting this job would mean I would be dedicating my whole life to them. Things would have to change so drastically and I would be in even more of the limelight there. I don't know if I want to be on the cover of every fashion magazine for everyone to see. It scares me knowing loads of people are going to see my body and judging me for what I look like." Emily sighs.
"You look amazing, you wouldn't be unfairly judged." Kyle says.
"You don't have to go through some of the things I do. I've had other girls message me saying I need to lose more weight, I need to put more weight on, or I need to wear more makeup… It's so exhausting trying to be this 'perfect' image that satisfies everyone. I want my body to satisfy me, and I should be the only one who has a say in what I look like." Emily says. "This new modelling job would mean I would have more people telling me what I have to look like, and I'd have even more people calling me out for things. I don't want that. Can you please understand my reasonings for not taking the New York job up?"
"If you're happy with your decision, then I'm happy." Kyle smiles. "And don't listen to those girls, I don't want you to change anything, you are the definition of perfect."
"You're so cute." Emily blushes as he leans in to kiss her.
"Although you could use a different shampoo because I've never smelt coconut so overpowering." He jokes.
"Hey, I love my shampoo!" She laughs, jokingly slapping his arm. "Maybe you should use some, you might change your mind."
"Are you saying my hair's bad?"
"No, your hair is so soft and I cannot understand why." Emily says. "My hair went so bad that time I had to use your shampoo." She frowns.
"Ah, about that. Brax still doesn't know I snuck you in so try not to mention you stay sometimes." Kyle says.
"He likes me now, things might be different." Emily shrugs.
"I don't want to risk that considering I nearly had a meltdown on him earlier." Kyle says.
"Babe, what else is wrong?" Emily frowns, wanting to hear it all so she could try and help him.
Surf Club - Angelo's
"Woah, what's up with Brax?" Bianca asks, watching the eldest Braxton storming around the restaurant.
"Apparently the River Boys told Kyle he wasn't welcome here and he found out it's because they prefer Tyler. He's meeting them all soon to talk to them about it." Casey says, having come up to ask his brother something, but decided against it.
"I would not like to be them right now." Bianca lightly scoffs. "I was going to see if we could all catch up tonight but maybe I'll wait a little longer."
"Yeah, I think that would be the best thing to do." Casey, walking over to the bar with her.
"I've got to go, mind this place until Ricky or Kyle comes back." Brax says, walking off before Casey could protest.
"Aren't you in the middle of a shift?" Bianca asks.
"Nope, I finished earlier. I don't have a clue what to do here, so Ricky or Kyle better come in soon." Casey says as he walks around the bar, looking just as confused. "I get that Brax is mad about what was said to Kyle, and that's understandable, but he could have left someone else in charge."
"I'm sure it's not that hard to run things until someone comes." Bianca lightly shrugs.
"No need." Casey smiles as Ricky walks in with Kyle and Heath. "You're just in time because a disaster was going to happen if I had to do things around here."
"Why are you behind the bar?" Kyle asks.
"Brax told me to cover until one of you came up, did you not see him leave?" Casey asks.
"No, where did he go?" Ricky asks.
"Just to sort some things out, he didn't say…" Casey trails off, knowing where he was but he had a feeling Brax didn't want Kyle to know.
"Casey, where is my fiancé?" Ricky asks, seeing through it.
"He is…" Casey says, briefly glancing at Kyle before turning back to her. "He's with the River Boys." He says, Kyle turning to rush out.
"Oh no." Bianca mutters as Casey runs after him.
"What was that about?" Heath asks his wife, Ricky also wanting to know.
"I don't know the full details but apparently some of the River Boys told Kyle he wasn't welcome here with you guys. I guess that's why he's been distancing himself recently because he thought it was true." Bianca says.
"But it's not true." Heath mutters. "And I guess overhearing us talking wouldn't have made him feel any better about what he thought." He sighs.
"I don't think it would have." Bianca says.
"I was speaking to Kyle on the way here before we saw you coming up here." Ricky says, glancing at Heath. "He's also been feeling confused over his future, mainly with Emily. She was offered a permanent modelling job in New York and apparently it was her dream job. He'd just come from seeing her, she was having doubts about leaving as well."
"So what happens now?" Bianca asks.
"I'm not entirely sure, Kyle was keen on talking about whether they could convince her to go or not but she told him she wasn't interested in modelling anymore." Ricky says. "I don't think it's helped him. He just needs some reassurance from some part of his life, so I've been thinking about all of us having a barbie or something to try and make him feel included." She suggests.
"That would be great." Bianca says, glancing up at Heath.
"Yeah, there's something me and Bee want to tell people, that could be the perfect time." Heath agrees. "Why don't I go and find the boys to let them know?"
"Sure, it could keep you busy." Bianca smiles. "I could pop into Yabbie Creek to get some supplies."
"Well why don't I go with you?" Heath suggests. "It would be easier for us both to go."
"Okay." Bianca nods, standing up from the stool as Lucas walks in looking for Kyle.
"Is Tyler, Kyle and Casey downstairs?" Heath asks.
"Nope, Tyler went to do a boot camp on the beach, Casey is doing paperwork and I haven't seen Kyle." Lucas says. "Where's Kyle, I've been looking for him?"
"He's gone with Casey, so how is he down doing paperwork?" Heath frowns, now confused by it.
"I don't know, that's just where I saw him last. Tyler is definitely down on the beach, I just came from there." Lucas says.
"Right, well don't make plans for tonight. We're going to have a family barbie to cheer Kyle up, he's feeling a little down." Heath says.
"But he'll be okay?" Lucas asks. "It's nothing too serious? Is it because we feel out? I was coming to talk to him and apologise, I never wanted to upset him."
"Lucas, it will be fine. It's nothing you've done, it was the River Boys, well me as well but nothing you've done." Heath reassures. "Just be there tonight, I think it would mean a lot to him."
"Okay." Lucas lightly nods, letting them leave as he decides to help Ricky out to take his mind of things.