(A/N: Thank you, third reviewer.  I think I have more fun writing the story than people do reading it.  Anyway, this is Chapter 6.  Guess who are showing up this chapter?  Read to find out.)

Chapter 6: Unexpected Visitor

Splashing someone is fun.  Playing tag in the water is fun.  Lying on the sand and taking naps are fun.  Being poked by Van is not fun.

I groaned after being awakened early from my nap.  SOMEBODY can't seem to keep his hands to himself.  Oh, well it looks like the daily crowd of bored girls and guys are about to ravage the beach, so Van wants to hide.  Come on, take it like a man, Van!  Don't let some obsessed fans get to you.

I must admit, the corner that we both squeezed into was a bit uncomfortable.  I was sitting awfully close to Van…so close that I could feel his breath.  Wow…just to think that a few days ago this act would have made me faint with happiness.  Now that I knew his true self, no cuddling was going to cause me to swoon anymore…

Well, at least not as much.  I could have been blushing, but I also could have been hot.  For all I know, I was red.  I felt sweaty, I felt dry, and I just wanted to scream.  As the people finally distracted themselves with games of beach volleyball, sandcastle building, swimming, etc., I was finally able to shift a bit.  And I found the perfect spy hole.

Not that I actually was going to learn anything quite important.  No illegal acts, crimes, or important transactions would happen on a beach.  But I could see a couple heavily making out (GROSS!), two girls raving about how hot Glenn was, and another kid ready to dump a pail of sand on his buddy's head.  So absorbed that I was in watching that I didn't expect my body to suddenly jerk backwards from the hand of a curious Van.

"Hey what are you looking at…eww!  I thought you said I was perverted!" exclaimed Van as he took a peak through the hole.  I guess he saw the couple or something else…

"I didn't expect you to be one looking at porn," added Van.  Porn?  "A naked guy?  Come on, Mel.  He doesn't even look half as good as me."

I easily smacked him in the face.  "Naked guy?  He probably was there posing for you, because I didn't see no naked guys," I replied.  "Maybe he was trying to appeal to your gay side," I joked.

"Gay side?  Are you accusing me of being homosexual?" said Van incredulously.  I laughed at him.  His face was so flushed from our verbal war, and I knew he was thinking that I found his "gayness" to be funny.  Of course that wasn't the case.  I swear that pounds of ice could not possibly cool down that face of his.

"No…" I said, dragging the word out a bit.  "But some guys think that you might like men."  I thought of those men in Arni and giggled harder.  I think the two of us were too loud by then, and the couple who had been on the other side of the rock had discovered us and moved.  Well good for them.  Get a room, for the sake of innocent kids (or adults)!  We don't need to watch you guys kiss each other!

"How about we stop talking about this?" said Van as I was still laughing.  I ignored him.

"Van's gay, Van's gay," I whispered, pretending to gossip.  He chased me behind the rocks.  I ran out to the ocean and swam between some people.  They seemed annoyed, but I didn't care.  Van wouldn't dare to come out here…

And I was right.  Jeez, his desire for anonymity overrides his desire to smack me.  It must suck to be him…  I think I would have chosen the latter, but then I don't have crazy fans chasing me around.

Plus he had Rhonda and me to smack him everyday.  Poor Van.

*****

We spent another few hours or so later that day sketching some more.  Well, after I changed and had an early dinner.  The sunset was just as magnificent as the sunrise, but unfortunately it was shared by more people than the sunrise had been.  I mean, can't people think of another place or time to have romantic outings?  I felt like the odd one out, the only person other than Van not engaged in deep make out sessions or romantic blabber.  Not that I would be doing that with Van anyway…

I finally started using the color pencils.  Despite minutes of shading, it was hard to tell that the paper had been colored on at all.  I guess that would eliminate the use of the eraser, which would leave ugly smear marks on the paper.  Plus it was probably some kind of exercise in patience, which I was about to rebel against.  Maybe this was the reason Van was so boring…

"Hey, I heard that!" said Van from behind me.  "That was low, you know."

"Pff, whatever," I muttered.  "You know it is the truth."  He was going to smack me, but I had the pencil to protect me.  As long as I was still working on my picture, he wouldn't touch me, right?  He's not going to screw up my first picture by somehow disorienting me and making me draw stray lines.  He's supposed to be able to sell Mel Hineka's first picture because it is so good…

Suddenly my pencil was taken away from me and my paper seized by Van's hands.  I was surprised by the act, and immediately tried to scramble to my feet.  Van's hands, though, stopped me.

"Relax.  Let me give you a back massage.  It's probably sore from all this sitting and squatting that we've been doing," said Van gently, putting his hands on my back.  It felt weird at first, with his hands tentatively tracing patterns on my back.  Soon his hands were at work, and I could feel all the knots in my back disappear.  Wow, I never thought that he could be a good back massager!  Anyway, after he finished, I ordered him to lay flat.  I would give him a massage, because he really needed one.

"Uhh…" moaned Van as I dug my fingers into his skin.  Man, this guy was tight!  No, I'm not implying anything dirty, thank you very much.  Anyway, he better thank me for this, or else…

"Ahh, thanks Mel," he said as he got back on his feet.  "It's pretty late right now.  Why don't we get some rest now and head back to Termina tomorrow?"

"Good idea," I yawned.  Okay, it was now twinkling with stars.  I estimated that it was about 8 or 9 o'clock from the position of the moon and the lack of people around us.  Well, if they were making out now, at least I wouldn't have to see them.  Who cared if I didn't usually go to bed this early?  I was tired.  This time I headed for my bag and unraveled my blanket.  It was pretty cold right now, and I suspected that it would get colder later.

"Here," said Van a few seconds before a blanket covered me.  I guess he was going to sleep next to me and share the blankets.  Not that I minded it.  I would do many things when I was cold, and sharing a blanket with a crazy guy named Van would be included in that list.  He wasn't that bad…

Anyway, I didn't spend much time thinking about that topic.  I must have been tired, because in a few minutes I was fast asleep.

*****

What's this?  Someone's hugging me to death and I can barely breathe!  Who is it…Van?  Jeez, I almost had a heart attack.  What's he doing, squeezing me to death in the first place?  Too bad he's still sound asleep, or I would have asked him these questions.  Meanwhile, I slowly pried his arms from my waist and proceeded to scour my bag for something breakfast-worthy.  I guess a sandwich would work, but what one?  I finally was able to locate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Unfortunately it was really flattened by the other stuff in my bag, but at least I had the sandwich.

Van was still asleep even after I finished my sandwich.  I guess he was tired.  Now I was bored.  I couldn't leave him here, so that ruled out swimming.  I was horrible at building things, so I wouldn't be making sandcastles.  It was still too dark to work on my picture, so that left me with going back to sleep, eating more, or staring at something.  Since I was strangely not tired and not hungry, I ended up staring at Van.  And thinking about everything that had occurred these past few days…

He sure had changed.  I mean, from that first meeting that assumed that I was some kind of dumb fan girl to the childish games and the word wars.  And then yesterday's statement with the swimsuit, and the comment about me being "as wild as the sea".  I was, in truth, confused.  Then with the massages and the grip he held me in this morning as if he didn't want me to leave.  Was he starting to like me?  Did I like him?  I think I like him, but who knows.  I'm only 14; I don't know a thing about liking people or being in love…  I guess I may be romantic…being so obsessed with Van.  Well, at least until I met him.

I guess I had always envisioned Van to be the perfect prince, with manners, sophistication, and selflessness.  But instead I meet this crazy guy who is cowardly, crazy, selfish, and mean.  Strange enough, I think that this way is better.  I wouldn't deserve a perfect prince anyway.

As I stared at Van, I watched as the wind ruffled his hair, blowing the long bangs over his closed eyes.  He sleeps lightly, the sounds of his breathing covered by the crash of the waves against the shore.  For a moment I wished to touch his hair, but I resisted.  Because I knew that if I did, he would have woken up.  Then a few seconds later, he opened his eyes slowly, rubbing them and noticing I was not sleeping next to him anymore.

"Mel?" he murmured sleepily, kicking the blankets off him.  "Oh, there you are.  Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah.  I guess you can eat and then we can head back now," I replied.  I didn't really feel like talking now.  I guess when it is just two of you on a silent beach it feels awkward to make lots of noise.  Oh well.  I waited for him to wolf down his sandwich before we headed out.  Of course I was forced to roll up the blankets and squeeze them into Van's monstrous bag.  It looked bigger than before.  Probably this means that I lack skills in packing, which is true.

It was now time to trample over the Sand Squirts again.  How fun.

*****

"We're almost there!" I exclaim as we reach Fossil Valley once again.  It was late afternoon and I was glad that we were so close to Termina.  Perhaps we would be able to make it back to Van's home in time for a hot supper cooked by Rhonda.

Van replied, "Yes we are."  Then as we continued walking, we saw a few geologists still at the fossil sites.  "You would think they would go home for once."

"Yeah," I replied.  Then I noticed a guy coming down from one of the cliffs with a Bellflower in his hand.  He definitely was hot…hotter than Van by a million times!  Well, not really a million times, but definitely had the gentlemanly air that Van lacked.  I mean, look at the way he holds the flower.  It's put gently with the thumb and index finger of his left hand.  He walked toward us, and I notice his brownish gear that matched his hair.

"Hello.  What are you two doing here so late in the afternoon?" he asked with a smile.  His voice was smooth like one of a knight.  He probably attracts lots of women, I think.

"We're returning home," replied Van in a fairly warm voice.  I guess he's becoming more sociable, but I'm not positive.  "What about you?"

"Oh, I am about to return home as well.  After I put a Bellflower on my father's grave, though," he answered.  He looked at me and smiled.  "What a lovely lady.  Take good care of her, young one, and she will be good to you."

Van blushed.  "Uh, sir, she's not my girlfriend," he stammered.  It was quite funny how red his face was.  The older man chuckled a bit, but I didn't feel like embarrassing Van further, so I suppressed mine.

"Well, anyway return home soon.  She looks like she is eager to have supper," the man finally said.  He began to walk towards Termina.  He took long and confident strides forward, unhampered by the terrain.

Too bad I didn't look as cool as he did.  Neither of us had fun sliding down the rocky slopes that led us to Termina.  Though at least it was only for a short distance.

*****

"Now we're finally in Termina.  Care to race to my house?" said Van with a grin.  I just groaned.  Man, this guy has high energy at the wrong times!  How can he be so energetic now, after a whole day of travelling?

He laughed at me.  "We should take trips like this more often.  Then you'll be a great athlete," joked Van.  He flexed his pretty non-existent muscles of his arms.  "I bet you can't match that."

"Whatever," I mumbled.  "Let's go, then.  As in walk home," I said, emphasizing "walk".  So Van decides "walk" becomes "brisk walk".  I almost have to run to keep up with him.

"Whoa…look at that!" exclaimed Van, though in a restrained voice.  Up on the bridge a man with reddish hair and a woman with orange hair in long pigtails are kissing, completely lost in each other.  The man looked strangely familiar, and so did the woman…wait…had I seen them on a poster before?  Were these two Nikki and Miki?  He had that black streak in his hair, and she had that tiara on her head.  Wow, I can start some gossip now!  Not that I actually care, though witnessing celebrities kissing each other out in the open is not the most common scene.  Van and I agreed to walk quietly past them so that they can be uninterrupted in their romantic moment.  I guess maybe Van might be a bit romantic himself, or a little considerate.  Whichever one it was, it was something new.

Reaching Van's house, we both hear shouts from the kitchen.  I look carefully into the window, seeing Rhonda and…Korcha?  What the heck was he doing here?

"Eat, boy!  They won't be back until later, so eat now.  Why reject free food anyway?"

"You must promise me that Mel will come home with me first!" shouted my brother, refusing a spoon that was shoved towards his mouth.  Rhonda shook her head.

"I can't do that.  Do you even think about what Mel feels?  Maybe she doesn't want to go back," replied Rhonda in an even louder voice. 

I don't even think about Van before barging inside the house and into the kitchen.  I immediately ran up to Korcha and hugged him, to the surprise of everyone.  Then I punched him.

"Korcha…" I started, but he put a hand over my mouth.  I guess while I was preoccupied with Korcha, Van walked in.  Korcha glared at him, and Van glared back.  It looked quite stupid, and suddenly I began to laugh.

"What's funny?" grumbled Korcha, taking his hand off my mouth.

"You guys look so stupid.  Anyway," I said, putting my hand now over his mouth, "let me just say that I want to stay here for now, okay?"  I kept my hand over his mouth, not allowing him to interrupt, and continued.  "Van has been kind enough to offer to teach me art for free as long as I help with chores.  I think that's a good idea because you and Ma won't need to feed me or provide shelter for me.  Meanwhile, I get experience in art."

"But Mel…" said Korcha when I finally allowed him to speak.  "Ma says…"

"I'll come and visit often, alright?  I was mad at you two for a while, but now I realized that it was pretty stupid," I interrupted.  I looked to Van and asked, "Could I visit Guldove tomorrow?"

"Sure," said Van.  He probably didn't care, so long as this brother of mine wasn't going to tear him to pieces.  My brother was protective, I guess.

Then Rhonda gave a great suggestion.  "Why don't you go with Mel and Korcha to Guldove tomorrow?" she suggested to Van.  "You'll get to meet Mel's mother and clear everything up while you're at it.  And Mel," she said, turning to me, "you can have a free day tomorrow."

I yelped in excitement.  Then turning to Korcha, Rhonda finally said, "Why don't you stay here for the night.  It's too late to head back."

Korcha mumbled in agreement before following Rhonda to another room.  I just looked at Van for a while, before I mumbled, "Goodnight."

Before I left the kitchen, I took one glance backward.  Van was totally staring into space.  Well I guess he has much to think about.  I, on the other hand, am tired and ready to sleep on my white fluffy bed.

(A/N:  It's done.  Very pointless chapter except for the end.  I hoped you enjoyed it anyway.)