The atmosphere in the caravan was relaxed, yet with a hint of apprehension. Kirsty woke early, to avoid Kane, still fast asleep on the sofa. She looked at him a moment. He seemed so peaceful now; she wasn't sure how she could be so angry with him. Perhaps she was jealous; Kirsty wasn't the loose, pouting machine that was Jayne. She was still young, as everyone kept telling her, so of course she couldn't make her own decisions, or say anything that made sense. She was supposed to do as she was told, fall in love with the right people, go to school and do all the mindless things Everybody Else did. Like Jade. Kirsty left for work, unsure of what the future held for her. Sitting on the veranda of the Moore household, was Jayne, painting her toenails a fierce red. Kirsty approached her.
"Morning Kirsty, Kane awake yet?" asked Jayne seemingly innocent.
"Listen Jayne, just stay away from my boyfriend." Kirsty snapped. She hate this naive persona Jayne kept emitting.
"Boyfriend. Are you sure? My boyfriends never slept on the sofa, " remarked Jayne. "Oh I'm sorry, you're only young. You don't share beds do you? Does he tuck you in and give you a kiss before bedtime?"
"Just shut your mouth!" Kirsty walked off, leaving Jayne smiling in triumph. So the happy couple weren't so happy? That left Kane hers for the taking.
***
Kane woke up some time later. He went to the bedroom, seeing that Kirsty wasn't there. He threw himself on the bed. He could smell her scent. He had to make it up to her, tell her he loved her. Tonight. He was going to cook her something. Their first real romantic meal together. He loved her too much to let her slip away.
***
Work was exhausting for Kirsty. She got there early, and intended to leave late, to avoid Kane before he went to work. After serving some teenagers, she realised what she was giving up. Her childhood. Would she be working here for the rest of her life? Serving the same types of people, just with different faces, day in day out? Would she ever see her family again; Jade, her twin, who she was so close to? Then she remembered. What she'd done to them, what she was doing to them now. She'd chosen Kane over them. Whether it was the right or wrong choice, she was still deciding.
After eight hours standing on her feet, Kirsty was in a hurry to get to the hovel she called home. Work was taking it's toll on Kirsty, she could have fell asleep right on the entrance to the caravan park. She opened the caravan with her key, and the sight she saw made her stand rooted to the spot. Jayne. In her caravan. With Kane.
Kane was shocked at Kirsty's sudden appearance. He knew she'd get the wrong idea; he wasn't even sure what the right idea was. Jayne had let herself into the caravan, with the spare key her family kept, spouting some bull about their attraction. Kane tried to get her to leave politely, but to no avail. Jayne was persistent, seeing the dinner for two laid out, as an invitation to stay. Kane tried to explain to Kirsty but it was too late. Kirsty darted into the bedroom and locked the door.
"Kirsty!" Kane shouted. "Jayne, just get out!" Kane didn't want to resort to violence. He hoped his tone of voice was enough. Jayne left, skulking outside to listen to the action.
"You made her dinner. I'm sorry I interrupted your cosy affair, "Kirsty shouted through the door.
"You didn't, that dinner was for you Kirst."
"That's easy to say now she's gone." Kane paused. He didn't know how to handle this. Kirsty, driven by jealousy was hastily packing her clothes into her bag. She opened the door. "I'm leaving."
"You're leaving?! Where'ya gonna go?"
"Home." Kirsty left the caravan, shooting a dirty look at Jayne. If only looks could kill. Kirsty continued to walk, out of the caravan park, onto the main road. Jayne halted Kane.
"Wait Kane, you don't need her now. Look, she'd just a kid. Running away when the going gets tough."
"I'm going after her, just leave me alone!" Kane's frustrated tone reminded him of when he tried to talk to the Sutherlands. They didn't listen. Things like this happen when you don't listen. Kane got into his car, and proceeded to follow Kirsty. She was a fast runner. He wound down his window and shouted.
"Kirsty come back, how you gonna get home?"
"I don't care. Just like you, "shouted Kirsty.
"I do care." I've always cared, began Kane. "From the second we were shipwrecked together, I just wanted to protect you, but I knew you hated me. Because of my past. A past that I'm finding hard to erase from peoples minds. You've forgiven me Kirst, and through that I've realised that maybe I can be happy. I've realised that not everyone hates me, and that someone like me can be loved. And I've also realised that I can love. I love you Kirsty." Kirsty froze. He hadn't said that before. He must mean it now.
"And Jayne?"
"Jayne, I don't even like Jayne Kirst, and I sure as hell couldn't love her. I love you Kirst, so please just get in the car and come back home with me."
Kirsty ran back to Kane in his car. They kissed zealously, a kiss more intense than either of them had shared. They broke apart. Kirsty smiled.
"Let's never fight again." She curled up to him.
"That's a promise," whispered Kane into her ear.
***
Meanwhile, at the Sutherlands, the atmosphere was anything but calm. Shelley waited anxiously by the phone, prepared for another night of silence. Rhys brooded alone, as did Jade, both with equal amounts of growing anger towards Kirsty. Dani also felt anger, but towards herself for not noticing Kirsty's depression. She was so wrapped up in her own life. How could she? All she ever said to Kirsty were remarks about her troubled past; she never once listened or comforted her. Dani sobbed, Shelley watching her helplessly. Finally Rhys snapped. He stormed downstairs.
"I'm sick of this waiting, I'm going to find my daughter."
"Rhys, no, it's too late, " pleaded Shelley.
"That's what the police are probably thinking. I'm gonna drive round towns, put up posters, ask people. Why hasn't she phoned?" Shelley couldn't answer that. She felt like she didn't know her own daughter anymore. Nobody did. Kirsty had made her choice, and that was with Kane.