Author's Note: Ok, I was watching Phil of the Future Friday night (July 16) (guest-staring the very talented Kay Panabaker – it was fun to see her in a different role, granted the show is a bit goofy) at midnight and I was just starting to doze off during a commercial break when I heard a farmiliar voice. I thought I was gonna die—It was Jesse McCartney's Stuck in the Suburbs video! If people hadn't been in bed already, I think I might have done some of that ridiculous ear-splitting screaming that the girls did in the movie. As it was, I'm pretty sure I did one of those little girly squeal things—which I am not very proud of, LOL. Anywho, I haven't really thought about how I want to lead into what's gonna happen in future chapters…sooooo—without further adieu, here goes…just remember—you've been duly warned, hehe.
July 17, 2004
Author's Note: August 7, 2004 - Ok, yeah, I know this is waaaaayyy off the mark of when I said I'd try to have updates, and I am very sorry. My muses decided to go on vaca while I was out 'relaxing' in the 104-degree weather and they haven't been too happy about coming back. So, anyway, here's the next chapter. More chapters hopefully coming soon. Hope y'all enjoy this!
Disclaimer: I do not own Summerland, any related characters, or any places mentioned in the show.
Your Beautiful Soul
Chapter 9
Maggie tripped lightly down the steps to Ricochet Bay, shading her eyes to the sun. Spotting Bradin gliding effortlessly over the waves on his red surfboard, she smiled to herself. How had she fallen for a guy in just a matter of days? Fallen hard and fast.
She had to pick her way carefully through the large holiday crowd, narrowly escaping a whizzing Frisbee and sidestepping quickly to avoid two small children running practically under her feet. Stooping to scoop up Bradin's things, she shaded her eyes again to try to find him. She couldn't help smiling again as she picked out his lithe form, balancing easily on the surf.
"Hey baby," Bradin kissed her after riding to shore on a wave. "How was I?"
"A little salty for my taste." She licked her lips and grinned at him.
"Yeah? Well, sorry," he laughed, sliding his free arm around her waist and kissing her neck.
"Bradin, quit." Maggie shoved him playfully, then said, "Here—take your stuff."
Bradin carelessly shrugged into the dark green shirt, leaving it unbuttoned, allowing it to flap in the light breeze wafting up from the water, then slid his feet into the black flip-flops Maggie had dropped in front of him. "Ready for the barbecue?"
"Not really, but I doubt I have a choice." She smiled. "Had a big lunch at my brother's girlfriend's family reunion, but I suppose I can force down a burger."
"You better, 'cause Derrick's been talking about how he's going to make you one of his special burgers."
"Why does that scare me?"
"Because you're sane." Bradin looked at her with a grin.
"Oh, thank you, you're so kind," she said.
As they picked their way along the boardwalk, Maggie's mind wandered as freely as the white and gray gulls sailing far above her in the pristine blue of the summer sky. She'd know Bradin—for what? —three?—four days? She'd already met his family and they had seemed to like her well enough, though it hadn't hurt to know Jay to liquefy what sparse ice there was.
Smiling to herself, she mused, It feels like I've got my whole family back! She loved the feeling, for just having an older brother got annoying after a while. Though she loved him dearly and wouldn't trade him for the world, Kyle was always off at surfing competitions—at least during the summer—for a week at a time, leaving her home alone with rarely anything to do and every other waking minute—when he wasn't surfing—he worked. To drive the point home yet again, he had arrived home late the night before, just to flop on his bed and sleep till practically noon. They'd been alone to catch up a total of fifteen minutes before Kyle's girlfriend, Carrie, had stopped to pick them up. Maggie had no grudge against either, for in the end it wasn't anyone's fault; she even liked Carrie. She was the type of girl you could almost instantly get along with, a little shy perhaps, but witty and polite; and Brazilian to no end—complete with perfectly golden skin, dark flowing hair, dark eyes, and a bright smile.
Bradin and Maggie had just started up toward the beach house when Bradin spotted Nikki and Cameron on the near side of a boulder, holding hands and laughing over some joke unbeknownst to him. "That's my sister Nikki," he pointed the brunette girl out. "And that's her boyfriend Cameron."
"Ah," Maggie nodded knowingly.
Cameron caught sight of them and he and Nikki waved. Bradin returned the greeting then led Maggie forward to the house.
"I'll be back in a minute." Bradin kissed her quickly and headed for his room.
"And I'll be right here." She sat down on the couch next to Derrick. "Hey, how's it goin'?"
He shrugged, closed the book he'd been flipping through, and looked at her.
"What kind of attitude is that for the 4th of July?" she asked.
"None I guess, but it's not a very good 4th of July." Derrick put his thumb against the side of the book and bent it lightly to allow the pages to escape from his grasp and make a whirring sound.
"And why's that?"
"Because Nikki has Cameron and Bradin has you, but I don't have anyone to hang out with because Martha is in Arizona for the weekend." He frowned and set the book down on the coffee table.
"You could hang with Bradin and me tonight," she offered. There was something about Derrick that caught at her. Perhaps it was his sweet innocence or maybe it was that she'd always wanted a younger sibling. Whatever it was, she liked it.
"Nah, I wouldn't want to ruin your night."
"You wouldn't ruin anything." At his doubtful expression, she smiled and added excitedly, "Hey, you know what might be fun?"
Derrick shook his head quickly, intrigue evident on his face.
"Maybe we could convince Aunt Ava to let us sleep out under the stars tonight. I did it with my cousins almost every 4th of July when I was younger."
"Yeah!" Derrick smiled happily, popping up from the couch. "I'll go ask Aunt Ava."
"What are we planning?" Bradin asked from right behind her, causing her to jump.
"Nothin' much, just trying to get Derrick's spirits back up," she told him as he hoisted himself over the back of the couch and landed next to her with a bounce.
"Happy birthday," he said, holding out a thin square package wrapped in silver paper.
Maggie took it slowly from his hand, suspicion on her face. "Nobody's going to jump out and yell 'surprise,' are they?"
"No. I don't think anyone knows it's your birthday, except maybe Jay, but I don't know." Bradin slung his arm over her shoulders.
"He knows it, I just don't think he'd remember," she smiled as she carefully removed the paper. Unveiling the present, she held it up. "It's an empty CD case."
"Look inside," he prompted her.
"A coupon, huh? 'Good for one CD of your choice.' Cool."
"I would have actually gotten you a CD, but by the time I found out it was your birthday today, I didn't have time to go out and of course today's a holiday so nothing's open," he explained.
"Thank you, Bradin," she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Ready to eat?" Johnny asked, sticking his head through the door to the patio.
"Yeah, coming," Bradin answered, glancing at Maggie.
She flashed him a bright smile, then popped up from the couch. "I'm famished, aren't you?"
Bradin laughed and watched as she walked toward the door, then stood and jogged across the room to catch up with her. As they stepped outside, Derrick hurried over from the grill where he'd been talking to his aunt.
"Maggie—Maggie!" he shouted, "Aunt Ava said we could! Nik and Cam might stay out, too."
"Cool," she smiled warmly as he skipped off happily.
"What are we doing?" Bradin questioned leading her toward the food table.
"I told him to ask if we could stay out under the stars tonight. He seemed kinda sad, so I thought it might cheer him up. My cousins and I used to do it every 4th of July, though I've never slept outside near the ocean." She took the plate Bradin handed her. "Thanks."