A/N: whoa! people still read this fan fic?? i thought this was a lost cause! i've been getting less and less reviews! =( anyway, i've updated for those people who've stuck around to see how this one ends. i've been hesitant in posting all the new chapters one by one, so please bear with me and my lateness. i've decided to post a whole load of chapters, hoping it'll be suffice for the next four weeks that i'll be away on vacation. mmm... sunshine and tropical beaches.. i'm all set to go!! thanks again to all you wonderful people who've taken time out of their day to read my not- so-wonderful fan fic. heh. =) enjoy!

p.s. PLEASE review after you read. i'm only going to continue writing if i know at least a few people will be reading. so just leave a quick note, if you want me to continue after these chapters! thanks guys!

CHAPTER TEN – Dexter

I leaned back in my beach chair and sighed. Another gorgeous day at the beach. The sun was shining and sky was a cloudless bright blue.

I closed my eyes and my thoughts wandered off as I began to think about the events that transpired last night at the pier. We played a couple more games at the arcade and all decided to go on a few rides afterwards. I think we all had a terrific time.

Thankfully, there was no more awkwardness between me and Byron. That made the whole night a billion times better. I think we established the fact that we'll always be friends – so whatever happens next (if anything ever does happen) will be up to us... or fate, whichever way you want to put it.

I was all giggly the whole night, as we both kept sneaking glances and smiles at each other. On the Ferris Wheel ride, he asked if he could sit next to me, I stuttered a surprised "Sure."

I know what you're expecting – that rides on a Ferris Wheel are always uber- romantic, like they make it so in romantic chick flicks or TV shows. Boy, you couldn't be more wrong that night. With Craig and Adam in the seat below us making rude farting noises every 10 seconds, any thoughts of a romantic notion was definitely out. Instead, we spent the whole ride laughing, as he told me all the other stupid and crazy pranks him and his brothers had pulled over the years.

I smiled, remembering back.

"Hey, what's so funny?" I opened my eyes and saw Byron walking towards me, dripping wet.

"Your face," I said with a smirk, as I threw him his towel. He chuckled and caught the towel with one hand.

"Not one of your best come-backs, but I'll take it." He sat down in the beach chair next to me and started wiping himself off. "Adam and Craig are still goofing off in the water. Where'd everyone else go?"

"Um, Becca and Jordan are off somewhere together. And I think the girls went off to scout for cute lifeguards." Byron laughed as he put a shirt on over his swimming trunks.

"Uh-huh. And how come you're not off with them?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I grinned.

"Lifeguard's aren't my type," I replied simply.

"Oh yeah? So what is your type?" he asked, smiling.

"Why so interested, Byron?" I grinned wider. He looked slightly taken aback.

"Uh – for future reference," he replied. I nodded slowly and got all giddy inside again. I tried hard to suppress it, so that I wouldn't look like such an air head.

Byron suddenly stood up and stuck his hand out. I looked at him inquiringly.

"I want to show you something," he said, smiling. Even though I was confused, I trusted him. So I tentatively took his hand and he pulled me up slowly. Still hand in hand, we walked across the sand, away from the shore.

It was good that I was wearing my flip flops, along with a shirt and a pair of shorts over my bikini -- or else I would've been very self-conscious. We passed people on the crowded sidewalk as we walked to practically the other side of the town. I kept asking where we were going, but Byron just smiled mysteriously.

After a few minutes, we stepped off the asphalt and onto sand again. We rounded the corner and I finally understood where he'd taken me.

"This was the place you told me about," I breathed. It was gorgeous. The water was so calm and serene. Small ripples replaced the waves that crashed and foamed on the shore of the beach. It was also practically empty of people. The only ones I saw for miles was an older couple walking their dog. Very much unlike the over-crowded beach where we had come from.

"Yeah. It's nice, huh?" Byron let go of my hand and waded in the water to his knees. I followed him, taking off my flip flops. "The water's all calm because it's the bay area of Sea City. You see that?" he asked, pointing. I shielded my eyes from the bright sun and gazed across the water to where he was pointing. "You can see the rest of New Jersey."

"Oh, cool. This is so nice."

"Yeah?" He turned and faced me.

"Yeah." I replied softly, looking in his eyes. "Thank you for taking me out here." I felt like I had gotten such a huge honour that he took me to this place. It was like he was sharing a secret place that no one else really knew about, something that was so personal to him.

So there we were, gazing into each others eyes. I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't dying for him to kiss me right at that moment. Maybe mental telepathy really does works, because he reached up and gently pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Then he started to lean his head slowly forward, our lips only inches apart. I closed my eyes – and then got splashed!

I jumped away and shrieked as the water seeped through my shirt.

I was confused for a quick second and then heard loud barking. I looked down and saw this large German Shepherd jumping around, disturbing the calm water. Byron and I looked at each other and laughed. We were completely drenched.

"Dexter! Dexter! Come 'ere boy!" I heard a male voice shouting. The dog perked up his ears and turned back around. I looked up and saw the couple I had seen earlier. They both gave us apologetic looks as they approached us.

"We're so sorry. We looked away for a second and he got out of his leash," the woman explained, trying to fit the leash around the dog's neck.

"It's okay," Byron replied, smiling.

"I hope we didn't ruin anything," the guy said, grinning back knowingly. Byron and I both blushed and looked away. The woman gently slapped him.

"Now why would you go and say something idiotic like that?" she scolded him and then turned to us. "Again, we're very sorry. I hope that somehow we can make it up to you. You're sopping wet!"

"No, we're okay. There's no need, ma'am," I replied sincerely.

"Yeah, really," Byron piped up.

"Okay – only if you're sure," she said, hesitantly. "Well, we'll see you kids around then." With a wave, they continued off down the shore.

"Should we head on back?" Byron asked, looking down at his wet shirt. I laughed. A ruined romantic moment – how fabulous.

We waded to the shore and I reached down to put my flip flops back on. We started to head back to the beach and walking side by side, Byron gently reached over and curled his fingers around mine. I looked up at him and smiled. Maybe the romantic moment wasn't totally ruined, after all.