Dancing in the Rain

Disclaimer: Hey guys! I do not own the cast of Summerland, or the original story line behind Summerland. I do, however, own ALL the fictional characters and the fictional story line I add to the story. I also own the title, Dancing in the Rain. NO STEALING!!! Thanks!

Chapter 4

Gabbie turned abruptly to where Bradin was standing. He looked from Gabbie and then back to Noah again. "Guys...tell me what?" Bradin sighed. Noah looked up at Gabbie and walked towards his friend. He patted his back and pulled him inside with him. Gabbie sighed and closed her eyes. She knew what was coming. She knew Bradin was going to be hurt. She sighed and walked down to the edge of the water.

"Gabbie?" She heard someone behind her. She smiled when she recognized Daisy's voice. She looked over at her friend. "Hey! How are you feeling? We were worried about you after the game. You always wanna go out with us after," Daisy smiled at her friend. Gabbie sighed and watched the rolling waves.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Gabbie shrugged and smiled. "I think I just needed a little space and air for a little while. I mean, you know, with my dad and all--" she cut herself off and looked over at Daisy. Her friend was fully believing her. SHe couldn't lie to Daisy...Daisy of all people. "No...that's not the truth." Gabbie muttered.

"Gabs?" Daisy frowned, confused. Daisy watched as Gabbie teared up and continued to look down at the sand. More softly, she said, "Gabbie...what's going on? You can tell me anything...you know that." She frowned. She watched her friend carelessly wipe at her eyes.

"Noah had me follow Callie after today's volleyball match. He knew she was up to something, and he didn't want Bradin to get hurt. Me and Noah are tight...you know that. So...I followed her. I, too, wanted to know what she was up to. I followed her to the coffee place down a ways and watched as she kissed some other guy," Gabbie sighed and looked out over the clear, crystal ocean. "Callie saw me and headed out to talk to me. I got really mad at her and yelled at her. She didn't want me to tell Bradin...but that's exactly why I was going."

"I can't believe Callie!! We always thought--"

"Well, we always thought wrong," Gabbie cut her off and continued to watch the waves crash. That was until she heard a door slam behind them. She turned to see Bradin sprinting through the sand. It only made Gabbie sadder. "Bradin! Wait!" She yelled and bolted up from the sand, leaving Daisy behind. "Bradin!" She called, once more, catching up to him, now. He turned around and Gabbie saw the tears rolling down his face. She didn't know what to say.

"What?" Bradin yelled. "You followed Callie, got the information you needed...now what?" He yelled. Gabbie was taken back by how he was speaking to her...but yet, she didn't blame him.

"Listen, I'm sorry," Gabbie said as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. "Callie was one of my best friends...do you think that this didn't hurt me, either? Sure, I wasn't dating her...but I loved her. I trusted her, most of all. I thought she was a saint. I always looked up to her for ideas on how I should be or become. She was always so free and open. She wouldn't ever hold back. She didn't want to be popular or the girl every guy fantasized over. She was just...Callie," Gabbie began to preach. "And now I don't think I ever knew the real Callie and that kills me, alone. I don't have that 'role model' anymore. I don't have that friend. So, I'm sorry for affecting your life the way I did, but I don't think you could ever understand how it feels to lose a best friend." Gabbie turned back around and began to walk back to where Daisy was now standing, talking to Noah.

"Wait," she heard Bradin call from behind her. She turned and looked at him. "I do know what it feels like to lose a friend. I don't have any girl friends here and I don't really have someone to talk to about this. Noah and Lucas haven't ever gone through something like this, and there's no way I'd ever turn to Tanner. It sounds like you know exactly what I'm going through...maybe not with a girlfriend, but a friend and someone close to you. So...if you ever wanna talk..." he shrugged and kicked at the sand. His green eyes soon found her brown eyes. He watched as a smile formed over her pink lips.

"I'd like that," Gabbie nodded. Bradin couldn't find the energy to smile. He just nodded and turned back around. Gabbie watched as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked down the beach to his home. When he was gone...Gabbie sighed and turned around. She realized that both Noah and Daisy had disappeared, so she went inside to get some rest.

Back with the Westerlys

"Cameron and I went to the beach today," Nikki Westerly smiled brightly as she passed the bowl of potato salad to her older brother. Bradin stared blankly at the glass bowl in front of his face. Nikki shook the bowl slightly to try and catch Bradin's attention. She cleared her throat when he didn't budge. "Bradin!" She exclaimed. His eyes opened wider and he jumped slightly. "Do you want the potato salad?" Nikki frowned.

"U-Uh...no..." Bradin shook his head slightly and passed the bowl on to Johnny Durant, a roommate of his aunt's.

"Bradin, you okay?" Johnny frowned suspiciously as he took the bowl and scooped some of the salad on his plate. He continued to pass the bowl down the line. He watched the teenager shrug him off and stare down at his plate. Johnny knew there was something wrong. It wasn't like Bradin to just mope around like this...unless he was having some kind of a problem.

"I'm just not hungry. Sorry, Aunt Ava. Can I just be excused?" Bradin sighed and looked up at his aunt. Ava Gregory could see the pain in Bradin's eyes. She nodded and watched as her nephew made his way from the table and upstairs. She listened as he closed his bedroom door.

"Johnny, follow him. Go ask him what's bothering him," Ava sighed softly so Bradin wouldn't hear. She dished herself some of the potato salad that had made it's way to her side of the table. "He doesn't like talking to me...I'm his aunt...I'm not like a friend. He thinks of you and Jay as his friends." Ava sighed once more and glanced at the stairs with worry written all over her face.

"Okay," Johnny sighed. He could see the fear in Ava's eyes. He'd never forget the time that she found out that he and Jay had given Bradin condoms for 'safety purposes'. He made his way upstairs, only to see Bradin on his bed in tears.

A/N: Ahhh! It has been soooo long! Sorry guys, it has taken me absolutely forever to get this chapter out. I have been so busy lately and so I finally got around to finishing it. Send feedback! I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sooner than later! Thanks, guys!