Kit Hunter strolled along the beach and looked out to sea. She was enjoying the tug of the breeze in her hair and the pleasant feeling of the soft sand between her toes. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a beautiful auburn glow across the Bay.

She would miss this. The beach, the ocean, the clean fresh air, the welcoming community feel. When she had arrived in Summer Bay she thought it was just another little seaside town, where the people were trapped in their own little bubble, and everyone stuck their noses into everyone else's business. To an extent Summer Bay was like this, but Kit had fallen in love with it.

She stood for a while, absorbing the view. She was leaving for the city tomorrow to start University, to start afresh. A new start in a new place with new people was exactly what she needed. It was the final step in recovering from her alcoholism, she could never be completely cured of it, rather, she had to learn to cope. Moving out on her own was the biggest test of all, it would determine whether she was strong enough to stay dry for the rest of her life.

At least, this was the reason she had convinced herself she was going for, and what she had told everyone else. But the truth was, she needed to get away from the bay for a different reason... Noah. It hurt too much to be near him and to know that she could never be with him.

The kiss at the dance was the most perfect kiss she had ever had, so awkwardly sweet like in all the best romantic films... until she broke away and ran. The little voice inside her head knew that she was still running even now, but she would never admit that to herself.

She couldn't set herself up to be hurt again, she was too scared. He would love her and leave her and it would be too much for her to bear. After the dance she knew he felt something for her, but it was too late, he had hurt her too much. A relationship with Noah would be playing with fire and she could no longer risk getting burnt.

During their counselling sessions Kit had told Noah everything about her, things she had never told anyone before. He had helped her come to terms with her fathers death and she trusted him more than anyone she had ever met. She would trust him with her life, but never with her heart; it had been wounded too many times before, and she was running out of band-aids.

Kit smiled a bittersweet, slightly regretful smile and slowly walked towards the steps, allowing her thoughts to drift to Noah for a while longer. As she reached the top, she looked at the Bay for one last time and turned towards the Drop in Centre. The place in which they first met would be the perfect place for a final goodbye. The last time she would ever see her 'beach boy', except... he wasn't hers, and never would be.

Firstly, thankyou to Julia for her review :)

Secondly, I know this chapter was a lot shorter, but it just seemed right to end it there. What I have written next doesn't fit very well if its read straight on. This was only intended to be a few paragraphs at the start of Chapter 2 but it grew. Also apologies for lack of action in this chapter, there will be lots in the next one I promise.

Thirdly, I shamelessly ask you to please review.