I am so happy that Summerland is back on. Watching it last night prompted me to continue on with this story. I'm hoping that now that it's back on I'll be able to get more inspiration and finish this story soon.

Chapter Nine

A gentle rain fell against the window. Marie traced the path of a single drop as it slowly rolled down the glass. There was no sense in going out today, Bradin wouldn't be at the beach and she didn't want to visit his house again and risk running into any of his family. If that happened then she would have to dodge questions about who she was and how she knew Bradin, and things would just get messy.

She clutched her teddy bear tightly and sighed as she thought of Bradin. The boy had been popping into her head at random times ever since she first met him. He was special, she could feel it whenever she was around him. He made her feel as if she were special as well, and she liked that about him. Even after she told him about her stepfather and the hell that he put her through, Bradin was still there, ready to hold her and offer her a shoulder to cry on. Marie smiled wistfully. She wished that she could see him right then, but the damn rain kept her locked inside the house.

Marie rested her head against the cool glass and stared out at the storm blown waves. The sound of cursing carried up the stairs from the living room where her stepfather sat watching TV. She sighed, thoughts of Bradin being swept from her mind as reality crashed down around her. When she thought of him with his blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, Marie could forget, even if for a short time, just what a hellish nightmare her life was.

She now felt trapped inside the home she once loved. She felt as if the walls were closing in around her and she couldn't breathe no matter how hard she tried. Marie felt as if she were slowly dying inside this prison, just like her mother. If she wanted any chance to live, any chance to live the life her father would have wanted her to have, Marie had to get out and she had to get out now.

Without so much as a second thought, Marie grabbed a jacket, opened her window, and climbed down the trellis to the ground below.


Bradin turned off the TV as he got up to answer the knock on the door.

Who would be out in weather like this? He thought. Opening the door he came face to face with a soaking wet Marie. Her hair was matted against her face and her shirt clung to her torso like a second skin. Water droplets clung to her long eyelashes, her breath came out in white clouds, and she was shivering.

"Marie, what's wrong?" Bradin asked, worried that her stepfather had done something to harm her. She stepped inside the beach house and smiled at him, an actual, honest to God smile.

"Nothing's wrong." she said, shaking her head. Bradin stared at her, confused.

"Well then what's going on?"

Still smiling, Marie pulled Bradin's face down to her own and kissed him passionately. His arms moved instinctively around her waist, pulling her closer to him. As quickly as the kiss had started, Marie pulled away and smiled.

"What was that for?" Bradin was slightly out of breath from the intensity of the kiss.

"I'm taking a stand," she replied, "I'm not gonna let that bastard rule my life anymore. From now on I'm not living in fear of what he'll do to me. I'm gonna live my life the way I want to, and this time I'm not going to chicken out."

Bradin didn't know what to say to Marie. Here she was, taking this big stand, and he was speechless, struck dumb by her courage to do so.

"You're looking at me funny," Marie said, "what is it?"

"Nothing." Bradin shook his head, "I'm just proud of you." And with that he pulled her in for another kiss.


Ava shook the rain off her umbrella as she opened the door to her home. Laughter came flooding out the doors, and Ava couldn't help but smile at the sound. The death of their parents had been a hard blow to Bradin, Nikki, and Derrick, and it had taken them a long time to get back to the happy-go-lucky kids they once were. They still weren't quite back to their old selves, but Ava was certain that, given more time, they would soon be able to get on with their lives.

She stepped inside the house and paused, looking at the girl that sat on the couch with Bradin. Her back was to Ava, but the smile on Bradin's face was enough to let Ava know that this girl was special to him. The young man looked up and caught his aunt's eye.

"Aunt Ava, hey." he said, getting up off the couch and helping the girl beside him to stand. "I want you to meet Marie," The girl turned and smiled at Ava.

"Hi." she said shyly, waving slightly.

"It's nice to meet you Marie." Ava smiled in greeting.

"Marie and I were just thinking of heading down to the pier since the rain has let up some." Bradin said.

"Okay, just be careful." Ava told them as they headed towards the glass doors that led out towards the beach.

"It was nice meeting you," Marie called over her shoulder as Bradin ushered her outside.

"Nice meeting you too." Ava called back. She shook her head and laughed as the two teens ran across the sand.

Young love, she thought as she watched Bradin grab Marie's hand as they ran.

"They make a cute couple." Johnny said, scaring Ava and causing her to jump slightly.

"Oh my god Johnny, don't do that." she said, placing a hand over her heart.

"Sorry." he chuckled sheepishly.

"What do you know about her?" Ava asked before the usual uncomfortable silence could fall over them as it normally did whenever they were alone.

"Nothing," Johnny replied, "I didn't even know Bradin was seeing anybody. She seems pretty nice though, and she's cute."

"Is that all you guys think about, how cute or attractive a woman is?" Ava asked as she rolled her eyes.

"No," he replied, an impish grin on his face, "that's not all we think about." he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, earning him a smack on the arm from his friend.


Marie brushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear and leaned her back against the wooden railing that went around the sides of the pier. She propped her arms up behind her and watched the people walking by. The rain had stopped, and people were slowly emerging from buildings to continue on with their day. She was keenly aware of Bradin's presence beside her, and a shiver ran down her spine whenever his arm would brush against her own as he shifted his position.

"I'm happy," she stated, nodding her head as she answered the unspoken question in her mind.

"What?" Bradin looked at her, one eyebrow raised in question.

"I'm happy." she repeated.

"Okay…happy about what?"

"About being here, about being with you, about my decision to not let my stepfather rule my life, about life in general. And you know what would make me even happier." She turned to look at Bradin with a sly grin.

"What?" he asked. She saw the glimmer of hope in his eye as he looked from her eyes to her mouth then back again.

"Ice cream." she replied with a wicked smile. Quickly, she grabbed Bradin's hand and pulled him down the pier to an ice-cream stand that sat not too far from them.


Walking along the beach, their bare feet left tracks in the wet sand, leaving a trail behind them that was soon washed away by the incoming tide. The salt air felt delicious on Marie's face and she closed her eyes, drinking in the smell of the ocean water. She tilted her head back and felt the warm sun, which was beginning to peek out from behind the storm clouds, on her face. A smile fell across her face. She was happy. For once she wasn't living in fear of what would happen when she returned home, or worried about the punishment she would receive for being out when she wasn't supposed to be. For once she was normal, a normal teenage girl who was walking down the beach. She held her sandals in one hand and her other hand gently brushed against Bradin's as they walked along beside each other.

Each contact with Bradin's skin sent shivers down Marie's spine. She couldn't believe that she was here, with him, on a day that she would normally be hidden in her room, scared to leave her sanctuary lest she anger her stepfather over some small thing. When his hand brushed against hers once more, Marie wrapped her fingers around his and held his hand gently. His skin was warm and his hands slightly rough from work and the abuse of the ocean. She smiled and breathed in deeply, letting the briny air fill her lungs to capacity before exhaling. This was the life. This was the way she wanted to spend every day of her life from now on, walking down the beach with a boy she cared about and who cared about her in return. She could get used to it.


Bradin was slightly surprised when Marie took his hand in hers. Usually it was he who initiated the physical contact. Looking down at her upturned face, the way her eyes were closed, the way she smiled, the way she didn't hunch her shoulders over as if to protect herself from a descending blow, Bradin could tell she was changing. She had laughed and smiled and joked with him as they walked to the pier and as they ate their ice cream. She had opened up to him and finally let him see who she really was beneath the fear and sadness. Bradin liked that. He liked that she was finally learning to trust him, to accept him into her life.

"When I was little, my dad used to bring me down here after it rained." She said softly, reflectively. Her eyes had a faraway look in them as they continued to walk down the sand. " 'It hardly ever rains in Playa Linda' he'd say, 'so it's a miracle when it does, and it's our job to enjoy that miracle.' We used to come down and play in the sand and then, when we got tired of that, he would pick me up and throw me in the ocean." She chuckled softly at the memory, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye. Bradin knew how hard it was to remember a loved one that had passed on. He had to deal with it everyday when he woke up and was flooded with memories of his parents. He squeezed Marie's hand gently, silently telling her he understood.

"Your dad sounds like a great guy." he said.

"He was. He would have liked you." Marie sniffed and rubbed at her eyes. Bradin pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly and letting her cry into his shoulder.

"You remind me a lot of him." She said after she had gained control of her emotions. She turned around in Bradin's arms so that her back rested against his chest, and she was looking out at the white crest of the waves.

"He loved to surf. Said that the ocean was his mistress. Every day he'd come out and spend time with her then, at night, go home to his wife. I remember when he first took me out with him. I was four and he sat me on the front of his board and we rode wave after wave. From sunup till sundown. It was the best day of my life."

Bradin rested his chin on Marie's shoulder. With his arms wrapped around her waist and her hands over his own, everything felt so…perfect. He breathed in her scent, a mix of sea salt, ice cream, and the wind. He hugged her close to him, not wanting to let her go, even for a second. They stood there, both staring out at the ocean lost in their own thoughts.

All of a sudden, Bradin dropped his arms, bent down, and scooped Marie into his arms. She shrieked in surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was light and fragile in his arms, as if a single touch would break her. Her shirt rode up slightly over her back, allowing Bradin enough space to place his hand on the small expanse of skin it exposed. She was warm, her skin soft.

"Bradin Westerly, put me down." She cried as he carried her closer towards the water. He didn't respond to her plea.

"Bradin what are you doing?" she tried to wiggle out of his hold, but Bradin only tightened his arms around her. The cold, icy water hit against his legs and drenched the hem of his shorts. Goosebumps rose on his flesh, but Bradin continued further out into the water until he was waist deep in it. Then, he dropped her.


Salty water filled Marie's lungs as she was plunged beneath the cold, briny water. She struggled to her feet, coughing and sputtering. Bradin stood over her, laughing as she emerged from the water looking like a drowned rat, and Marie couldn't help but laugh along with him. A wave hit against them, covering them both with ice water and pushing Marie against Bradin. They stopped laughing, their eyes connecting. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply, tasting the salt that covered his lips. His tongue ran across her bottom lips, silently seeking permission. Marie allowed her mouth to part slightly, granting him the access he wanted. She moaned as his tongue grazed hers.

This kiss, it was like all the others Marie had ever received from men, but yet, completely different. His touch was gentle, caring, passionate, while everyone else had been forcing her, too caught up in lust to try to make her enjoy it, not that she would have even if they had tried. Bradin was so different from every other guy Marie had ever known. He cared about her, he cared about how she felt, what she was thinking.

Marie's knees gave out, and she placed her weight on Bradin. His arms closed around her waist, gently trailing up the back of her shirt and grazing her skin delicately. Another wave crashed over them, knocking the pair closer to shore. They pulled apart, each gasping for much needed air. Bradin smiled down at her, causing Marie's heart to skip a beat. Yet another waves hit against their bodies and, laughing, the couple rain back onto the sand. Marie shivered and wrapped her arms around her body. The icy water had penetrated her skin, making even her bones weary and cold.

"Come on," Bradin took her hand and led her back up the beach towards his aunt's house, which they could see in the distance, "I'll find you something warm to change into." Marie followed him, her hand wrapped tightly in his.

Yes, she thought, I could get used to this.


Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will review. I promise that it won't take me so long to get out the next chapter because I know exactly what I want to happen and everything.

Shelly: Now that Marie has made the decision (and is going to keep to it) to not let her stepfather's abuse rule her life, you can expect lot more Bradin/Marie action.

darkdestiney2000: You have sort of guessed at what is going to happen later on towards the end of this story. I'm not going to tell you what you have right or what you have wrong 'cause I don't want to give away the ending.

Viresse Lote, Samantha, JesseFanAlways, sweet as candy321, VampWriter88, jessemccartneysgrl727, Summerland Chick, Triple Agent, y0urs x truly, Theresa, grullo-cowgirl, jessefan0409, xohugsndkisses, kandkane33, and OTHlover04: Thank you all very much for reading and reviewing this story. I hope you will enjoy what I have planned for this story and will review every chapter.