A/N Thanks for all the really awesome reviews!
Emily entered the surf shop slowly, as if a ghost might jump out any second. "Jay?" she said quietly, "JAY?" she yelled
"Hold on" an Australian accented voice came from the back room. A moment later he walked in, looking down "can I help you?" he asked as he tried to fix something.
"Ya know, you should probably look at the person you're talking to, not a randommachine" she shot Jay a sly glance.
"Wow, twice in one week, I must be extra lucky. Now make me happy and tell me you're here to buy new gear."
"Nope, I'm just here to get my stuff; I left it here last night" she walked behind the counter and pulled out a bag. "Thanks" she said as she turned toward the door.
"Wait" he called "Just answer me this one question, then I won't bug you" Just as he said this Bradin walked in the back door of the store, curious of what was going on, he stood right outside the door to the back room, listening in.
"Do you miss it?" Jay asked her, neither of them noticed Bradin.
"Only every second of every day, it just brings back to many horrible memories" she replied
"But for every bad one there must be at least 10 good ones."
"I guess, I really don't remember the good things when I think about it, all I remember is the bad stuff." She sighed and walked over to the counter he was standing on. She leaned over. "I want to, more than you could ever imagine, but when ever I think about it, I think of Matt, and that just brings back all the bad stuff. Ya know, I can't even remember what it's like to feel the wind in my hair or the way to do a 360 or how to do a Tailslide."
"Yea, I remember those, you were one of the best surfers on the Jr. Circuit, and you were the youngest person to be invited to join the real Circuit. Emily, that meant you were good, Matt only just got on last year."
"And I hope he drowns in a huge swell" she replied with a matter-of-fact tone
"Emily, don't let him control you, you've moved on in every other aspect in your life, why can't you just get over this too?"
"Because Jay, this was the one thing we shared, the one thing he took credit for me having, and if I come back it would be like saying he won, I can't do that."
"No it wouldn't. by not surfing, he's taking away the one thing that made you happy, it seems the only thing he taught you was how to run from your problems"
"That's NOT true!" She yelled. "I'm not running away from him, I just prefer not to see him, or any of them, it's too hard"
"You are running Emily, for the past 3 years, anytime the Circuit comes around you're so far away it would take a plane to get to you, New York, Paris, London, it's always the same, he comes looking for you and you're gone without a trace. You need to face them sooner or later"
"I choose later, MUCH later"
"Well that might not happen, I didn't want to tell you but they'll be here for a competitionon Saturday and Sunday and I entered you when Andrews entered Bradin and Lucas. You better start practicing" He shot her a look as he saw the panic spread across her face
"YOU DID WHAT?" she screamed "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, WHAT WOULD PROVOKE YOU TO DO SOMETHING SO, SO, SO YOU! I CAN'T SURF, I WON'T SURF AND NOW I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BY FRIDAY! JAY I HATE YOU!"
"I know you do, but it's something you have to do, and I'm not taking no as an answer, you have to face them and show them who you've become. I did it this summer and now it's your turn. Emily, I'm trusting you to do this, Bradin and Callie and Lucas will help you if you ask them, Lucas seems to really care for you; you just need to clue them in. I can't let you deprive yourself anymore. If you don't go, I'll make them stay till you do. I'm serious"
Emily sighed. "I have to go, I have 42nd Street Rehearsal" She turned and slowly walked out of the shop. As soon as Bradin noticed she was out of sight, he walked in
"What was that all about?" He said
"Didn't your parents teach you not to eavesdrop?"
"Yea, but this sounded too good to pass up. Did Emily really surf on the Circuit?"
"Yea the Jr. Circuit, why do you think she referred to Erika as Hott-Stuff? She is one of the best surfers I've ever seen, but she had an incident, and to make a statement, swore she'd never surf again, and to this day she hasn't. I know she hates me, but I know that if she just goes out there, she'll remember how much she loved it and everything Matt did to her will melt away."
"Who is this Matt person?"
"Her ex-boyfriend, she was so in love with him and he cheated on her with her closest friend from the Jr. Circuit. She was so upset she left one day and didn't come back. Bradin, try to convince her to try again, she's so good and it's such a waste of talent. Please?"
"I'll try Jay, as long as she teaches me how to do a tailslide" the two laughed, but Bradin knew a place where Emily would go, and that's where he would talk to her.
Emily sat on Overlook Rock after rehearsal. As much as she wanted to hate Jay, she knew he was right; she needed to face them to get over it. As she stared out at the water she saw a familiar head of blonde hair walk toward her.
"I'm starting to think you're following me up here" she called as Bradin stood next to her.
"I am not, I just needed to think" he replied.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes, finally Emily spoke up. "Didn't your parents teach you not to eavesdrop?" he was asked for the 2nd time today.
"Yea, why?" he tried to look innocent.
"Don't play innocent Westerly, I saw you in the back room when I was talking to Jay, I might be dumb, but I'm not blind"
"I don't think you're dumb, just stubborn" he winked at her and she melted inside. His eyes were so indescribable, so amazing.
"So you think I should swallow my pride and surf?" she looked at him questioningly
"No, I think you should do what you want, but there are tons of stuff I didn't get to do in Kansas and now I'm kicking myself for not trying them again."
"Yea, I guess you're right, I just don't think I can face them again. I left on such bad terms, I'm not sure I can see them without totally flipping out"
"Everyone wishes they handled situations better, you just have a chance to change a bad situation into a good one."
"Yea… will you do me a favor?"
"Anything" he said calmly, he liked that Emily felt she could trust him
"Will you stay with me when I meet them, you're the only one who knows besides them, Erika and Jay and I don't want to do it alone?" she looked at him weakly
"Absolutely" he said.
She couldn't hold it back anymore; she flung her arms around him and felt him hold her tight. Before she knew it she was looking at him in the eyes. He leaned in and she felt his lips press against hers. They were so smooth and warm. They opened their eyes just in time to see someone run away in anger …
A/N:Who was it that saw? Lucas, Callie or someone else?
I don't have a clue about the actual surfing circuit; I just made it be by invitation to show how good Emily was.
Steph
