A/N: Thanks to everyone for the great reviews! I know the last chapter kinda made everything go too good too fast, but I promise, there is a method to my madness. Also the chapters might take a while to go up from now on, I have play rehearsal twice a week and track practice 5 days plus meets, so I don't have much time, but I promise to try to update as much as possible.
The four teens made their way back to the main area of the beach where the competition was happening. They were laughing and joking around. The girls were smiling and the guys had their arms around the girls waist.
"Ok, I have to go get me board, and see if I remember how to stand up." She kissed Lucas on the cheek, "Ill be right back" she whispered to him then turned and headed up the stairs to the parking lot. She grabbed her board Jay had specifically made for her almost 4 years ago. It was white with blue and pink flowers scrawled all over it. She stared at it a while, thinking of everything she and that board had gone through.
"Good Memories I hope" a voice said behind her. She turned around and looked straight at Matt.
"No, the only ones I can think of are with you, and they suck" she said as walked past him
"I never meant to hurt you Em, I was young and stupid"
"Oh, poor Matt didn't know what he wanted right? Well guess what, you did hurt me, you nearly killed me you hurt me so bad, I haven't done something I love in over 3 years because of you. Do you know how that feels, to have something you care about so much torn away from you?" she yelled. Matt didn't say anything, shocked that she was yelling at him "I didn't think so" she said smugly and walked toward the stairs.
"I do" he said simply
"Excuse me?" she said, turning so she faced him. Lucas had heard the yelling so him, Bradin and Callie had run up the stairs and were now standing at the landing, out of sight. Lucas wanted to go hit Matt, but Bradin and Callie had convinced him to let Emily fight her own battles.
"I do know what it feels like Em, I think about you every second of everyday. I have to live with the fact that I'm the reason you don't surf anymore. I loved you, God Em, I still do!"
Emily was somewhere between tears of anger and tears of sadness "You have no right to say that to me, not now, not then, not ever. I happen to love my life now, and I love my boyfriend, more than I ever could have loved you. You can't and won't ever feel a hundredth of what I feel now or felt then." She turned and started to storm off but he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him so she was staring him in the eyes
"What makes you think that?" he said
"Because, you're incapable of feeling. You're a heartless bastard who only cares about what he can get, not who he gets it from" she ripped her arm out of his grasp
"I used to be, I've changed, I didn't like being that person" he said, a bit insulted
"I don't believe you, its impossible for someone like you to change. Go find someone else to piss off" she said as she turned and started walking toward the stairs
"Surf me" he said
"What did you just say?"
"Surf me. I'll even make a bet with you. You choose the terms"
"Fine, if I win you have to quit the circuit and feel what I have felt for the last 3 years."
"Ok, and if I win you have to suck up your pride and come back to the circuit"
Emily hesitated, and then sighed "Deal. Let's do it"
Matt laughed "Interesting choice of words"
"Ew, only in your dreams" she said as she walked to the stairs. She rolled her eyes as she saw her three friends sitting on the top step and almost everyone else standing either on or at the bottom of the stairs. "Ok, y'all really need to get lives."
Matt walked up behind her and laughed "I didn't know we were putting on a show"
"Whatever" she responded.
Lucas stood up and wrapped his arm around her as they began to descend the stairs. "You don't have to prove anything to him" he whispered
"Don't worry, there's no way he can win." She whispered back and placed her head on his chest. She heard his heart beat quicken "Hey, it'll be ok, I was better than him when I was 12 and he was 14, and I'll be better than him now, chill out babe"
"You haven't been on a board in over 3 years. He has"
"Thank you, I wasn't aware of that. I'll beat him, don't worry about it" They had hit the bottom and everyone was staring. "Let's get this over with, age before beauty" she signaled to the ocean.
"You still anti-wetsuit?" he asked as he ran to get his board
"Yep, even if I've gotten older, they haven't gotten any less gross. I'm fine the way I am"
"You're going to surf in a skirt?" Callie asked
"A huh, I never wore those things, they're icky" a smile spread across her face. Matt immerged in a wetsuit and had a board under his arm. "Hey Sun!" Emily screamed
"Babygirl is that you? Man it has been too long! What can I help you with, you plannin to come back?"
"It depends on this ride. I'd gunna surf Matt, can you get two judges to judge us?"
"Sure. Do me a favor and beat him, he still thinks he's all that"
"It would be my pleasure. Thanks Sun" she said
Matt walked over to her "Ready?"
"Depends, are you ready to leave?" she replied smugly
"Keep on thinking that" Sun signaled that the judges were ready. "Lets go, I'll even go first"
"Good, because I was planning on it" Lucas kissed Emily on the top of the head and she let go and ran into the water.
Matt seemed flawless in his run, he hit every move with extreme precision and grace. He even amazed Emily. Crap she thought this might be a problem waiting to happen He ended with a perfect 180. He had a flawless run, nothing out of sync or wobbly. The judges talked as he walked across the shore. Some people congratulated him, others looked amazed. His score went up: 8.9 Ok, so I need a 9.0, that's not too impossible... I'm so dead. She sighed and saw a huge wave heading her way. It's now or never.
Bradin, Callie and Lucas looked on from shore. They knew that if Emily lost she would stay true to her word and leave Playa Linda. Jay and Erika came over to them just as Emily was starting off.
"She can't loose" Lucas said "I don't know what I'd do if I lost her"
"She won't" Erika said "She can't" she looked at Jay. His eyes confirmed what all of them were thinking, they really weren't sure if she really could. A 9.0 was really hard to get when you surfed everyday, and almost impossible if you hadn't surfed in 3 years.
"I think she can do it" Bradin said finally, "Look at her, she's perfect. Her style is much better than his." They all nodded. Emily was doing amazing. She hit everything perfectly, without a hint of fright or worry. She hit a 180, then a 270, reversed and did it again.
"Wow" Callie said
"If I know her, she's almost done, and she's going to do her signature move, a 270-tailslide-360. Here it comes" Just as Jay had predicted, she did her sequence perfectly, landing it. She got out of the water and walked over to them
"Wow babe; that was AMAZING!" Lucas said
"Not really, I was off the whole time, there's no way I can beat him" she sighed and looked at the score board. The judges were still talking "Man why can't they just get it over with"
"Chill out Em" Bradin said, "It'll be up soon" Just as he spoke the score went up… 9.2. The crowd erupted and rushed toward her.
"I'm so proud of you Em" Erika said as she hugged her
"Thanks, I think I can surf now." Everyone laughed. Emily walked up to Matt. "Good competition"
"There's no way you are that good and haven't surfed in 3 years."
"Yes there is; it's called talent. You have to work for what you want, I just have it"
"Emily I can't leave, my whole life is here, it's always been here" By then the crowd had surrounded them
"Its ok Matt, I knew you wouldn't do it, you always were a cheater." She said smugly and walked away. Everyone stood speechless. She walked up to her friends "Well I think that was enough surfing for one day. I'm gunna head to work, I'm singing at Frankie's at 7:30. Please come" She kissed Lucas and walked off.
"Wow" a voice said. That summed it up very well.
