4 Weeks later
Charli had been in Summer Bay for 4 weeks, and had settled in fine. Her and Peter were getting on better than they used to back in the Academy.
One morning, Charli got up at 6.30am and went for a run along the beach. Summer Bay really did have a beautiful beach. She ran out of her apartment, wearing red sneakers, a pair of white shorts and a black tanktop. She ran down onto the beach and ran along the edge of the ocean. Her shoulder length golden-brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and today was her day off. It was also Peter's, but Charli hoped that she didn't run into him. She wouldn't, would she? He wasn't the kind to get up this early…and exercise? As she got closer along the beach, towards the diner, she noticed someone running from the water with a surfboard back to their towel. AS she got closer, she realised who it was…It was Peter. She tried to jog past him, but he noticed her and called out to her. She turned around, smiled, and jogged over.
"What are you dong out here on your day off? Shouldn't you be at home sleeping or something?" Peter asked her.
"Oh, so is that all you think I do then?" she smirked at him. He gave her a wink and bent down to pick up his towel.
"So, what's the water like? Cold?" Charli asked.
"Why don't you find out." Peter told her.
"Wh…" Charli started, but was picked up by Peter and taken out into the water. He threw her into the ocean and swam out after her. Charli swam out as far as she could, but Peter came after her. He caught up to her and started swimming round her.
"You could've at least let me take my shoes off." Charli said, through laughter.
The two of them played around in the water for a few minutes, until Peter noticed his brother Dan walking along the beach toward his things.
"Looks like my brother's after something. Surprise, surprise." Peter said, and started swimming back to shore. Charli followed him back in, and was surprised to see him wait for her.
"Hurry up, you always thought you were better than me at the Academy." Pete said.
Charli thought she'd leave Pete and Dan alone to talk 'brotherly', so she stole his towel, winked at him and ran back along the beach to her apartment.
"Well, you're up early bro." Dan said to Pete.
"Day off." He told him.
"So…you're up early? Anyway, Charli's back then." Dan stated, motioning to the figure running in the other direction along the beach.
"Yeah…so?" Pete said, trying to dry his hair with his hands.
"Well…what's happening with the two of you?"
"It's none of your business Dan, alright. Just leave it." Pete told him, and picked up his shirt.
"Why not? Since she's been in the bay, you've been a lot happier…that's a good thing, isn't it?"
"Is it? I'm glad that you've noticed," Pete decided to cut the sharp tongue, "It is nice having her back, I mean…it's great to see her again. I missed her. Anyway, what's up with you? What are you doing down here?" Pete finished.
"Just going for a walk. I'm meeting Leah for breakfast. More wedding things to sort out." Dan said.
"Man, and you though that I'd be married first. Well, have fun mate. I'll see you later on. I've got to get my towel back." Pete said, and after shaking hands with his brother, proceeded towards Charli's house.
He knocked on the door, dripping with water after his early morning swim. As soon as Charli got home, she very quickly hopped into the shower and cleaned herself up. She heard a knock on the door, and knew it would be Peter. She answered the door, wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. Peter was standing there, dripping wet and his black t-shirt clung to his body, revealing his toned chest. Charli reached behind the door and grabbed his towel.
"I think that this is yours." She told him, dangling it in his face.
Thanks," he told her.
"You're welcome…just don't do it again." Charli told him, in a more serious tone.
"I won't, just…why don't you let me make it up to you?" Peter asked her.
"By doing what exactly Peter?" she asked.
"By taking you to dinner tonight. Would you let me do that?" Peter asked.
Charli thought about this proposition for a few seconds. Her certainly knew how to woo a lady,
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She told him, smiling. His face lit up. Maybe he was back in with a chance with her, maybe.
"Fantastic. I'll meet you here tonight…at 7 o'clock ok?" he asked, checking that it was alright.
"Sure, I'll see you then Pete." Charli told him. She watched him walk off and gently shut the door. Yes, she had to admit, he was still amazingly gorgeous, but she wasn't going to let this turn into anything serious…again. She had already had her heart broken by him before, although he was unaware of the reasons. Neither of them realised that tonight would be the night when Peter would finally find out the truth of why Charli had left him.
Sorry that it was such a long chapter, I couldn't really find a place to break it