Reluctantly, Kay was glad to be gone from the house. She had had enough of Bradin, enough of her brother and enough of her room. People change, everyone in that house needed to realise it. Obviously Jay hadn't noticed she wasn't his tag-along little sister anymore, she was growing up and changing herself. Tanner was changing too, or a least she hoped he was.

She walked along the sandy beach, staring out to the scattered surfers in the cool air. She longed to go surfing but that would mean stopping by the surf shop and probably running into Jay, not a good idea now. Things were getting better. Jay was lightening up and bit and seemed really happy to have her in Playa Linda. Bradin was a great and cute guy, who she got along with great. Ava was such an swesome aunt to Bradin, Nikky and Derrick, and a great person. But ever since Kay had run into Tanner, everything seemed misplaced or mixed up. But she liked him. A lot. Maybe not enough, there was still that slight feeling she got around Bradin, but that didn't matter, they were friends.

She made her way towards the mall again, throught the busy streets to avoid anyone on the beach. She slowly walked into the shoe store, watching Tanner finish with a last customer. He made a good salesman at a shoe store, he could probably sell them to someone who didn't need any shoes.

"Hey," she said, walking up to the counter as he took off his nametag. He gave her one of his signature smiles, and that made her smile.

"Hey," he said, saying bye to someone else working as they walked out.

"So, how was work?" she asked, thinking of something to say without bringing up the various events of the other night.

"I swear I am going to quit one of these days, not much shoe business in the summer, so dull and boring," he said, shrugging.

"I could have guessed, I've never like shoes," she said, laughing.

"I guess I'll cross that off of my list," he said, in a secretive sort of way.

"What list?" she asked.

"The list of things I might get you for your birthday,"

"You don't have to get me anything for my brithday Tanner, anyway, it's a few weeks away, but thanks for remembering, I doubt even Jay did," she said, sighing about her brother.

"Of course I do, we go back Kay, I was there for your 14th, and you're here for your 16th, we'll do something special," he promised, giving her a smile. Somehow the way he said special made her uncertain, she just forced a smile back. They walked back on the beach, Tanner putting his arm over her shoulders as they talked. It was true, she did miss talking to him, but there was something different about him now. Something brought the ice cream shop come to her mind and she had to question him.

"What's up between you and Bradin? Because last night, you two seemed-" He cut her off.

"He was being a jerk last night, making something out of nothing, we were just having ice cream," he said. That was true. Bradin had started it but he didn't have to fight back.

"But why did you fight back?" she pressed on, wanting an answer.

"I had to, he hit me, I didn't do anything-" This time she cut him off.

"You didn't do anything last night, but what about a different time? Anything?"

"No." he said shortly, stopping the conversation. She sighed.

"Kay!" a voice called out from ahead of them. It was Bradin.

"Bradin," she said flatly, staying beside Tanner.

"Uh, you have to come back for supper," he said, avoiding looking at Tanner. She sighed again.

"Alright, see you," she said, giving Tanner a quick kiss on the cheek and slipping away from his arm. She walked beside Bradin silently as they traveled down the beach towards the house. They climbed the steps in the same slient way until Bradin grabbed her arm for her to stop.

"Bradin, what the heck are you doing? You said it was supper," she stated, freeing her arm.

"I thought we all told you to stay away from Tanner," he started.

"Bradin, please don't okay, I don't need this from you, I've had enough with Jay, and I'm not even in his good books, just don't." she said, with a pleading look in her eyes.

He sighed and moved a little closer, "Just be careful, okay?" She looked at him and felt it again. A rush. His peircing blue eyes made her feel almost safe. He felt the moment, and he kissed her. She felt his lips on hers and she pulled away, a confused look on her face. She didn't know what to think. She raced up to the house, just steps ahead of Bradin. She took her seat at the kitchen table, hiding her emotions about what had just happened. Bradin took a seat across from her, avoiding eye contact.

"Things have been really bust around the shop, even with Bradin coming in to help," Jay explained as they all ate their dinner. He kept casually glancing over at his sister, she seemed different. She had changed since she had arrived in Playa Linda. Even if he hadn't seen her in so long, he had never experienced her so changed like this.

Kay had an idea,"Jay, I know for a fact I am not in your good books right now, I could help out, it's not like I don't know my surfboards," she said, giving him a lingering look, a willingness in her eyes. Jay smiled. Maybe he had thought wrong. Maybe his sister hadn't changed as much as he thought.

(i am very sorry i havent updated for about forever, really i am. im going to try my best to update more often now and i thank everyone for the reviews that keep coming :) R&R! oh and shoutout to MissDelight (you may know her, an awsum author around here) for her help with this chapter! R&R!)