Chapter Eight

Pouring the steaming coffee into the tall, pale green mug, Marie leaned back against the marble countertop and sighed as she took a long swig.

"So," Kyle said coming to stand in front of her. Fresh out of the shower, his hair was still slightly damp and curled at the nape of his neck. "What's the plan for today?"

"Well, I have to work this afternoon, but this morning I'm all yours." She said as she handed him a mug of coffee, unaware of the suggestiveness of her words.

"Cool," Kyle said, sipping the coffee. "How about a tour of your beloved Playa Linda. I want to see if this city is everything you've said it is."

"Oh it is," Marie grinned leaned past Kyle to put her now empty mug in the sink. She could smell the soap he had used. Old Spice, yum.

"Alrighty then," Kyle put his now empty cup in the sink beside Marie's, "let's go."

"Hold on a sec there," Marie laughed, "I still need to get ready."

"Why, you look good just like that." Something about the way he looked at her as he said that caused Marie to blush.

"I haven't put any make-up on." She said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So, you look fine, Marie." If only he wouldn't look at her that way! Marie felt her face burn hotly.

"Um…" she looked around the kitchen, searching for anything that could keep her from seeing Kyle's eyes. "Fine then," she said, "let's go."

She hurried out of the kitchen, grabbed her keys off the dining room table, and headed out the door.

People bustled past, dressed in various forms of beach and casual wear. Marie walked steadily through the crowd, Kyle beside her. As she pointed out the various sites, the places she loved, Marie watched for his reaction, wanting to know what Kyle thought of everything.

This place was her life, this city and its people lived inside her. It was her home. What made Marie, Marie. If Kyle didn't like it, she didn't know what she'd do. Thankfully, she didn't have to find out.

"This place rocks!" Kyle said excitedly as they walked down the boardwalk.

"Really?" Marie said hopefully.

"Oh yeah, it's way cooler than home." Kyle replied, placing his arm companionably around Marie's shoulders. She beamed up at him.

"Well I'm glad you like it." She said. He smiled down at her.

"Come on," she grabbed the hand that rested on her shoulder and pulling him down the boardwalk, "I want to show you where I work."

"Hey Marie." Johnny greeted her as she walked into the Sandbar, Kyle close behind her. The older man looked down at his watch. "You're in early, your shift doesn't start until one."

"I know," Marie said, "but I wanted to show Kyle where I worked." Johnny looked at Kyle, his eyes taking him in with one sweeping glance. He was evaluating Kyle, Marie was sure of it, making sure he measured up to standards. That would have been great of Johnny to do if Marie was actually interested in Kyle romantically, but he was just her friend, nothing more.

"Johnny, this is Kyle, my best friend from North Carolina," she said, putting a stop to Johnny's calculating, "he lives next door to my grandma and he showed me around school when I first got there. Kyle, this is Johnny, he runs this place."

"So you're Johnny Durant." Kyle held out his hand, "It's very nice to meet one of the guys who saved Marie's life." Shaking Kyle's hand, Johnny glanced at Marie curiously.

"You told him?" He asked her. Marie nodded.

It was true that, when she still lived under her stepfather's rule, Marie had been too frightened and ashamed to tell anybody about the hell that her stepfather put her through. It had taken her forever just to tell Bradin, who she trusted with her life and whom she loved more than anything, about what really happened behind the closed doors of her home. She had been so scared about what he would think of her when she told him about the abuse and rape that she endured. After telling Bradin, she hadn't had the courage to tell anybody else. So, it had been Bradin who told his family about Marie's life. And it hadn't been a moment too soon. The very day that he told them all, Marie's stepfather had finally broke and would have killed Marie if it hadn't been for Johnny, Jay, and Bradin hurrying over to take Marie away.

When Marie and her mother had moved away, Marie had vowed to put her past behind her. She had gone a month without telling anybody about her stepfather, who was currently serving time in jail. But then Kyle had become her friend. He, as she had told Johnny, lived next to Marie's grandma. He had taken a liking to Marie that first day he met her and had appointed himself as her personal tour guide around Ashville and around their school. Soon, they had become inseparable. Wherever one was the other was. And Marie felt so comfortable with him that, before she knew it, she had told him her entire life's story. Making sure to make special mention of one Bradin Westerly and just how much he meant to her.

"Well then," Johnny said, "if Marie trusts you that much, than I have no choice but to trust you too."

"Thank you sir." Kyle replied.

"Hey, Johnny," Marie said, "do you know where Nikki might be? I want Kyle to meet her."

"Cameron picked her up a couple hours ago and they were gonna go to the movies." He glanced out the front window of his restaurant and grinned. "Actually, there she is now."

Marie turned around to see Nikki and a tall, dark haired boy walking out of the movie theater across the street.

"Great," she said, grabbing Kyle's arm, "see ya later Johnny."

"Bye," Johnny called as they left the Sandbar, "it was nice to meet you Kyle." Kyle waved back as Marie drug him across the street.

Steering his skateboard towards Johnny's restaurant, Bradin put his foot on the pavement quickly, coming to a sudden stop. Marie stood in front of the movie theater with Nikki, Cameron, and Kyle. The sight of him made Bradin's stomach twist and the nauseous feeling in his stomach wasn't helped by the sight of Marie's hand resting on his arm as she looked up at him with a smile. It was the same smile that she used to direct at Bradin.

Bradin seriously could have barfed right then and there. It was like watching a train wreck, seeing Marie with Kyle. He wanted to look away so badly, yet he couldn't. His eyes were glued to them, taking in every smile, every meeting of the eye, every little laugh. It was sickening.

Then, Bradin remembered his answer to Emma's question, and he looked away.

Yet another chapter finished y'all. I am just cranking these babies out like they're nothing. Lol. Watch, I probably just jinxed myself and now it's going to take forever for me to update again. (Crosses fingers) Let's hope that doesn't actually happen. Lol. Please review and tell me what you thought.

PS. Sorry if the chapter was kinda short.

the different person, jessesfan0409, Saynt Jimmy, grullo-cowgirl, Jamie, B, AllyCat16, kandykane33, Soxbabe, blonda, and Jmacsgurl15: You guys are so amazing. It really means a lot that you all would take the time to review this story and tell me what you thought. Thank you.