Disclaimer: Don't own any of the Characters. I do own some nice shoes though. Enjoy!

Seduction of Summer

Chapter Three: Are we going to go there?

"Here we are, we're at the beginning
We haven't fucked yet, but my heads spinning

Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?"

Liz Phair – Why Can't I?

I stormed off in the direction I hoped was the lake. Men, the most useless of god's creations, I reflected in anger. Luke was just… ugh, were there even words to describe how utterly embarrassed and angry he had made me feel. Who says "What?" after a statement like that? What kind of normal hormonal teenage male says that? Why on earth didn't he simply jump me at the kitchen table, take me back to the tent, and ravish me all day long?

Reaching the lake as this last idea came into my mind, I looked out into the vast open space, surrounded by lush green bush land. The deep blue water, while not holding the crystal clear images of the beach at the bay, looked cool and inviting, and not at all murky as one would assume a lake in the middle of no where would look like. Patches of open grass were scattered around the lake, creating perfect places where romantic picnics could be held, either during the day, or if you were being more sensual and seductive, by candle and moon light at night.

Sighing, I wondered why I was torturing myself with images of such romantic events, when clearly my relationship was a failure, mainly because of my quick temper. Knowing deep down that Luke probably wasn't prepared in the slightest for my offhand comment about sex, I'd blown up at him because of my own frustrations, out of pure boredom. Maybe I'd thought arguing would spice the relationship up. But in retrospect, after blowing up like that, I didn't know how much of a relationship would be left. Poor Luke, he'd dealt with so much crap during his lifetime, a high-strung girlfriend who just wants to get some isn't what he needs.

Throwing my towel down onto the grass, I lay down in the hopes that the rays of sunlight would melt away all my problems, and if that didn't work, my back up plan of blasting away all memories with music was put into action, as I stuck both headphones into my ears. However fate was cruel, as the first chords of "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" by Straylight Run sang through my ears. Talk about karma.

Instead of questioning, I sat back and listened to the lyrics, letting them take a hold of me… body and soul. I felt so very alone at that moment in time, and I couldn't figure out whether that was a good or bad thing. I used to crave alone time before. When mum and Rhys were still together, we lived in what could be called the most chaotic household that ever existed in Summer Bay. Crack of dawn showers became something I lived by, especially if I wanted to get any of the hot water and sharing rooms with up to five people at a time became a part of life. Alone time was a precious rarity in that household, and I craved that more than anything then. But that was then, and this is now.

Now, I missed the way Luke would smile at me when I caught him staring. Or how his eyes would go all deep and soulful right before he would say something serious. I missed the feeling of his arms wrapped tight around me… his body pressing into mine… oh god, I'm obsessed with getting sex. I guess the answer to that question is I don't want to be alone, I want to be alone with Luke…. And a bed, or some soft cushioning of some sort.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and drifted off into another world, a world where everything was going my way!

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"Ric,' I said, nudging my boyfriend lightly, 'Wake up sleepy head". When he didn't move, after the third time trying to wake him, instead of nudging him slightly, I shoved him so hard he rolled off the sleeping bag into the bags packed to the side of the tent.

"What?" Ric muttered, almost incoherently, in annoyance

"I've let you have your sleep in, but honestly, I'm bored to death. The birds woke me up way to early, and I wanna go and find Maddie and see if she wants to sun bake" I finished, hoping that my childish voice would be enough to get Ric up.

"Fine Cass, fine, I'm up, are you happy now?" He said, with a mildly irritated voice. "Heaven forbid I would actually want a sleep in during summer holidays" He added, under his breath, although we both knew I had heard him.

Ric was particular about his sleep, his precious sleep, and could not get over that fact that generally I was an early morning person. After months of dating, it still annoyed him that I would wake him up because I was bored being the only one awake. You think he would've gotten used to it by now, but nooooo, he still prayed for the day when I would want to stay in bed till well after noon, wasting away most of the brilliant day.

Reading his thoughts, I said to him "If I slept in for as long as you, I would miss all the best tanning hours, and we couldn't have that, could we now?"

"Lord no,' Ric mocked in a high pitched voice 'then what would you and Maddie actually have to do all day? No sun baking, the world would end!"

Already changed into my swimmers, I gave him the finger, before exiting the tent in search of Maddie. About 20 meters away I could see some chairs and what looked to be a camping kitchen, where Luke was sitting, deep in thought. Approaching slowly so not to scare him, he looked up when I was about five meters away and waved shortly. He looked up just long enough for me to ask where Maddie was, and see him point in a general direction and mutter "Sun baking at the lake"

"Thanks" I replied brightly, but Luke's head was already facing downwards again, pondering something that looked to be extremely important.

Wandering down a crude pathway that wound through the huge tree's in the bush, I sighed. This tranquil bush setting, along with time off with friends was supposed to take my mind off everything that had happened since Flynn's death. Instead of that, it was beginning dredge up old memories that had been locked away deep in the depths of my soul, so I could, for now at least, live again like a normal teenager.

When my Nan had died, I had felt so very alone in the world. Sally and Flynn took me into their house, and made me part of their family, even though they didn't have to. This seemingly small, although rather huge gesture touched me, beyond words. Being invited into a household is something, but invited into a family, to share everything with them, that's a huge deal and Sally and Flynn, they made me feel like I was their family. Flynn, when he was dying, made sure I knew this, and I did, still do. Down to my very core, Flynn was like a father to me, and I'll always think of him as such. It was hard, to say goodbye, but we all knew deep down the day would come.

Watching Sally these last few months had possibly been harder than watching Flynn in his last few months. She wants us to believe she's fine, but her eyes no longer dance as they did when Flynn was around. Her heart has broken, shattered, and for the longest time I think she'll be mourning the loss of true love.

I couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she's in, but I do know the pain that I felt, although has subsided slightly, still leaves me with a hollow feeling whenever I think about him. We don't talk about that though. We haven't spoken about how we're feeling since Sally told Ric and I that we needed to forget, because Flynn wouldn't want us to mourn him as we knew him in his final months, but more, live our lives, because that's what he would be doing if he were here.

Those short moments that followed those words hit me hard. I wanted to grieve the loss of a father, but Sally wanted us to move on. I needed to be strong for her, and that's what Ric and I have been doing ever since. But everything has changed, including me. I'm not the same person I was a year ago, I don't think any of us are. Strains were placed on all our relationships, whether it was friendship or more, and we've never really talked about that, let alone recovered. We skirted around that sensitive issue, instead talking about hair and make-up and the beach, normal teenage things, as if we were all pretending that the major events of the year hadn't occurred and we were all still normal teenagers… like we'd ever been normal teenagers.

Reaching the lake, I scanned the open spaces of grass while searching for Maddie. Finally finding her, I saw she'd walked half way around the lake before settling on a spot. Walking around to meet her, I could see her eyes closed, with headphones in her ear. Her usually calm face (especially while sun baking) looked tense and confused, and if something thing morning had forced her out here to the peace and quiet. Of course, the music was a dead give away. Maddie didn't realise that I knew if she wanted to think, or to block out the world she would always turn to music. I had started to do the same eventually, and right now was reminded to thank Maddie for the idea, no matter how indirectly it had come to her.

Creeping up behind her, I quickly jumped next to her, in the hopes of scaring the wits out of her. She jumped about a mile in the air, quickly scrambling up ready to whack the crap out of the sneak, as if they could've been a stalker. The look on her face was priceless; I just had to burst into laughter

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I cursed Cassie while I searched through my bag for board shorts. In waking me up earlier than I was used to, Cassie had risked putting me into what could possibly be the worst mood ever. However Cassie generally risked this, because she knew I couldn't be angry with her for long, if I could be angry with her at all. Ever since she had walked into my life, and made a complete fool of me, that's what I had became when she was around. She made me melt (in the most manly way possible of course). Cassie made me want to be a good man forever. Under the influence of Flynn, I saw how a man treated the woman her really loved. I wanted to treat Cassie like Flynn had treated Sally.

Throwing my clothes hastily to a corner, I changed quickly and left the tent, only to see Lucas staring blankly at what looked to be an empty bowl. Seeing as neither Cassie nor Matilda was close by, I approached him, just in case he needed to talk.

Sitting down at the chair across from him, I patiently waited for him to talk first. Over the last couple of months we'd grown closer, after everything that happened, and I had come to know this as the way to speak to him. While it took a while for Luke to trust, once he did, he trusted you one hundred percent, and would always feel comfortable enough telling you his problems. However you had to wait till he was ready, because pushing would make him close back up again.

A comfortable silence surrounded us until Luke asked possibly the most unexpected question ever.

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"Why haven't we had sex yet?" I recited the question I had previously asked Luke to Cassie, as I explained how I had ended up sun baking by myself that morning. Cassie nodded in understanding as I told her just how frustrated I had become, and how his answer of "What?" had pushed me over the edge. "And do I wound up here, confused, annoyed… just really pissed off.

But not even at him really at him, he's always had these intimacy issues because of the lack of female influences in him life, I mean, I'm kinda surprised that their whole family are able to be as sensitive as they are. They are three of the most caring males around. His Dad really loves my Mum, and I guess that's what's make Luke how he is. Just bringing up sex like that, must've shocked the hell out of him. I don't know whether he and Ric have talked about this like we have, so it probably came out of no where… Now I feel horrible." I finished slowly, feeling a deep sense of hatred of myself. "What do you think I should've done?"

Cassie sighed next to me, before settling herself into a more comfortable position.

She sat there for a while as if formulating her response. "Maddie, do you love him?" she asked, her eyes on me for the entire time.

I lay down, wanting to avoid her critical gaze. "He's one of the people I'm closest to. I tell him everything, and he's always there for me." I began, before Cassie interrupted me, laying down on her own towel. "But do you love him?" She asked again.

I sighed, pondering the question for some time. Did I really love Luke? I had always thought I did. When he came to the bay, we connected like nothing before. But that was months ago, and we'd all changed in those few months. Had my feelings changed too?

And if I didn't love him, then why did I still want to be with him?

Did I still want to be with him?

I did, didn't I?

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"What?" Ric asked me, as if I had gone truly insane.

"Exactly, I said back, thinking Ric understood my question fully. 'That's what I said. And then Maddie got all angry and pissed off, and stormed off in a huff. I just couldn't understand what I said wrong. Who can answer a question like 'Why haven't we had sex yet?' with anything but 'what'? Do you think I should've known better than that? Do you think I should've tried to have sex with her before this? You and I have talked about this mate, and I mean, you said wait until I was ready, but I don't know, hell, I could've been ready for the last six months and just been hiding behind excuses because, I know about sex for the first time, it disappoints the girls and leaves them in immense pain, and maybe I didn't want to have to live up to stories and expectations or even hurt her. I just, don't know." I finished sadly and slowly, looking towards Ric for some advice.

His face looked strained as if he was trying to figure everything out, and the thinking was so hard it was beginning to hurt him. Finally, his face began to show some resolve when he asked me "So Maddie asked you why you hadn't tried to sleep with her yet, and you said 'what' in response?"

I nodded my head in agreement, hoping Ric would be able to share more wisdom than the ability to repeat my stories back to me.

"Huh" Ric said, as if stumped by the entire situation.

"Jeez Ric, you've gotta give me more than THAT to work off here. My girlfriend… well I don't actually know if we're technically still in a relationship with her. Anyway she stormed off on me, and left me pondering one of the biggest questions I've ever had, or possibly life altering." I finished, looking at him hopefully.

"Look mate, this is something that you've got to decide for yourself. If you're ready you'll know. At least you know she's ready" he tried to joke, but failed miserably. "Do you love her? If you love her, you won't ever doubt whether you're ready or not. You'll know deep down in your heart that she's the one, and that you want to share this with her. If you love her, you'll want to protect her at all costs, and not do anything rash or stupid that could put her at risk. But you've got to talk all this though with her. Talking with me, making a pro's and con's list in your head won't help the situation at all. Ask her what she's feeling, and tell her what your feeling. It's all part of the relationship deal, and if your in love with her, you'll deal with that." Ric finished, shooting me a meaningful look.

Do I love Tilly? Once upon a time there was no doubt, but her erratic moods had made me think twice. Tilly was always so calm and content when I first met her, which is what drew me too her. A feeling that special only doesn't come along every day. But things change.

In the midst of everyone else's problems this year, I'd forgotten, well, we'd both forgotten that we also needed to work at this relationship to make it work. We'd abused our lines of communication because it had come so easily in the beginning. Then the focus was shifted onto our friends, our relationship with one another had taken second place to those with our friends.

But do I still love Tilly?

I didn't really know any more.

I guess that's something I need to figure out.

And fast, because our relationship was falling apart, and I wasn't sure that I wanted it to.

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AN: Read and Review, its always nice to know people like my story.

This chapter changed perspectives between the four teenagers to give you a little on how they are all deling. If it got confusing, I'll try to make it go back to the way it was, but this was just something I was trying.

Also, thank you too my reviewers from BTTB… Jen, FletcherBabe, caitlin87, mattyandlukeforever and salgurl, and also to DJ (who's the coolest) and my sister, who reads this like a proper fan fiction instead of sneaking onto my computer and reading it ahead of its posting date