Later that day while the guys were at the bar, Ria snuck out to get some fresh air, and sit down by the beach. She sighed, as she seated herself on the wooden dock, and stared out over the ocean. Jake of course was on her again, when wasnt he? But that wasnt what was weighing on her mind right now. She missed her mother, and father, and siblings. And she would never get them back now. She huffed again, and stood up. There was only one thing that would make her feel better right now. Dancing. Ria had been in ballet since she was three. It was her passion, and something Jake and Josh made fun of her for daily.

"Because all Ballerinas look like freaks" josh had once said to her, after standing on his tip toes and twirling in a circle. Ria sent a punch in the general direction of his stomach, and keeled him over.

She didn't ever hear that remark again.

She stood on her toes and took a depp breath before she began. Tracing the steps in her mind she began to slowly twirl, and spin across the docks closing her eyes, and sending the steps from her mind to her feet. Her long pale hair shone in the moon light as she danced, relishing in her moment of inner peace. Little did Ria know that Jake was watching her from the front steps of the bar.

When Ria walked back to the bar, she immediately knew something about Jake was different. She was watching him watch her, and couldn't understand why. He was looking at her thoughtfully, head cocked slightly to the side his expression unreadable.

She shook her head

Jake was just being Jake. She threw herself into the conversation at hand, and tried to ignore the big hazel eyes burning a hole in her.

Ria crashed the minute she laid her head on Jakes pillow. Her crawled in next to her sometime later, after Josh had turned the lights out and gaxed down at her. In a way she was sorta beautiful

But in his head, he was telling himself metally to shutup, and that it was Ria..gross

But the other side of his head was telling him thta he had always had small crush on her, and that maybe now was the time to take that step. He battled inwardly with himself while he tossed and turned.

THis just wasnt right. He was Jake fucking Harris. He didn't have to do this kinda thing. he was...well Jake Harris! He could get any woman he wanted and to him Ria had always just been...Ria. Sure she was attractive he couldnt deny that, and maybe he did have a subtle attraction to her. Her long blonde hair, tattoos, big smile, perfect body, pretty eyes...

STOP IT! He roared at himself silently. Jake rolled away so his back was to her, and huffed before closing his eyes forcefully.

Lyrica Daniels was his bestfriend, and would never be anything more...

Right?

When Ria woke up the next morning, she was alone. They were leaving that morning, she smiled at the boys who were in the galley, and recieved one back from everyone except Jake. he gave her a brief look and went back to whatever he was doing. She frowned and shrugged. She didnt think she did anything wrong. She took the opportunity to follow him back to the leaned against the doorframe, she watched him rummage through his bags.

"Jake?"

He glanced up, and then wuickly looked abck down

"Sup?"

She shifted her weight, and bit her lip.

"Are you...mad at me?" he snorted

"Don't be stupid RIa, whatre we, 16?No Im not mad, I just didn't sleep well okay?" he huffed, and pushed past her. She turned slowly and watched him walk to the bathroom and slam the door, and the shower click on. Josh sent her a questioning glance, and she returned a shrug.

Was Jake just being Jake, or was something else going on her?

After Jake's shower he seemed a little more normal towards Ria than earlier that morning. She felt the excitement sweel in her stomach as she excitedly stepped on deck, and waited for the boat to leave harbor. For the first time that day, Jake smiled at her. He beckoned her over, and stood behind her, as the boat rumbeled to life, and pulled slowly away from the harbor. The cool wind blew through Ria's hair, and sent goosebumps up her arms as the Cornelia Marie sailed thorugh the icy waters of the Bering Sea. She breathed in the scent of the ocean, the salt in the air, the fuel from the boat, and axe cigarettes, and vanilla. Jake was standing next to her smiling at her.

"It's so beautiful" she said watching Dutch Harbor get smaller and smaller, as the other boats around them blew their hrons, and waved sending fireworks in the air as a goodluck sign for the season.

"Yeah" Jake said slowly, his eyes locking on hers "Beautiful"