I hope you like it! R&R,

Rhyleigh xoxox

Bridget kept that little piece of Bec Sanderson wisdom with her (along with many others), long after departing Solar Blue Academy. It stayed at the back of her mind the day she tearfully farewelled Loren Power, Cassie Commeti, Bec Sanderson, Garry Miller, Charley Prince, Adam Bridge and Guy, and it was something she thought about often, even after leaving high school.

She had always heard stories of people meeting their sweethearts while battling through the treacherous high school years. She had always thought of herself as more of a 'Prince Charming' kind of person, but she supposed a high school sweetheart wouldn't have been too bad.

She found herself pondering what would have happened, if she had stayed on the Sunshine Coast, instead of going to Blue Water for a year. She would have been stuck with the same meatheads she had known since kindergarten, the ones she had known forever.

Not to mention her overprotective older brother James, and her father.

Blue Water High was different. She had Charley, Adam and Guy to protect her- and Garry, who would be there to look after the girls until the end (Cassie had laughed at Garry one day, the three girls tucked under blankets, saying, "His poor daughters are so screwed"). There was no prince charming at Blue Water, that she was certain. All she had were her goofy, cheeky guys- the boys who she had shared a house with for a year.

But, before she left, there had been a kiss. Nothing more, just a gentle kiss to her lips, enough to cause her to melt inside. The night they had left, on the veranda, while their housemates headed upstairs. he had whispered in her ear, before leading her into the big house, "That's for the kiss we never got. I wanted to kill Charley".

And nothing more.

At nineteen years of age, Bridget was single, in university and ending a relationship that was heading nowhere. She was on her own, in a little apartment overlooking the beaches she had surfed and played on as a child.

The ringing of the phone jolted her out of her thoughts, and she jumped up to reach it. "Hello?"

"Hey Bridget!" Bec said cheerfully.

For Bec and Garry, the Solar Blue class of 2008 were their original kids- it didn't matter how many years passed through the academy, they would always have a special bond with the 2008 six.

"Bec! Hi!" Bridget settled herself down among the cushions of her lounge, hoping for a long conversation. The group had not lost contact after graduating from the surfing academy, and tried to get together as often as they could, the whole group. It was perhaps a once a year occasion, but when they were together, spirits ran high.

"So, I've got some news for you", Bec said casually. "You'll never guess what happened".

"What?"

"Bridget, you have to guess!"

While Bec had been the professional, mature adult, there for disciplining the kids at the academy (a chore she thoroughly hated doing, especially since she was so rebellious and carefree at their age), she was still the excitable sixteen year old that had been a student herself.

"I don't know… the van finally broke down?"

(The white and orange Solar Blue van had been used to cart all eight occupants of the boarding house to competitions, to new beaches and just generally for a drive. It had been in use since Simmo had been in charge- nearing fifteen years old- and Bec and Garry, despite the memories, were ready for a new vehicle. There were times where it would splutter uncontrollably, and Bec and Garry would cross their fingers that they wouldn't have to cart six sandy, salty teenagers to a competition in their own cars.)

"That's what Loren said!" Bec sounded amused. "Garry says it'll never break down… right now, I actually believe him. But no, it hasn't broken down. I mean, I love the thing, but its about time it died, right?"

Bridget giggled. "Um… I don't know".

"So, do you remember when you accused Garry and me of being a couple, secretly so you guys wouldn't find out?"

"Yes, I do remember that". Bridget grinned sheepishly at the memory- they had sat down and Adam had rambled on for what seemed like an hour, completely avoiding the topic of conversation. Bec and Garry had both looked at the floor, their cheeks matching scarlet. "That was an awkward conversation".

"And remember how, at the end of the year, we told you how you guys were actually right and we had to admit it to ourselves?" Bec blushed at the memory. "Do you recall that awkward conversation?"

Upon being told the news, Charley had leapt out of his seat with a shriek, grabbing Adam and screaming, "About bloody time!"

The girls had laughed hysterically as Guy twirled each of them around the room, Bec and Garry chuckling at their reactions. Neither expected anything as great as they were.

"Yes, I do recall that, quite vividly".

"Well… you'll never guess". Bec sounded like she was about to explode from excitement.

"Bec, are you and Garry getting married?" Bridget shifted in her seat, a smile spreading over her face at the excitement that must have been radiating through the Solar Blue boarding house.

"Yes! Both Cassie and Loren said I was pregnant". Bec frowned. "We've planned the wedding for January seventh- would you do me the honour of being my bridesmaid? The other girls have said yes, and Cassie claimed she would kill you if you declined".

Bridget laughed. "Why would I decline an offer like that- and it's not like you won't kill me yourself! Are the boys aware?"

"I've told Charley, but we have yet to call the other two. Bridget, how are you? I haven't heard from you in a while".

"I'm good… remember how I told you about Sam?"

"Oh yes, how's Sam going?"

"Um… well, Sam's no longer in the picture. It was going nowhere, Bec, and I couldn't see it going anywhere". She picked at a loose piece of cotton on a cushion, settling against another. "So, I ended it. I felt so bad about it, too".

"Aw, Bridget. Are you okay?" Bec sounded worried, from her place along the Sydney shore.

"Yeah, I'm fine".

Bridget sighed- she had never had any luck with relationships. The only relationship she had truly liked was one that was put together by default. She and Guy were polar opposites- in every way, shape and form- but it was their bickering that made the relationship. He had been her date for their school formal, dressing up to the nines and allowing Bec to take easily a thousand photos.

"Are the boys going to be Garry's groomsmen?"

"That's what we decided", Bec said cheerfully. "It'll be really nice to catch up again- all of us, I mean. It's been a while".

"The last time we were all together was Adam's birthday, because he and Loren were in Sydney. And even that was only for two days, before they headed somewhere else".

"I know- it's because we're all so far apart, that we don't see each other", Bec reminded her.

"Do you know who else is coming to the wedding?" Bridget questioned, hoping to divert the brunette's mind from her relationships (Bec had learned to read the girls' like she could a book within a week of being at the academy, and despite the distance, could tell when Cassie, Loren or Bridget were not telling her something).

"Well, I know you guys will all be there", Bec smiled, "As part of the wedding party. My parents and my brothers, Garry's sister and their parents, maybe some of our extended family. Maybe some of our friends- we don't want a huge wedding, just something small. And on the beach".

"Blue Water?"

"one of the beaches we used to take you guys too. We don't want to be too far away, but we don't want to be married on Blue Water, either. That's just too close to home". Bec shrugged- she had lived in Blue Water her whole life, minus the years she spent in university.

"What about the honeymoon?"

"Actually", Bec said excitedly, "We were thinking about Hawaii. I mean, when Garry was on the pro circuit he was there, but only for competitions. Never for just taking in the scenery. And I've never been there".

"That sounds amazing", Bridget said wistfully. "I'll definitely be there".

"You better be", Bec said teasingly, "Or Cass and Loren will kill you. They've both already told me that".

"And you won't?"

"Well, I was trying to be nice and be the responsible adult, but if I need to, then yes, I will". Bec laughed. "I'll talk to you soon, alright?"

"'Kay".

"And Bridget? Don't dwell on Sam; I know what you're like". Even though they were hundreds of kilometres apart, Bridget could almost see Bec's hazel eyes twinkling. "He's not worth it".

"Thanks, Bec. Another piece of advice I'll keep for when the time calls".

Bec giggled. "Alright. I'll talk to you soon!"

"Bye". Bridget put the phone down- it had been possibly one of the more interesting conversations she had had of late. But that was just like what her old housemates were like. Loren and Cassie called just to have a chat, to make sure everything was alright- and Bridget paid back the favour. If she knew one of them was having a hard time, she would spend hours on the phone, not talking, but listening.

The boys were the same- she would be in the middle of typing out an assignment and her mobile would vibrate across the desk, in an innocent message from Guy.

Bored. How are you?

And Bridget would just laugh, typing her reply.

I'm good, Guy. You should get a hobby.

But texting you is my hobby! How's life Bridget?

The relationship they shared was the one that had meant the most to Bridget, even after the time they spent apart. At the academy, they had been partners for everything- pool, cooking, cleaning, even homework (although more often than not it was her chiding Guy to actually pick up a pen and do something, the two never actually completing anything).

She had often wondered if Guy had felt the same way, as she did. When she approached him, wondering if they were together by default, he had agreed, but was he just agreeing because she felt that way? Was he agreeing to make her happy?

It was a question she had often wondered, and one she was determined to find the answer to.