Read and review

Rhyleigh xoxox

PS: Good luck to the amazing Kate Bell who will hopefully pick up a Logie tonight!


"I could be your anything", Bec Sanderson sang, folding the Bridget's favourite towel into the towel cupboard.

"We're home!"

The cheerful voice of Charley Prince floated through the house, a grin evident on his face.

"What are you so happy about?" Loren Power wanted to know, wrapping an arm around the brunette.

"I'm just in a good mood". Bec blushed as she hugged Loren back, stuffing the stack of towels into the cupboard. "How was school?"

"Good mood, my butt", Guy Spender snorted. "you're planning something, aren't you, Bec?"

Garry Miller thundered down the stairs. "Hey guys, you're home! Ready for training?"

There were groans from both Cassie Cometti and Adam Bridge. "Gar-ree!"

"We got a lot of homework", Bridget Sanchez said.

"Since when did homework interfere with training?" Garry wanted to know.

Bec laughed. It was the same every afternoon, after every school day. The kids would breeze in, cheerful as they had ever been, and Garry would just depress them with the news of training.

They should be used to it by now, she thought.

"Hey Bec", Cassie called, heading towards the stairs. "What's for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah!" Guy brightened up at just the thought of food.

"Well, I'm going out, so Garry and I have decided you're getting pizza".

Shrieks of delight came from the six students.

Pizza, although a regularity for most teenagers was a rarity for anyone in the Solar Blue boarding house. It always had been. And, even though the kids were in charge of making dinner, Bec and Garry were in charge of grocery shopping.

And they always crossed 'pizza bases' off the shopping list.

"Where are you going, Bec?" Bridget wanted to know.

"Just out", Bec said mysteriously, breezing up the stairs behind the kids and slamming her door behind her.

Bec had been floating on cloud nine all afternoon, ever since her boyfriend had called and invited her out to dinner. It wasn't a big deal, but Bec hadn't been in the greatest mood before. The news that Edge knew that, and had asked her out just to distract her was just sweet. Giving her the news that he would pick her up at six had possibly made her the happiest person in Blue Water.

"Bec, are you coming down?" Garry called.

"There are still the dishes in the sink to do", Bec replied, opening her bedroom door again. "I'll do them and maybe come down later, 'kay?"

Garry shrugged as they made their way into the kitchen, watching Bec fill up the sink with hot soapy water. "Enjoy!"

"The dishes, Garry?"

"Take a joke, Bec".

"Get out of the kitchen, Garry".


After training, just like the three girls had done when Edge first asked Bec out again, they met in Bec's bedroom, to help her decide what to wear. Two dresses and two pairs of skinny jeans were set out on the bed, along with a selection of different tops.

"Wear the black jeans with the purple top and the black knitted cardigan", Loren suggested, as Bec observed her choices. "No dresses this time".

"No, the blue jeans with the orange top and the black knitted cardigan", Cassie objected. "It's too cold for dresses".

"Bridget, what do you think?" Bec queried.

"Um..." Bridget glanced at the outfits both Loren and Cassie had put together and grinned. "The purple and black. Sorry, Cass".

"It's alright", Cassie shrugged.

"Good choice", Bec observed, slipping into her bathroom. When she emerged five minutes later, she had gotten rid of the baggy track pants and the pink tank top she was wearing, dressing up in the outfit the girls had put together. "How do I look?"

"Very nice!" Bridget complimented.

"You look really pretty!" Loren said shyly.

"Gorgeous", Cassie declared.

It had become tradition, for the girls to help her choose clothes to wear on her dates. Just as Bec had helped the girls decide what to wear for their school dances, and occasions following.

Cassie quickly but carefully helped Bec apply makeup, and Loren brushed her hair into a high ponytail, before heading downstairs to help Garry and the boys decide which pizza toppings to choose.

"Which restaurant are you going to?" Charley wanted to know, as Garry wrote down their choices. The vote was unanimous- no anchovies.

"We're going to some Italian place", Bec reported. "I've never been there, but Edge says its amazing".

"Remember- be home by twelve". Garry's eyes were twinkling, as he heard the knock on the door.

"Don't burn the house down in my absence".

"We're getting pizza!" Adam cried.

"Have a good time, Cinderella!" Garry added teasingly.

Bec, giggling, opened the front door and was greeted by a kiss on the cheek by Edge.

"You would be stuffed if I didn't open the door", she told him.

"I knew it was you", he protested, leading her to his car. "Come on, I've made a reservation for six".

"Okay", Bec said, allowing Edge to help her into the passenger seat.

When Edge was also in the car, he brought up a point she had been avoiding with anyone who asked.

"It's your birthday next week". He restarted the car and waited for her reaction.

She shuddered. "Yeah, I know".

"Are you gonna celebrate?"

"Loren's insisting on making a cake, but she always does that".

"You're twenty one, Bec! That's something to celebrate".

"I haven't celebrated a birthday since we were at Solar Blue- I mean, do you remember how Fly's party turned out?"

"Even though Heath and Fly were almost arrested and Simmo and Deb nearly lost their jobs and there was a small fire in the front yard and Jilly's antique chair was wrecked does not mean it wasn't a great celebration".

"You should have stopped at the 'small fire' incident".

"Once again- small fire. If it was a big fire, I could see the logic in Simmo grounding us. He overreacted, I think".

Bec exploded into giggles, leaving a small smile on Edge's face.

"But why didn't you celebrate your birthday?" he persisted.

"Because I didn't want to. I was young and heartbroken, and hundreds of kilometres away from my family. I didn't see the need to. I mean, sure, they called me and everything, but its not the same as sharing your birthday with them. Especially Joe- I'm his twin sister and yet I wasn't there for our birthday".

"But-"

"Edge. I celebrated in my own way. A phone call home was enough of a celebration for me. I was in Brisbane, at uni, and my family was in Blue Water. That's quite the difference".

Edge nodded, keeping his eyes on the road, but still seeing his girlfriend from the corner of his eyes.


"So, what are you gonna get?" Edge asked, as they sat down at the table.

"I don't think I've been here before".

"Oh. I have".

Bec surveyed the restaurant. "It's really nice".

"I'm paying", Edge insisted, before Bec could get a word in.

"Edge-"

"Hey. I invited you, I'm paying. It's fair".

"When we were at Solar Blue we would always split it", Bec argued.

"When we were at Solar Blue, we were kids". Edge's voice was firm.

"Remember when we made spaghetti bolognese?" Bec checked.

Edge shook his head. "Without the spaghetti. Bec, why didn't you stop me?"

"Excuse me, it was your choice. I was just stirring the sauce. And I did blame it on you when I dished it up to the other guys".

"Have you seen the others?"

"Fly came down earlier in the year, and I spoke to Perri when I first came to Solar Blue- I kept in contact with Perri- but none of the others. Oh, apart from Anna. But, she doesn't really count".

"Anna doesn't count", Edge agreed.

And, just because it brought back memories from their year at Solar Blue, they both ordered spaghetti bolognese.


Edge steered his car into a parking space, getting out and letting Bec out of the passenger side. "Come on, Bec".

Bec allowed Edge to lead her out of the car, following him down to the beach. Edge pulled the brunette onto the sand, so they were both looking up at the stars and the moon.

"You know", he said thoughtfully, "When I was on the circuit, I would always go for a run at night and look up at the moon. And I knew that it was the same moon you'd be looking at here, in Blue Water. I missed you, Bec".

Bec felt tears prick in the back of her eyes. "Really?" she whispered.

Edge nodded. "Yep". Pulling her closer to him, their lips met in a gentle kiss.

"It's always the beach, isn't it?" Bec whispered.

"It's either the beach or the boarding house and you have seven stalkers", he said breathlessly.

"True, true". Bec leaned in to kiss him again.

They spent the next hour and a half on the beach, looking up at the sand, in each other's arms, just talking and killing time before Bec had to go back to the boarding house.

It was eleven thirty when Bec noticed the time- and almost had a heart attack.

"Edge, I've gotta get back", she tried.

"Come on, come back to my place", Edge begged, his hand creeping further and further up her thigh.

"Edge, no!" Bec slapped his hand away. "I live with six teenagers and a man who protects me like my father does. What are they gonna say?"

"Tell them you fell asleep on the beach?" Edge tried, fiddling with a stray curl, that had fallen out of the ponytail. Brushing sand from the side of her face, he grinned at her.

"Edge, they've set me a twelve o'clock curfew. They'll send out a search party if I'm not back in the house by that time- they've threatened to many times and I'm not gonna risk it".

"So you're like Cinderella?" Edge's eyes were sparkling.

"Exactly-"

Bec was cut off with Edge's lips meeting her own. And, just like the first time, back as a sixteen year old, she almost melted. She relaxed into his grip, his blue eyes meeting her hazel ones.

Bec didn't want to admit it, but she was in love.


Bec stuck the key in the lock, giving Edge one final kiss. "I've got to go!"

"I'll call you tomorrow", Edge promised.

Grinning, Bec swung open the door, unable to wipe the grin off her face. In the darkness she slipped off her shoes and relocked the front door, padding through to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"You're in late, Cinderella", Garry observed, leaning against the sink. "It's almost midnight".

Bec shrieked a profanity and glared at her housemate. "Garry! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Even though she had basically just had a heart attack, she couldn't get the smile off her face.

"Where are the kids?" she checked, not even waiting for an answer. Reaching for a glass from the cupboard, she glanced at him.

"The boys are in the pool room, but I think the girls went to bed. They called out their goodnights, so I'm assuming they're in bed".

Bec sighed. "They aren't in bed, Garry".

"It's midnight, Bec".

"They're talking", she looked at him. "Do I have to draw you a map?"

"Good date?"

"Very good, actually".

"Sharing details?"

"No we aren't". Bec flashed him a grin.

"After that smile, I don't think I want to know". Garry grinned right back at her.

"Night, Garry". She pecked a friendly kiss on his cheek before taking her glass of water into the lounge room- where she found all three boys playing Mario Kart. "Hey guys!"

"How was the date, Bec?" Charley wanted to know, not even glancing away from the screen.

"It was good. Come on, I think we need to wrap this up. It's a long weekend, you can continue this tomorrow night".

"Well, they'll want to pack up anyway", Guy sighed theatrically. "I mean, I was beating them, anyway".

"Yeah right!" Adam cried.

"Come on, training's in the morning", Bec told them.

Sighing heavily, Charley flicked off the console, storing the three remotes they had been using in the chargers. "Night, Bec".

"Good night, boys. See you in the morning".

Calling their good nights to Garry, the three boys ascended up the stairs, Bec following. Knocking on Loren and Bridget's door, Bec slipped in, to find all three of them huddled on Loren's bed, giggling hysterically.

"Hey girlie girls!" Bec said brightly.

"How was the date, Bec?" Cassie asked eagerly, scooting over so Bec could take a seat.

"Wonderful". Bec sighed dreamily, the smile growing on her face.

Loren sighed, resting her head on Bec's shoulder. "Aw, that's sweet".

Bec grinned. "How was dinner?"

She wouldn't lie- she had always found it easier talking to the girls rather than talking to Adam, Guy or Charley. Sure, she could joke around with the boys, but the girls had opened up to her. Garry had often complained about the relationship she had with Cassie, Bridget and Loren.

"Awesome", Cassie giggled.

"You should go out on dates more often", Loren teased.

"And miss out on your cooking, Loren?" Bec teased right back. "Edge loves it just as much as we do- it would be a tragedy to miss it".

"That's the only reason I'm here, isn't it?"

Bec grinned and stroked stray strands of hair off the blonde's face. "Yep".

"We knew it!" Cassie cried.

"Hey, the boys have gone to bed", Bec quietened them.

"Are we gonna hear details?" Bridget wanted to know.

"You and the details, missy! You won't tell me the details when you go out with a guy, why should I repay the favour!"

"Hey, Loren and Cassie don't tell you, either!"

"Yeah, but I'm not an idiot. Its either movies or bowling or putt putt golf- which Garry or I have to drive you to. And dinner. You have a laugh, you kiss the guys and you're back home tucked in your separate beds by ten", Bec recited. She knew their schedule.

"So you mean there's more to your dates?" Cassie teased.

Bec's face turned scarlet when she realised just what exactly Cassie was implying. "Cassie Cometti!"

"Ooh, Bec!" Bridget teased.

"Oooh!" Loren giggled.

"There shall be no more said on this topic". Bec could feel the heat radiating off her body, and was certain she had left a mark on Loren, who was still leaning against her. "This is completely inappropriate".

"Hey, we didn't bring it up", Bridget reminded her.

Bec just laughed. "I don't know how Garry manages to see straight through you".

"He's a male, Bec", Cassie nodded. "They see through things".

Bec grinned. "I'm off to bed, girlies. Don't stay up too late".

"Bec?" Bridget asked, as Bec stood up.

Bec looked at the younger blonde curiously. "Yes, Bridget?"

"You're head over heels, aren't you".

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes I am".

"Do you love him?"

The second question sounded more serious, but even then Bec didn't have to search for the answer.

"Yes I do".