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Piling into the Solar Blue van, Garry steered the beast towards the surf club- the hall they had booked for their announcement ceremony. The kids were sitting in the exact same spots they had claimed at the beginning of the year- they hadn't changed. Chattering excitedly among themselves, about the year that had passed oh-so-quickly, Bec snuck a look in the review mirror at them. Their faces were red with excitement- they were glowing. Cassie had a camera in her hand, and had already taken quite a few van shots.
They had never been more eager in their lives.
"Par-tay!" Guy enthused, sliding open the door.
Five teenagers tumbled out after him, earning laughter from their older housemates.
Seeing the surf club hall decorated to the nines brought even more memories flooding back. She could see herself with her arms wrapped around Edge, as they danced to a slow song- almost hearing his promises being whispered in her ear. She saw Fly asleep in Heath's arms, as he carried her to the edge of the dance floor. She saw Matt and Perri grooving to the beat, Anna and Joe laughing along. She saw Andrew with the microphone, Simmo standing among the group of almost-graduates, ready to hear the answer. She could hear Deb's encouraging voice, urging the two winners up onto the stage. She could feel the girls' squeezing each other's hands, as the four formed a circle. She could hear the rain on the roof, as the eight teenagers crashed in the middle of the dance floor, tangled up in streamers and confetti, as half-deflated helium balloons floated around.
She hoped that her group of kids would keep in better contact than her group did. Granted, it had all worked out in the end, but not after a lot of drama. The engagement ring on her finger proved it to everyone.
Without the six teenagers in her life, she would have been stuck doing the job she hated.
She wasn't. She was back at Solar Blue, the place she had loved the most. She was doing what she loved best, and nothing, nothing could beat it.
But the thing that Bec was dreading was saying goodbye.
"Could I have your attention?" Garry asked, holding up the microphone. "I know it's been a long day, but we can't let it go by without giving our winners their awards". He motioned towards Bec, handing her the microphone. "Bec?"
Bec took the microphone, the speech she had written being played out in her head. She had rewritten it a million times during the year, and yet she didn't know where to begin. "this has been an amazing day, to end what has been, an amazing year. And I'd like to thank Cassie-"
Cassie Cometti, her blue eyes shining with excitement, her hands latched with Loren and Adam. The fiery brunette Bec and Garry had met at the beginning of the year. Bec saw her vulnerability when on the crutches, her sweetness with Adam and her blushing, shy, giggly side when the late night pillow fight between all the girls uncovered her heart.
"-Bridget-"
Bridget Sanchez, her face spread in a wide grin, standing in between Loren and Guy. The gorgeous blonde girl Bec and Garry had met. Bec had seen her go through a whole range of emotion- tears when she realised Guy might not have been her Prince Charming after all, excitement when she blitzed the first competition, and the giggles during the late night pillow fights.
"-Loren-"
Loren Power's chocolate brown eyes shone, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. Garry was giggling slightly, next to Bec- Loren had changed in a lot of way, but getting embarrassed so easily was classic Loren. Bec saw the tears when Charley left, the pure joy and excitement when Charley came back, and her huge, pumping heart, when her arms went straight out to Bridget and Cassie after a competition. Bec could almost hear her sweet giggling from the late night pillow fight. Loren, their baby, was the one everyone told everything but could take a secret to the grave. Her heart was a thousand shades of gold.
"-Adam-"
Adam Bridge, reporting for duty. His afro was sticking up even more so than usual, and his eyes were bright, as he stood between Guy and Loren. Bec saw had seen every side of him at least once in the past year- blowing up at Garry and herself in the summer, sweet and gentle with Cassie, and competitive in the water. They loved every single bit of Adam and he knew it.
"-Guy-"
Guy Spender grinned goofily, the same smile Bec, Garry and the other kids had loved throughout the year. She saw the clumsy child he was when they first met, and she saw the mature young man standing in front of her. She saw his sluggish pace while crawling downstairs for training, she saw his Ferrari-like pace while on a surfboard, she saw his charming, joking side with the other kids. Guy was the kind of person that you couldn't help but like, and for that, they all loved him.
"-And Charley, for making it that way".
Charley Prince grinned up at Bec and Garry, the smile on his face growing wider. Out of all the kids, Charley had changed the most. At the beginning, he was an outcast, rebelling against everything the other kids said. As the weeks went on, he became more involved with the others, even cracking a few jokes. By the time he got sick, they couldn't love him more. But they did- their complete joy when they came back was hilarious. Charley had a million and one sides and he showed them all at the same time.
"We've had good times and bad times through the twelve months, sharing tears and laughter, jokes and injuries- some more than others".
Charley, Adam, Guy, Bridget and Loren laughed as Cassie blushed scarlet. She had had her fair share of injuries during the year- more than her fair share, according to Garry.
"Moments have been shared and memories have been formed, that will last a lifetime. All the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll never forget how Solar Blue smashed everyone in their first competition of the year-"
She was cut off by the kids' laughter- they all remembered how Bec had raved on that night. She couldn't have been prouder of them.
"And we won't forget the tears that surrounded Charley leaving for Perth".
Charley grinned sheepishly, as Guy and Adam 'awwwed'. The girls just laughed.
"But, of course, we can't let me ramble on without announcing the winners. The winners from Solar Blue Academy for 2008 are Bridget Sanchez-"
The girls screamed as Bridget's jaw hit the ground in shock.
"And Adam Bridge".
Adam grinned proudly, as Cassie squeezed his hands and the boys congratulated him. there were blinding flashes, as Cassie took photos of the two winners (the photo that would undoubtedly go up on the office wall), as more congratulations were shared.
It was then that Bridget approached them, a worried look on her face.
"What's up, darlin'?" Bec wanted to know, giggling.
"I don't wanna go on the pro circuit any more". Suddenly, she looked like a little girl, and not the mature teenager they knew and loved. "I really want to go to university. I came here not knowing what I wanted to do with my life- surfing was always so important, and I was so, so thrilled when I was accepted. But I've been doing some thinking, you know, just in case I won, and I've decided that I want to go to university".
That threw a spanner in the works.
Loren and Cassie had gotten exactly the same scores on both the heats they had competed in- and their house and school work tally was identical. Bridget had won on the academic table, beating them by half a point in the surf off.
So Bec and Garry did the only thing that seemed logical, at that point.
They drew straws.
"you go first", Loren said shakily to her friend.
Cassie shook her head firmly. "no, you".
So Loren picked her straw- and it was longer than the one that Cassie drew.
"I'm so sorry Cass!"
Suddenly, both girls had tears streaming down their faces, as they hugged each other tightly.
Bec's heart went out to the four kids that lost. Bridget, Cassie, Charley and Guy. She had been in that position, four years ago, and it had hurt. But she knew that her kids would be alright. She had survived, and her kids were stronger than she was. They would never lose the bond the six teenagers had, nothing would let them.
They were too close.
"Guys!" Guy called. "Come on!"
"What are we doing?" Bec called over the music blasting out of the stereos.
"Come on, we need to do it". Guy grabbed Bec's hand, and pulled her towards the door. Bec's hand linked with Bridget, as Bridget reached for Garry's. The whole group, all eight of them, were connected by the hands.
"Mate, what are we doing?" Garry asked suspiciously.
"We, Garry, are going to enjoy Blue Water Beach to its best, one more time". Guy had a grin on his face, as he hauled them to the ocean pool they had swum laps in, time and time again.
"Guy-" Cassie began to protest, but was cut short by Guy's logic.
"Come on, we need to". Guy's cheeky smile was wiped away, being replaced by a look of seriousness. "When are we ever going to be back in Blue Water, in these exact same positions? We have to do it, Cass. It's like a bonding session- we're basically family, Cassandra".
Everyone knew not to call Cassie 'Cassandra'. It was a name she hated with a passion- the name that happened to be her full name.
"Come on!" Charley said enthusiastically. "Let's do it!"
So, with that, they began the countdown.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
With a splash, they landed in the water of the ocean pool, gripping tightly onto each others' hands, bursting out of the water with gasps and laughter.
"I can't believe we just did that!" Cassie laughed.
All eight were fully clothed and shoed, and were suddenly a lot heavier than they normally were. When they were swimming laps, they wore their cossies- boardies at the most.
But right then, no one cared. They were too busy enjoying Blue Water Beach to the fullest, before they farewelled it forever.
