A/N

*Cue the regular amount of excuses for why I haven't updated the story*. I know it's been a long time coming but in all honesty I've just been really busy with work and tests the past several weeks and just lacked the motivation to continue, (in other words just lazy in my spare time). I will try to update at the very least once a month from now on.

I looked over to the clock; 8:43am. The sky was clear and I lifted myself up to open the balcony doors. A cool sea breeze confronted me and I breathed the fresh air deeply. I had grown to love the feeling it gave me. It was a Saturday and school holidays, so naturally the roads were quieter than usual. Though as relaxing as being on holiday may seem it brought with it a sense of boredom and lethargy. I sighed, watching the empty horizon.

Naomi had walked me home last night and though disappointed that she hadn't invited me to stay another night, I was relieved. I blushed as my mind wandered, playing out varying scenarios that could have been. To be honest, I really had no idea what I would do if that kind of situation arose. I panicked momentarily. What If Naomi found out I had never been involved with someone and thought of me different. What if she thought of me as frigid. I don't think I could bear it if she laughed at me.

I gripped the balcony railing in nervousness. To my sister, I was a sad excuse for a teenager. "A sister from a convent", as she so lovingly put it on countless occasions. A muted buzz from my phone notified me of a text message received. I sighed, padding over to my bed where my phone still lay. I grunted in annoyance at my past self as I noticed the battery or rather lack thereof.

To my surprise, the text was from Finn. I pinned in the passcode, unlocking the phone to the message.

Hey guys,

I am a man of my word. Gatho will be at mine tonight around 7pm till late. Bring your cozzy, the weather is nice and the pool is heated. If you could all bring some kind of drink or snack that would be great. If you're driving here and plan to drink you're crashing the night. I'm not having mates drive home intoxicated.

Feel free to bring a few friends. I don't want this thing getting so out of hand the cops are called like last time. So when I say a few I only mean two or three. I don't want this to be anything big, just some close friends hanging out having some drinks and a good time. The parents and sister are over in Melbourne for a wedding so it's just me. If anything happens to ANYTHING, it's my fault. So don't bring friends you can't trust to respect my property, you know who they are. I trust you guys to respect those requests.

Address is 97 Fairview Rd, Coral Point.

See you soon.

I had almost forgotten about Fin's post term party... To be honest I'd much prefer to spend the night in only Naomi's company. I smirked at the idea, noticing my phone ringing only after several buzzes.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone hastily, without reading the caller I.D.

"Hey Emsy!" Naomi's bright voice greeted me.

"Oh, hey Nay."

"So… Uhm…I was wondering if you were going to Fin's get together…" Naomi hesitated as she asked me.

"Yeah, I mean, I got the invite too… Did you want to go?" I bit my lip in anticipation.

The more I thought about it, the more eager I became. This would be my first party in Australia. Needless to say the first party I would share with the person I was in a relationship with. I would always feel a pang of jealousy when I caught Freddie and Katie snogging in the corner of the room, at any of the multiple parties I'd attended in Bristol.

I sighed dejectedly as I thought of my friends and family back in England. It was surprising really. I hadn't really felt home sick in coming to Australia, though it had only been several months. I still kept in contact with everyone via instant messaging or Facetime but it wasn't the same being a face on a screen at a party.

"Well… If you want to go, I want to," Naomi laughed, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah, let's go," I laughed.

"Okay, great, sooo… I'll be by yours to pick you up at, sayyy…six pm-ish? That will give us time to go buy something to bring."

"Sounds good! I'll see you then," I smiled as I paced the room.

"Okay…" Naomi paused as if to say more, but didn't.

"Nay?"

"Huh? Nothing sorry, just zoning out, I'll see you then… Bye!" She hesitated on the line for several seconds before I decided to say something.

"…Maybe I should drive if you're zoning out that much…"

I heard laughter from the other end.

"I'll be okay, promise,"

"…If you say so..."

"Anyway…"

"Hmm?"

Naomi sighed before responding.

"I'll see you at six…"

"Haha, okay Naomi, See you at six…"

"…Bye"

"Bye"

"I love you"

"I lo-" Naomi disconnected the call leaving my words unfinished.

I chuckled. I thought I was the nervous one. The phone vibrated in my hand and I checked the notification. A text from Naomi.

Don't forget your swimmers.

I laughed at Naomi's fussing.

I won't :)
"I love you too" 3

I smiled as I sent the reply. Yesterday was the first time we'd actually said it to each other. I mean, really said it with meaning. I beamed as I remembered her words.

By the time 6pm rolled around I was lazing on my bed, having gotten ready by 5. I had asked my dad if it was okay to attend the party knowing his answer would be yes. Sure enough after asking the usual questions he gave his permission to go, along with the usual "Be careful and make sure you don't leave your drink unattended," speech.

The Familiar hum of Naomi's car approached the drive way and I hurried off the bed and downstairs to greet her. I pulled the door open in time to see her exiting the vehicle, gazing in awe at the tanned, slender pair of legs that wore distressed shorts.

"Hey," Naomi called as she closed the driver's side door.

"Hey," I smiled as I returned the greeting, leaning on the threshold as she approached.

"You look beautiful as ever, are you ready to go?"I blushed as she leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"You too… And yup I just need to grab my bag from my room," I replied.

"Is that Naomi?" My dad's voice echoed down the hall, he emerged from the kitchen several seconds later wielding a spatula.

"Hi Mr. Fitch," Naomi smiled as she took in the sight; a burly man wearing a pink apron.

"Hi, lovely to see you again love, do come I, I've made dinner," he turned swiftly and hurried back into the kitchen, leaving me and Naomi without the opportunity to refuse.

"Dad, we really should leave or we'll be late… We still need to go buy something to bring to the party," I objected.

"Nonsense, you've got plenty of time," he waved off my protest, pointing a greasy spatula at the clock upon the wall.

I sighed, it was pointless to argue with him when he was right, we did have time to spare. Smiling apologetically at Naomi who still looked amused by the attire he wore I set about laying out the cutlery.

Dad had made rissoles with roast potatoes and salad for a side. Naomi who always seemed impressed with my father's cooking, ate heartily, clearing her plate as fast as my dad. Though she refused seconds I wondered how someone so slim could put away food as fast as herself.

"That really was delicious, thanks Mr Finch, turns out I really was hungry after all," she laughed as she held a hand to her stomach.

"My pleasure love," dad beamed.

"Thanks for dinner dad," I added my thanks for the meal as I stood up to remove the dishes.

"Don't worry about that," he removed the plates which I'd already collected, from my hands, "go and have your fun, I'll finish up here."

"Thanks," I gratefully accepted the offer, turning to Naomi, "Shall we?"

She nodded, thanking my father once more before following me to the front door.

"Bye dad, love you!" I yelled from the entry before shutting the door behind myself and Naomi.

"This must be the place," Naomi noted as she pulled to the curbside beside a large house.

Music and laughter echoed from the garden. We had bought a variety of drinks and snacks before making our way to Fins house using the navigation system in Naomi's car.

"Nice place," she added as she pulled the hand break, ducking her head so she could see the building through the car window.

"Really…" I agreed in awe of the Modern three story house and mimicking her action.

We exited the vehicle, admiring the architecture of the building before us. As we approached the front gate we were greeted by Sam.

"Hey you guys! So glad you could make it!" She held a beer bottle in one hand as she hugged each of us with her free arm, "everyone's out back, there's drinks and a barbeque if you're hungry."

"Thanks, but we just ate," I smiled apologetically as she ushered us through the spacious house to the back veranda.

She accepted the drinks and snacks from Naomi, depositing them on a large outdoor dining set before heading back to the lounge room inside.

"Nao! Ems! How are you two beautiful ladies? Happy you made it!" Fin's enthusiastic greeting welcomed us as we stepped outside.

He wore nothing but damp swimwear shorts.

"Hey," Naomi and I replied in unison.

"Thanks for the invitation," I added.

"Of course! You're my friends! Anyway are you guys hungry? I've got some snags going here if you want," he gestured with a pair of tongs to the barbeque he was manning.

"Oh that's ok, we just ate, thank you though" I smiled apologetically.

"Maybe you want a drink?" He added, taking a swig from the beer resting beside the grill in example.

"Ah, I'm driving… Maybe if you have soft drink?" Naomi inquired.

"Of course, help yourselves, just grab whatever you want from the coolers over there," he gestured once more with the tongs to two large esky's that sat several paces away.

"Thanks," I responded for both of us.

"The pool's warm and the Jacuzzi's going if you brought your bathers."

Fin nodded to a grand, lit pool behind himself. Several familiar faces were already splashing about inside. A large ground level Jacuzzi sat off side, occupied by three people.

"You've got a lovely place, really," Naomi enthused.

"Haha, cheers, there's also a pool table inside if that's your thing," he smiled sheepishly, pointing to the house with a thumb, "I think it's free at the moment actually."

"You're a brilliant host," she laughed, smiling warmly before heading to the coolers.

"Do you want a drink?" Naomi turned to me as she leaned over the cooler.

"Sure,"

"Preference?"

"Uhm, I don't mind, whatever you decide,"

"…Em this is like a store, you come pick," she laughed, shaking her head in incredulity.

She was right, there was at least twenty different types of drinks between the two coolers. I picked an alcoholic mixer while Naomi chose a Sprite.

"Want a game?" Naomi nodded to the house where Fin had noted the pool table was.

"Sure," I nodded, twisting the cap off the bottle and discarding it on the balcony wall were several other bottle caps sat.

We passed the lounge room where Sam and Rebecca sat chatting among three other people who looked vaguely familiar. I assumed they were from our grade at school.

Rebecca smiled and waved in greeting, standing up to give us each a warm hug before returning to the conversation.

Sure enough the pool table was empty, the cues discarded offhandedly on the table. I removed them carefully, allowing Naomi to rack up the pool balls.

"Would you like to break?" She offered as she accepted the cue I offered her.

"I don't mind, you can break," I shrugged.

"You've played pool before right?" She questioned.

"Of course… Which is why I know it won't matter if I break or not," I winked, teasing Naomi.

"Oh, look at Emily, clearly very confident in her play… Alright then you're on," she grinned before lining up to take the shot.

I watched as her perfect split sunk a stripes ball. She winked, skirting around the table to sink a second one.

"So… Emily… What will you give me if I win?" She taunted, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Whatever you want from me," I returned the banter with a smirk.

Naomi blushed slightly, turning abruptly to line up her third shot. The stripes ball she had aimed for rebounded awkwardly, sinking a nearby solid colour ball instead. I snorted in amusement as Naomi's short lived streak came to an end.

"Let's see if you live up to your statement Miss Fitch," she jested.

I lined up my first shot expertly, sinking a solid ball easily and setting up a path for my next shot. I grinned, playing pool against Cook had definitely come in handy. I sank a second and then a third solid ball before Naomi spoke up.

"Not too bad Miss Fitch, but don't let the lead get to your head," she sneered.

I smiled warmly to her, before turning back to the table to sink a fourth solid ball.

"Mm, I wonder what you'll give me when I win," I winked to Naomi before positioning myself for another shot.

"How about all of this?"

I looked up from the table to see her gesturing to herself. I blushed, my cheeks burning hot as my thoughts were flooded with a new image. My shot sank the cue ball and I cursed under my breath as Naomi giggled, collecting the ball and flashing a grin before lining up another shot of her own.

She sank two more stripes balls before misjudging a rebound and hitting a solid colour ball beside instead. She sighed in annoyance at her failed shot, moving aside to give me space. I sank the last of my solid colour balls before missing the eight ball shot.

"Watch my comeback," Naomi nodded in determination.

I watched, bemused as she sank another stripes ball before missing a second and knocking the eight ball into a nice position for me.

"Damn…" She cursed as she once more gave me space to line up my shot.

I easily sank the eight ball, concluding the match and causing Naomi to groan in defeat.

"Alright Miss professional, you win, take what you want," She opened her arms in offering.

"I think I will," I replied as I pulled her toward the back garden once more.