As I jog, the sand heats up the souls of my feet and the harsh morning suns pierces onto my back. I feel the heat of it through my wet suit. I stick my board into the sand, unzip my suit to my waist and flick out my hair, sending a shower of water droplets onto the towel in front of me.

"Take it off," Jake smirks as he appears at my side with his own board.

"You wish."

It's been almost two months of days like this. Surfing, eating lunch by the water, lazing around in my bed of an afternoon, making out in between Netflix films. If I could spend the rest of my life like this, I would. No hesitation, no question about it.

Next week, everything changes.

I'm moving to Westcom, where Ellie and Haze live. Am I terrified? Yep. Am I excited? Most certainly. Is Jake going to be by my side? Hell freaking yeah.

Considering both her kids are there now, Ma has decided to put the house up for sale and come along as well. I wasn't quite sure how I felt at first. A part of me felt heart broken – the house has everything. My childhood memories. It's home. But then I realised a lot of bad things happened there. Things I don't fully comprehend. It would probably be the best thing for Ma to move on and have a fresh start.

"What are you thinking about?" Jake questions as he sprawls across his towel, placing his cheek to his arm, his brilliant blue eyes looking fierce under the bright sun.

"The next few weeks," I say.

He nods. "Going to be busy."

"I'm feeling a little nervous about leaving."

"You haven't even been back long," he points out.

"When I went overseas, I knew it was temporary. I knew I was coming back to everything familiar. Ma, the house, you. This is a big change. To not even come back here to visit the house of a weekend if it sells... it's all just happening fast, you know?"

"Change is good," Jake tells me. "Change brings on so many new opportunities."

"Listen to you sounding so wise," I grin.

"I'm granted one wisdomous line per week so don't expect another one for at least seven business days," he replies, offering me an adorable lope-sided smile.

I laugh as I settle onto my back, throwing my arm over my eyes to block out the sun.

"Wish we could stay like this, spending our days doing nothing but hanging out and eating food."

"Same."

"This is probably the best part of our lives. Before all the adulting starts."

"Don't," I groan. "I don't want to think about it."

"Soon we will be working 9-5, bills going out as soon as we get paid, we'll be tired and there may come a time we won't have sex three times a day," he shudders. "I seriously–" He literally gags. "I can't."

I snort. "We'll always have fun no matter what."

"You say that now."

"When do we not have fun?"

He shrugs. "Things can change."

"Change is a good thing, I thought you said."

He rolls his eyes. "True."

I roll to my side and trace my finger down his side. He instinctively sucks his stomach in as the sensation tickles him but continues to let me draw invisible patterns onto him.

"You know what I really love?" I say. "How your hair goes curly when you get out of the water." I lean and tangle my finger into one of his unruly curls. "Although it's getting a bit wild down the sides here."

"Probably am overdue for a hair-cut," he agrees. "What should I do? Mullet? Bowl cut? Maybe go all out and shave the whole thing off?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Are you saying you wouldn't date this," he says, waving his head at his body. "If I didn't have these adorable curls that you love?"

I tilt my head to the side. "On second thought, maybe you should get a mullet."

"Hmm?" he raises an eyebrow.

"Well, it's one way to get other guys to stop checking you out. It'll be a repellent. To both sexes, really."

"Fuck you," he shoves my arm and I laugh, rolling onto my back once more.

After another ten minutes or so, I push into sitting position and gaze out at the waves. Jake sits by me, resting his arm around my knee, leaning his head onto it.

A few people glance at us as they walk past and I have to remind myself that two teenage boys being openly gay in a town like this is very controversial and very unusual. Not that I care, but it's easy to forget.

I'm not sure if Jake is truly oblivious to the stares or whether he's finally reached a point where he doesn't care what people think. Maybe both. Maybe neither.

A small group of boys walk by us, openly staring and clearly discussing us. Jake isn't looking their way but I sure am. I flicker my gaze and try to ignore them.

"Disgusting," I hear one of them say as they walk past.

Sand sprays up my leg as Jake is on his feet within .2 seconds.

"What was that?" he asks calmly.

The guy who was mid-laugh turns to stare at us. He clears his throat, switching his eyes from Jake, down to me and then back to Jake.

"I said you're both disgusting," he answers, drastically increasing the sound of his voice in some attempt to sound tough, I'm assuming. I wince. Puffing his chest up like that is only inviting Jake's fist into his face.

I clamber to my feet and place a hand on Jake's bicep. The guys eyes follow and his lips curl in distaste.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," Jake says eerily monotone, before he strides towards him.

"No, no, no!" I quickly try to intercept this increasingly disastrous scene, but Jake is as stubborn as a bull and halfway to being as strong as one. He can pin my scrawny ass in ten seconds flat. Well, I'm not as thin as I used to be, but still nothing on him.

"Go ahead, fag, I'll lay you on the floor."

"It's really sand," I point out rather unnecessarily.

The guy lunges for Jake who easily dodges it and swings his fist straight into his gut. I've come to realise that's his signature move. And it's damn effective.

The guy drops to the ground in a groaning heap. The other two stay motionless in shock for a moment, before launching into action.

"Fuck," I sigh, realising I'm going to have to step in, too.

Jake goes for the bigger guy, slamming him straight in the nose. The taller yet not-so-built guy goes for Jake, but I get to him first. I collide my body into his side, dropping my sharp shoulder straight into his ribs. He drops to the floor quicker than I thought, sending me falling with him. I use my position to my advantage, straddling over him and sending a powerful punch straight into his jaw.

The smaller guy is on his side, cradling a bloodied nose. Jake has the main guy pinned, his elbow against his throat.

"Apologise to my boyfriend for what you said," he states.

"What?" he squawks.

"Am I not speaking English? Apologise."

"Jesus," he mutters, clawing at Jake's arm to release him. "I'm sorry, okay? Fuck!"

"Say it like you damn mean it," Jake growls, placing further pressure.

"I'm sorry!" he gasps out. "Really, really sorry."

"Still not satisfied."

"Jake," I say. "Come on. These pieces of shit aren't worth our time."

"You're right," he agrees. He looks down at him. "Speak to anyone like that again, you homophobic fuck, I'll kick your ass so hard you'll be eating out of a straw."

Jake finally releases him, his face had begun to start turning a freakish shade of purple. He splutters and cradles his throat. Jake gets to his feet and clutches my hand in his.

He smiles down at them. "See you round, boys."

They glower up at us and I give them a sweet, over-the-top fake smile, thinking yeah, my boyfriend is hot and a total bad ass.

"Should we make it our New Year's resolution to not get in so many fights?" I question, massaging my now-aching hand.

Jake lets out a scoff. "No way. We love it too much."

I look down to my pulsing hand, unable to disagree. The feeling of power behind it. The adrenaline. It's addictive.

"And you're way too hot when you throw a punch," Jake continues. "It's a real turn on."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he grins, inclining his head towards the showers. "We're making a detour before we go home."

He gives me a knowing look, before sauntering in front of me. I wait approximately three seconds before following him.

Oh yeah, I could definitely live like this for the rest of my life.

-----------------

And the boys are back. Can't resist a fight. Ever. ;)

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