i'll pull you closer when
you're floating far a w a y . . .

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An elbow in the back as a wake-up call is not what I want in the morning. It's not what I want ever. But Sadie has always been a restless sleeper, so that was partially my mistake for sharing the bottom of Jodie's bunk bed with her.

All I could do was emit an exhausted excuse of a whine.

Sadie didn't budge as I leaned up onto my elbows to shoot her daggers. She was sound asleep with a hint of a smile on her face. I can't stay mad at her, no matter how irritated I am with my rude awakening. She's too sweet to be angry at.

The door to Jodie's bedroom creaked upon opening, and in walked my blonde best friend. Freshly showered, a cup of iced coffee in her hands and a teasing smirk tugging at her lips.

"Morning, guys," she chirped too loudly for my liking. I glowered at her in return, falling back onto the pillow under my head. "Yikes. Bad hangover?" She said jokingly, taking a seat by my feet on the edge of the mattress.

"I think atrocious would be a better word for it," I muttered, misery evident in my quibble. She chuckled at me and took a sip from her cup, crossing one leg over the other. The movement caused Sadie to stir and gracefully wake up, as she rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up.

"What happened?" She peeped in her small voice.

"You elbowed me in the back, that's what," I grumbled. Opposite of Sadie's, my voice the morning after a night of heavy drinking is hoarse, highly unattractive, and totally resembling a man's.

Sadie grimaced and then cowered into the plush blanket we were sharing. "Sorry," she droned.

"No worries. It's my fault for sharing a bed with you anyway," I giggled, and she laughed too. I went to say something else, most likely a plea for coffee, but a loud gasp from Jodie sent my head spinning around to look at her.

Her blue eyes were wide and solely focused on my neck. Her finger reached out and she pointed at it in horror.

"What is that?"

I gulped. "W-what?" I moved to shyly pull my t-shirt up to cover the humongous hickey on my neck.

"Lena," she scolded me. Her glare grew more intense with every second I didn't answer her, only making this more awkward than it needed to be. "Don't you lie to me."

With her and Sadie both staring at me, waiting for a response, I couldn't take it anymore. An exasperated sigh escaped my lips as I dropped my hands onto my lap.

"It's from Noah," I cringed as his name came out of my mouth.

"Oh no, not again!" Sadie cried out. I nodded in confirmation and she just groaned.

"I know, this is really bad," I stated the obvious, running my fingers over my face in distress. "But in my defense, I was going to say something last night." They both gave me a knowing look, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious! I stopped him and literally right when I was going to start talking, Caleb came and got us. So you can thank your boyfriend for ruining the moment," I remarked, smiling bitterly at Sadie.

She scoffed at that. "Like it's his fault-"

"It is! Because-"

"Guys! Shut the hell up!" Jodie stopped our bickering before it could even begin. Sadie and I grew quiet and looked towards her, shameful expressions on both our faces. Our mother for a friend sighed, put her coffee down on her bedside table and got her I-mean-business look on. "We have a serious problem here."

I crossed my arms, defeated as I came to the conclusion that I'd be stuck in this sticky Noah situation forever. "If I would've just said something at the beginning, none of this would be happening," I mumbled.

Jodie stood up and downed the rest of her coffee, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Get up," she demanded. Sadie and I glanced at each other in question, and stared back at Jodie. "We have to solve this and a brunch date will do just the trick. So get dressed, and get your asses in my car in five minutes."

We didn't need any other directions from her to know that she said five minutes and she meant five minutes.

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"I can't do it. There's no way that I'll be able to," I leaned back in the booth and shook my head in denial.

"It's not a matter of if you want to or if you can, it's that you have to," Jodie corrected me, while Sadie nodded along.

I threw my head back against the cushion, staring up at the stained ceiling of The Sand Dollar. "I'm gonna break his heart," I choked out, my shoulders slouching. I'm pretty sure I felt my chest cave in at the idea of ripping Noah to shreds.

"Yes, you probably are," Jodie agreed hesitantly, which just made the stinging in my chest develop into a burning all over. I looked at my two friends sitting across from me, and each of them reached out to hold one of my hands.

"He'll be okay," Sadie nodded again, more softly this time. "He's Noah, he bounces back from anything in a minute. It's gonna suck, but you have to do it. He needs to know how you feel and that you don't want this to keep happening."

My head slowly nodded too, and I knew she was right. No matter how attached I am to him or how much I love him like a brother, this just can't keep happening. It's not good for either of us anymore and it can only get worse from here. Me leading him on is doing nothing but getting his hopes up, and him taking advantage of me whenever I'm drunk just makes him a coward.

If he would've told me straight up how he felt, then maybe we wouldn't be in this difficult position. Either way, it doesn't matter – I have to tell him the truth.

"You're right," I said as I chewed on my bottom lip. They both nodded, sending each other a sly glance which meant that they knew they got to me. "It has to come out sooner or later, so I just have to pick the right time and tell him."

"Not even 'the right time', just anytime," Jodie pointed out.

I pressed my lips into a small but appreciative smile, trying to think of a way to thank them for all that they've done for me. Not even just today with my Noah problems, but throughout our entire friendship from day one. These girls walked into my life and haven't left me since, they've never doubted me, and have always kept their support at a level I didn't think was humanly possible.

"Thank you, guys. I really don't know how I'd survive without you two," I breathed happily, squeezing their hands tightly that were already wrapped in mine. We probably looked crazy, but then again, we always do. The three of us sitting in a booth, everyone's hand occupied by another, staring at each other with wide grins and nearly tear-filled eyes.

By the time we originally got to the diner, it was almost 10:30, and we stayed until closing at noon. My parents of course didn't mind, we're the only people that'd be allowed to hang around that late, but we left at the same time they did, closing up the diner for the day and carrying on with our Friday's. Working at the pier from Monday through Thursday really has its perks because I don't know any other place that would give me that blessed schedule. Then again, my parents just kind of put me on a shift whenever they want, and I come in whenever I feel like it, which is more often than you'd think. Still, I skip out on some days – like today, for example. The cause being a raging hangover and a serious boy issue.

Jodie dropped Sadie and I off at each of our houses after our brunch date, and I went straight upstairs to the shower. I washed off everything that remained from last night, threw my clothes into my hamper, and changed into something fresh and comfortable.

Since the makeup I had dabbed over my neck earlier before we left for breakfast had disappeared from my shower, I had to reapply some so my parents wouldn't be wondering what that "bruise" came from. It was covered up as much as it could be without it being too obvious, and it was barely noticeable now. Unless anyone purposely analyzes my neck, then they'll probably see it.

I attempted to take a nap in the meantime since I had no work today and it was the most boring Friday in history, but that didn't happen. My mind was flooded with words, floating around in mayhem as I tried to piece them together into coherent sentences I could say to Noah.

Nothing was working. Hours had gone by that consisted of me sprawled out in my bed, staring at the TV but not really watching it. I got up to get a drink sometime in between my brainstorming and other than that, I was affixed to my mattress.

By 5 o'clock, I'd had enough.

With a dissatisfied groan, I pried myself off my sheets and slid my feet into a pair of flip flops. There was only one thing at this point that could help relieve me of my tension and sort out my thoughts, and that was the ocean. My safe haven.

I dawdled down the stairs and saw that my parents were nowhere to be seen when I reached the first floor. Either they went out and didn't tell me, or they're hanging around nearby, inside or outside the house. It didn't alarm me too much, so I walked out the front door and shut it behind me before I descended the staircase.

The wind was wild, whipping my hair around and making it hard for me to see without holding it back as I hiked to the beach. As the water came into my sight line after crossing over the hill, a smile pulled at my lips. Home. My smile grew a little when I realized there wasn't anybody occupying the sand, most likely due to the heavy clouds slowly but surely covering the sky. Behind me was still glowing with late sunshine, but over the ocean looked deadly.

Somewhere in the middle between the ocean and the sand dunes, I plopped down. My hair was getting out of control and so was the wind, the kind like when a storm was approaching. But I didn't care – all I need is an hour or so out here. An hour to sit in the sand, with my eyes hooked on the ocean and the smell of the sea the only thing I focused on.

Frustrated with the obnoxious breeze, I shoved my hair to the back and held it into a ponytail since I didn't have anything to secure it with. And when I looked back up at the rolling waves, I noticed a person.

A guy, dressed in nothing but dark blue board shorts, with a surfboard held captive under his left arm. My hands fell into my lap and he stole my attention. From where I was seated, he was too far for me to see anything other than tan skin and light brown hair, a similar color to mine.

This side of the beach is more for surfing, while down by the boardwalk is for every day swimming. The waves tend to be more intense over here, and I usually see random surfers around whenever I'm out later in the day. Today, he was the only one, as he paddled out far into the ocean and slowly stood up onto his board.

Ideas on what to say to Noah quickly became the last thing on my mind while watching him.

He was fascinating. How he swerved and danced easily across the rocky water made it look like he could do this in his sleep. Fading beneath the plunging waves and coming out on the other side, I felt a newborn thirst in me for something I had never even tried before.

I don't know much about surfing, but I knew enough that he hadn't taken a spill the entire time I was gawking at him. Right when I thought that, it seemed like he sensed my amazement. He wobbled on top of his board, losing his balance before toppling into the waves, the giant blue sea hugging him.

Anticipating his reappearance above the waves, his head popped up a few seconds later, making me relieved that I wouldn't have to try and save him if he drowned. His fingers ran through his hair so he could see, then he hopped back on his board and continued riding the waves.

I'd completely forgotten where I was during my trance until he swam back to shore. By now, I'm not even sure how long I've been out here. The sun is still out, but I sensed that it was getting close to dinner time. Also my stomach growled and that kind of gave it away.

Surfer Boy cradled his board as he lazily made his way up the sand, nearing me with every step he took. His head was down and he probably never even knew I was here, but I couldn't help the racing of my heart as he got closer.

It's not like he's coming to talk to you. He's just going to pass you by and be on his way.

The distance between us shortened and I vaguely recognized him. Racking my brain, I couldn't put a name to the face – his extremely attractive face, at that. His surfer body isn't helping my girlish teenage hormones either.

I'm pretty sure we go to the same school. No, I'm positive we go to the same school. He might have just graduated a couple weeks ago and that could be why I can't think of his name. Damnit, Lena.

I didn't realize that throughout my intense debate inside my brain on what his name could be that my eyes were hooked on him. I reached the certified creep status, and he knew it.

His bare feet paused right by me and his scowl said it all. "Is something wrong?" He spat, blue eyes drilling into me with an intensity I could live without.

I winced involuntarily as a stupid reaction. But I think he noticed it because his face softened then, an apologetic look washing over his features as water dripped down his forehead from his wet hair. "S-sorry," he said meekly.

My shoulders relaxed and I lifted my mouth into a small smile. "It's okay," I simply brushed it off, not wanting to put up a fight because that's not like me.

Our eyes locked suddenly. Being as subtle as I could manage, I scanned him over, digesting the looks of this beautiful boy. Smooth, tan skin, freckled all over from the sun, messy hazelnut locks that are shorter on the sides and longer on top, and eyes as blue as the water he was just slicing through on his board.

Cue the drool.

It felt like it lasted forever when our stare down was merely a few seconds. The corner of his lips turned up into an enticing smirk. "See you around," he concluded.

"Yeah," I uttered in response. We exchanged similar bemused looks, but a hint of interest was in both our eyes. Then he swiftly walked off without another word, leaving me alone with the waves crashing in front of me.

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A/N - sooo anybody on team noah? lmao shit is gonna go down soon and i can't wait for it. also, thoughts on surfer boy??? is he significant?? was it just a dream? hmmmmm... lemme know what y'all think.

it's so cold and rainy today and i have so much freaking homework but i'm putting it off like the procrastinator from hell that i am :) yay me :) thanks so much for reading :) love ya lots!

dedicated to: brokenstereos  :)

song: sail into the sun by gentleman hall

photo: jodie (indiana evans)

xoxo, sabbbycat