Unexpected Bliss

5| The Beginning of the Storm

"It's me." I say plastering on my best fake smile.

"You know I was so disappointed to hear that you had decided to give up surfing so soon and drop out of the competition yesterday! We sure missed you out there, but don't worry, some other girl came in and surfed in your place- she's not much better than you, which is disappointing since I was really hoping for some tough competition." And she hasn't changed at all. Once a bitch, always a bitch.

"Wow your life is just so hard!" I say sarcastically while looking off in the other direction .

"I know right! Oh have you met my boyfriend!? NAATE!" He's here? well of course he is. Nate looks up from the corner of the store and looks a bit annoyed but then smiles and walks over to her slipping an arm around her waist, and she gives him a peck on the cheek." Eeeckhh. He then looks over and notices me and is suddenly startled, and immediately removed his arm from her waist. A huge smile forms on his face and Kayla looks at him angrily.

"Golden girl?" He says his wide grin now turning into a smirk. My heartbeat picks up but then fades as I remember he's with Kayla. She grabs his wrist and steps in between us.

"Golden girl?!" Kayla says angrily, her eyes twitching and fingers curling. Nate then turns back to Kayla.

"Nothing. Sorry. Who's this Kayla?" He asks her turning back to me and grinning.

"You know I'm just gonna-" I start but then Kayla grabs me and pulls me back.

"Savannah banana! Don't leave just yet! Nate, this is an old friend of mine, Savannah Violet."

My fists clench and I force a smile.

"Nate why don't you chat with her while I go help some greet some customers!" She then pats him on the butt and skips back over to the counter. Awkward

"So you're an old friend of Kayla's"

"Hah well if that's what she wants to call it sure. We've been competitors since we were 6."
He raises an eyebrow at me and runs his fingers through his dark hair.

"So you compete?"

"Yeah- well I used to."

"What happened?"

"It's complicated." I say and I put a strand of hair behind my ear.

He steps closer to me until our noses are almost touching. Eek. He smells really good. Like old spice mixed with coconut. I found myself captured in his brown eyes and the sparkling specks of gold in them that seemed to be filled with mischief "I finally know your name" he says with a small smile forming on his face. "I'll be out again at 10- meet me?" He says looking at me intently. I'm about to respond when I hear Marissa and Lola calling me over.

"SAVANNAH LETS GO!" I jump at Marissa's voice and step away from him.

"I gotta go." I say and quickly turn to leave with my friends. Still thinking of his eyes and scent of coconut. I smile to myself as Lola drags me out of the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"DAAMON I'm home." I yell as I walk in the door. Dad was in California on business so it was just Damon, Shawn and I.

I walk through the kitchen and I'm about to enter the living room when Shawn jumps out in front of me and grabs my shoulders. He looks at me wide eyed and blushing with his hair all over the place and messed up. "Savannah! You're home sooner than expected..." He says rubbing the back of his neck no longer looking me straight in the eye.

"It's 8:30... Shawn what's going on?" I say as I walk past him into the living room "Where's Dam-" a short really pretty girl who looks to be about Shawn's age stands next to the couch looking embarrassed with her blonde hair all over the place. She sheepishly smiles at me.

"Hi... I'm Siena." She says and I look her up and down then whip my head around to Shawn. I'm about to tell her to leave when we hear the front door open.

"SHAWNIE PRAWNIE IM HO-" Damon enters the room and looks at Siena, then at me, then at Shawn. "Dang little bro you've stepped up your game!" He pats hip lightly on the back then looks over to Siena and winks. She giggles a little and blushes.

Shawn and I both look at Damon in confusion. "You're not mad?" We both say.

"Oh on the contrary my dear siblings!" He says swinging an arm around Shawn and then the other around me. "Plus mom would've been proud to see Shawn with his first little girlfriend." He says scratching Shawn's head making him groan.

Siena now stands very awkwardly and then starts to gather her things. "Well I- ah think I'm gonna go now. I'll see you."

"I'll walk you out." He says and they walk towards the door together. Shawn smiles and waves goodbye, then shuts the door and walks back over to Damon and I, now sitting on the living room couch watching TV.

"So Shawn you didn't kiss her goodbye?" Damon asks while flipping through channels.

"I'm sure they did enough of that before we arrived." I say and Damon high fives me while still focusing on the TV.

"Very funny Savannah." Shawn says sitting down next to me on the couch while straightening out his hair.

"So guys are we still on for watching SNL tonight?" Damon says looking over at us and wiggling his eyebrows.

"I guess now I'll have to." Says Shawn rolling his eyes and rubbing his face.

"Hell yea you do. Savannah?"

I remember what Nate had said:
I'll be out again at 10-meet me?
I blush remembering how close he was to me when he said it, but then go pale when I think about him and Kayla.

But then again I really need to get out and surf while I can, since my dad's out of town.

"Sorry guys I might have to skip it tonight..." I say standing up and going into my room.

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"With who?"

I hesitate, but then quickly think of a name. "Zac." I would've told him I was going surfing but Shawn was there, and he would rat me out to dad right away.

"Ooh well you kids have fun!" He says with a wink. I roll my eyes and head out the door.

Here goes nothing