The Heart Of Zac: Book 4 (Completed)

Chapter One

Zac's POV:

I could taste the salt in the air. My favourite kind of taste. It meant I was at one of my favourite places in the world. The beach.

I was taking advantage of the good surf conditions and I knew it was going to be a good day.

I had grown up next to the beach and I learned to surf as soon as I could carry a board. Surfing was my passion and I took every opportunity to indulge in it.

I still remember the day that my life changed. The day my parents told me that we were moving.

I had just come back from the beach feeling euphoric. Nothing could have spoiled that moment. That was until my parents made me sit down for a compulsory meeting.

"Zac, my office has given me a new posting." Dad had said.

This wasn't new. Dad had to travel as part of his work. He was away for long periods of time. Most of the time it was just Mum and me and Jed. My golden retriever. Was it an ideal life? Perhaps not but it was the only life I knew. As long as I had my board and surf I was happy.

"So as part of this new posting we will be moving down South to a charming country town called..."

"What the hell Dad? Did you say we were moving!"

"Yes Zac. Part of this new posting means your Dad won't have to travel so much anymore. He will head up the new regional centre. And don't say hell. It's not nice."

Mum seemed excited at the prospect. I guess it was because it meant that Dad would be around a lot more. I knew it had been tough on Mum with Dad being away so much. Still I wasn't exactly thinking about Mum right now.

"So what the hell...I mean heck am I supposed to do? Just follow like a little lamb. What about my surfing?"

"Zac there other beaches you know."

I knew Dad was right but I wanted my beach. The beach I grew up on.

"Well Zac start packing cause we leave in two weeks."

So that's how I ended up in this sleepy country town.

I'll never forget the first day I met Brittany, my Britt. She wasn't my first girlfriend. No, not by a long shot but I could definitely say she was the first girl I fell in love with. My only love.

There was something that attracted me to her from the start. I remember being accosted by Talia the first day of school. Talia was nice enough and having no friends I wasn't going to turn her down but then I met Brittany. I laughed when I recalled her first words to me.

"Hi I'm Nittany, I mean Brittany."

Watching her stumble over her name made me smile. There was something so wholesome and pure about her. Totally not like the usual girls I dated. She intrigued me from the start. When she turned around for that last look I knew I was gone. She totally had my heart.

Some how, some way through the obstacles we managed to stay together.

Through the start when we were sneaking around. During the time that time when she was in London and she thought I had kissed Ronnie. That thought made me laugh out loud. Ronnie was definitely one of the guys. In fact I counted her as a close mate and an awesome surfing buddy.

We even managed to stick together during the time that Talia got it into her head that she was in love with me. The awkwardness of Talia's kiss almost destroyed us. It was a moment I didn't really like to dwell on.

Yes so despite all these challenges I knew that Britt was mine and I was hers. The night that we gave our virginity to each other was a night burned into my memory. The way her body had trembled at my touch. The way I saw her change into a woman. Call me crazy but I chose to wait before having sex. Wait for the time that I was truly in love with someone. I knew I had made the right decision that night. It was the night that cemented us together forever.

So here we were in our final year of high school. It had been a rollercoaster few years. I had no idea what I wanted to do after school. At the end of the day, all I really cared about was Britt and surfing. I touched the spot on my arm that I had Britt's name tattooed. I already had my Britt tattooed on my heart. Why not my body? It was my 18th birthday present to myself. My parents hadn't been crazy about it but I didn't care. Now I carried Britt everywhere with me.

It was that day that I had met Kai. He had been braver than me. He came in a blank canvas and left that day with the makings of dragon snaking around his back. For me getting the name Britt was enough. I was going to get Brittany but I couldn't stand the pain. Not that I wanted to let on. Kai hit the nail on the head when he questioned me.

"Britt huh? Thought the name on your paper said Brittany."

"Nah I call her my Britt. Seemed more appropriate."

"More like you didn't realise the pain would be like that and chickened out part way."

He laughed heartily and we soon bonded over a mutual love of surfing.

I was here with Kai today pitting our skills against each other. I had to admit he was a great surfer but still not quite at the level I was.

We had paddled out and were now sitting in the middle of the ocean. Suddenly he gave a low whistle and I looked in the direction he was staring.

"Hey Zac, check out that chick. Wow. What a babe."

I squinted trying to see what he was looking at. I saw Talia wearing a red one piece swim suit and my Britt in a purple polka dot bikini.

"The one in the red. Yup that's Talia. Has all the guys at school drooling after her."

"Not her. I mean she's ok but I'm talking about the babe next to her. That bikini is hugging her in all the right places."

I stared at Kai. Surely he couldn't be talking about my Britt. Sure she looked fine but she was mine. I turned to paddle away leaving Kai behind me.