We decided we would walk to the pier. It really wasn't that far away from the beach house; we followed the path by the beach.

"What's our school like?" Tyler asked. Honestly, I was surprised by his question, given I only found out he will be joining us for senior year last night.

"Well, you can probably already guess that Basketball is our main sport, I mean we have other teams, but the basketballers are the only one's that are any good. It's not a massive school and for the most part everyone gets along. There's the usual, cheerleaders, nerds, jocks, drama club," I shrugged. 

"Right, so where do you and Kara fit in. You don't look like the cheerleader type, yet your friends with the basketball captain, isn't that the high school cliche?" he laughed.

Smiling, "I am definitely not a cheerleader! I am not that co-ordinated! We go by KK at school, I guess you might say we are popular, but only because we get along with everyone. If someone was being bullied, we are usually the first to step in too. I guess that's where we gain our respect. Plus, all the guys fall over their feet for Kara. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some girls that don't like me, or us." 

"I see. Why don't they like you?" he asked curiously.

"They are threatened. In their perfect world the basketball captain and his friends should be into them, not friends with Kara and I. I mean, it's never stopped the boys hooking up with them, they just don't like how close we are."

"Interesting. I mean you did hook up with my cousin though?"

"That was just a silly freshman year party hook up. We didn't even date, honestly, I'm just close with the guys, they are like brothers."

He nodded. I looked over at him, smiling slightly.

We approached the pier and it was so busy with families everywhere. As we neared my favourite beach kiosk, I pulled Tyler towards it. "Want an iced latte?" I offered. 

He politely declined and waited back a bit from the line while I ordered and collected my favourite drink. We then continued walking towards the end of the pier.

Memories of my childhood started flooding back. This was my favourite place to come on summer nights. Mom, Dad, Drew, and me. We would get a drink from the very same kiosk, then walk down to the end and watch the sunset together. That was back when we were a family and enjoyed spending time with each other.

I took in the pier in front of me. It was huge and considered one of the highlights of our small beach town. It stretched out into the ocean, people enjoyed fishing from one side and often there would be groups of friends jumping into the water off the very end. A little way down we could see a small crowd gathered and music playing. It was common for there to be a musician of some sort playing for donations too.

Today was a trio, we stopped to watch, and I recognised the tune immediately as 'Sweet Home Alabama', one of my favourite classics. We moved towards the front of the crowd where we could see two young girls around 7 or 8 years old dancing in front of the trio. These young girls set the mood for everyone with their bright smiles and soon enough I was also swaying to the music. 

The girls noticed me and pulled me to dance with them. I looked at Tyler and shrugged my shoulders, joining them to dance in front of everyone. A smile had formed on his face as he watched us dancing. Seeing him smile only made me smile even more. 

Before I knew it, these little girls had pulled Tyler towards us to dance too. I was utterly surprised when he gave in to them immediately, the four of us dancing to the beat and laughing. As the song came to an end the crowd cheered, but my eyes were only on Tyler. 

He seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself with these little girls. This was a whole new side to Tyler. We thanked them for the dance before their parents called them back. I looked at Tyler, still smiling, linked my arm around his and led the way further down to the end of the pier.

Once we were away from the crowd I let go of his arm and we walked side by side. We reached the end, I took the lead again, sitting down and letting my legs hang off the edge. Tyler sat down beside me, his smile had faded now and I thought I could see pain behind his eyes.

"You were great with those girls back there, you even looked like you enjoyed it," I teased.

He smiled at me, but it was a sad smile. "What's wrong Tyler?" I asked, my tone serious now.

He took a deep breath, like he was thinking about how best to answer me. Then turned away, looking straight ahead. I thought he was going to close up on me again, instead he said, "Madi is my little sister, she's 6. I know you heard Aunt Nessa talk about her. She's in hospital after an... accident. That's why I'm here, we can't go back home. Those little girls reminded me of her. She loves to dance."

This was the first piece of him that he was showing me. He was finally letting me in a little bit, and I couldn't even respond. I stayed silent, I just placed my hand over his, he stayed looking straight ahead, but moved his hand so that our fingers were now linked together.

I don't know how long we sat like that, silence comforting each of us. It felt like hours, but in reality, was probably only 10 minutes before Tyler turned to me, smiling "You promised me a day of fun. So where to next?"

"How are you with heights?" I asked him with a big grin on my face. 

There is a new slingshot ride that I have been dying to try out and Kara is petrified of heights and Mason says he will vomit. I drag Tyler back down the pier, past the trio and to our destination. As we arrive there are two young boys currently taking their turn, we watch as they are flung up into the air and the bungee ropes bounce them up and down miles in the air.

"Oh, you are so on!" Tyler says to me grinning and his eyes lighting up. I first pump the air, which makes him laugh. We line up and don't have to wait long. While the ride draws a crowd to watch it, lots of people are too scared to actually try it. I payed for our tickets and we made our way onto the platform.

The attendants strapped us in, as I felt the butterflies in my stomach, I love the adrenaline that rides like this bring.

"You sure you are ready for this?" I ask him.

"I was born for rides like this. Don't cry on me and especially don't vomit," He teases back.

The ride was amazing. Everything I thought it would be, neither of us vomiting or passing out. Always a good sign. It was the perfect ice breaker for this new friendship that I could sense was forming. A way for us to let go of our inhibitions. 

"Alright Kay, you did good there with that one, I enjoyed that rush. Where to next?" Tyler asked as we walked away from the slingshot.

"I'm not sure I can top that! That was so much fun," I exclaimed, still on a high from the adrenaline.

"Maybe we can just head somewhere, get to know each other better?" I looked up to see him looking down at me, a hopeful look in his eye at the suggestion.

"Yeah ok, I know of one more place. It's not too far away from here."

We walked for around 15 minutes to a place that not many people would hang out. My brother showed me a few years ago, the track is a bit hidden and you had to know about it to get there. I led Tyler through the bush scrub, that admittedly seemed pretty sketchy. 

"Uh Kayla, you're not leading me to my death, are you? It doesn't look like anyone comes down here?" Tyler questioned.

"Do you trust me?" I flashed him a smile, he shrugged and followed. A few steps ahead and I pulled back some branches, stepping forward to our destination.

We were on a huge rock that had the most amazing view over the ocean. Turning to him, throwing my arms into the air and smiling, I said, "Welcome to my little bit of paradise."

His face showed all that I needed to see; he was in awe. I don't blame him; the view up here is breathtaking. To the right you could see the area we just came from with the pier and all the people enjoying the sunshine. To left you could just make out the lighthouse and in front of us was simply blue green ocean. I took a seat to admire the view, crossing my legs as I sat. Tyler sat beside me.

"How did you find this place?" he asked.

"My brother took me up here a few years ago. That was when we used to be close," I replied. 

Tyler was making me feel comfortable and I felt like I could talk to him and he would keep my secrets safe. It was different to Kara or Mason, I hardly knew him and yet I felt I could trust him and he wouldn't judge me.

"Used to be?" he probed.

"Yeah. There's only a year between us and we were always so close growing up. We shared everything. Not long before Thanksgiving last year my Mom left. Then everything changed. Drew had scholarships lined up for College, but he changed when my family fell apart. Nothing is the same anymore. He is a stoner with his loser friends just wasting his life away. I don't even know him anymore," I finished bitterly. 

"That's rough Kayla. Is that why you came to stay at the house?"

"Not exactly. Something happened... with one of his friends." 

I looked at him at that moment, his eyes were soft and caring, watching me carefully. This Tyler is different to the moody, emotionless Tyler that I first knew. 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

I took a deep breath. 

"I feel like I need to tell someone, otherwise I can never move on." 

Unconsciously my hand moved to my ribs where the bruise had been, the reminder of that night. It might have physically faded, but it was still vivid in my mind.