The sky in Southwold was grey and glorious. The clouds formed a large, cotton canopy that hung low over the small brick houses. Yearning for the crisp, salty breeze that Kayleigh always associated with home, she hopped out of the car before Marcus had even turned off the engine.

The cry of the seagulls in the distance, the church bells indicating the start of Sunday mass, echoed in Kay's ears as she inhaled deeply. She waited for the familiarity to engulf her and wrap her up in a blanket of safety. Maybe finally, after being away for so long, the simplicity and quiet of the sleepy town would offer her comfort instead of impatience and restlessness. But the feeling never came. The streets were empty save for a few stray leaves whirling in the wind and the unease that came with expectation filled her lungs.

"Wow! Was it always so eerie?"

Kayleigh frowned at the large man who came around to stand beside her. The scowl on his lips could easily be mistaken for an arrogant sneer. The sadness in his eyes made him seem distant and cold. But Kayleigh knew better. He looked just as she felt. This town was too small for them.

"You haven't visited in six years, Marcus. I don't think it's the place that's changed."

Only, Marcus had every right to feel out of place. She had been away for less than a month, yet the place almost felt foreign. The same but different.

She walked up to her front door, her hands going instinctively to her pockets before remembering she didn't bring her key. She turned instinctively towards her brother but quickly decided against asking him for his key.

Leon was tailing Rosemary with desperation in his eyes as she struggled to get her suitcase out of Marcus's boot.

"Come on, Rosie, you can't just ignore me," he begged.

But the determination on the girl's face was clear. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it, Leon!"

She threw her backpack over her shoulder and with a final tug, her large suitcase fell to the ground.

"Let me help you!"

They both crouched down over the suitcase and grabbed its handle to set it upright. But as they pulled in opposite directions, Rosemary fell forwards. Leon tried to break her fall and their heads banged together causing Leon's glasses to fall to the floor. Rosemary cursed loudly rubbing her forehead.

"You know what? Just leave the damn thing here. I'll ask Dad to pick it up later."

Kayleigh wondered if she was the only one to hear the break in the girl's voice.

"It's okay. I can bring it to you, Nicholson. Don't have anywhere else to be," Marcus mumbled gently. He picked up the suitcase with one hand and placed it back into his SUV.

The tension between Rosemary and Leon was almost visible. So much so, that Kayleigh felt guilty watching. Rosemary clearly wanted to get out of there fast, and Leon... Leon was crushed. He couldn't for the life of him understand what was going on and Kayleigh knew how much he hated not being in control. She rang her parents' doorbell with very little hope, knowing they were both probably at church.

"Rosie-"

"I'll see you later," she replied before the boy could say anything else. "Thanks for the ride, Burrows."

Then, she hopped onto her bike which had been resting against their fence and peddled quickly down the street without even saying goodbye to Kayleigh.

Leon stared back after her, mouth hanging open. Kayleigh counted five full seconds before he came to his senses and chased after her.

"Has she admitted that she likes him yet?" Marcus asked coming up behind Kayleigh.

"Has he?" she muttered as she rang her parents' doorbell again, not wanting to divulge her friend's secret.

"Nope!" he replied scratching his beard. Then he added with a confident smirk, "Don't worry. He'll get there."

Kayleigh turned to him curiously. Did he know something?

"What do you mean?"

Marcus leaned against the Moore's' doorframe. "He can't ignore it forever. It's very obvious to everyone but him. I've never seen him make an effort to remember a girl's name let alone chase one down the street."

The unease in Kayleigh's stomach grew. "Don't be ridiculous, Marcus. You know him. He'll just break her heart."

"No, he won't. It's fine time for him to grow up anyway."

Kayleigh couldn't hold back her scoff. "Boys don't grow up."

"That's very incorrect. Boys don't grow up until they have to. That usually coincides with finding the one worth growing up for."

Each word felt like a bullet in her back. Was he being serious?

She glared at him deliberately, wondering whether she was able to keep her feelings from bursting forth in words or fists.

"Of course, it does," she retorted bitterly. Deciding flight was the best course of action, she pushed past him and marched down the empty street.

"Hey, where are you going?" Marcus asked, springing into action and following her.

"To get that ice cream!"

"What about your parents?"

He fell into step with her but Kayleigh kept marching forward at full speed without actually running.

"They're not home. I don't have a key. I'll drop by later."

"Okay. Why are we going so fast? Does the ice cream truck have a curfew?"

"You don't have to come. As a matter of fact, shouldn't you be saying hi to your parents? You haven't seen them in-"

"Two months. They came up to London in April so Dad could try on his tux for the wedding. He looked like a penguin but Mum literally had tears in her eyes." Marcus was laughing but Kayleigh didn't get the joke. "Besides, they're not here. They went to visit Nana in Istanbul before Mum's family all come over together for the wedding."

"That's lovely. Well, you can take Rosemary's luggage to her house."

"And risk walking in on her and Leon going at it? No, thank you." He held his throat and made gagging noises but stopped when Kayleigh gave him another death glare. "What? Hey, wait up!"

"Why? Why should I wait for you?" Kayleigh screamed in frustration, finally stopping in the middle of the road.

Her anger threatened to mellow down when she looked into his eyes. He knew. As his brows smoothened and his pupils dilated, she saw that he knew what she meant. She couldn't wait for him again, and yet she just couldn't let go. Every time he called, she answered. Everywhere he went, she followed. She had a perfectly dreamy man waiting for her in London, and yet here she was, in Southwold, with him.

Marcus took a tentative step towards her. His mouth opened and closed twice before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Because I'm here. I'm here with you."

Of course, he was. But what did that mean? Her mind went back to that morning as they sat beneath the hammock, their bodies entangled, their thoughts a complete mess.

"It's too late," she answered before rushing down the street again. Tears threatened to fall forth but this time, they weren't tears of heartbreak.

She was angry. Incredibly angry.

He and his stupid hazel eyes and his stupid grown-up body, with his silly words and stupid garden, were too bloody late. Her mind was completely off-track and her soul was lost. For what? Someone else sat where she belonged. She wasn't the one who made him grow up. Maybe she wasn't the one at all.

"It's not too late, Kay Kay," he called from behind her. She wished he'd stop following her. She knew she couldn't outrun him unless he stopped and sprinted in the opposite direction. And even then, she wondered if his pull would somehow magically transport her into his arms.

"Kay Kay, please stop!"

And she did, but not because he'd asked her to.

She'd turned the corner onto the beach and her eyes landed on the colourful beach huts. Her past came rushing back, a past she desperately needed to forget.

Her and Marcus racing down the beach. Marcus applying a band-aid carefully after Leon pushed her, causing her to fall and scrape her knee. Marcus taking photos of her by the huts, adjusting his settings until he got the right contrast of red, blue and yellow. Marcus and her fighting after she caught him cheating on Vanessa Evans and threatened to tell her. Marcus begging her for forgiveness after he and Leon ruined her first date.

His hazel eyes. His lips getting closer. Their first kiss. His hands. His hands were all over her, holding her, making her feel like nothing in the world was more important than her.