I'm laying on the couch, chewing my nails and waiting for Becca to arrive at Aunt Lana's. I called her earlier, asking her to drop by. I mentioned to bring Ida, but I'm not sure if she'll come. I don't know exactly what I want to say. 'Im sorry' just doesn't seem like it'll do. I really said some hurtful things Becca, things out of anger and dejected feelings.

The knock at the door makes me jump. I start to get it but Aunt Lana is already coming down the stairs.

"Don't dare, you need to rest your leg," she says. I oblige and sit back down. I can hear Becca's voice as she makes small chatter with Lana.

She comes into full view eventually.

"If you need anything, just holler." Aunt Lana says as she leaves. She's been so helpful and motherly these past few weeks.

"Please don't stand on my account," Becca says with a small chuckle. It makes my heart lift, maybe this won't be so hard.

"I'll cut straight to the chase." I say and take a deep breath. "I'm sorry for how I acted. I shouldn't have put my anger out on you. I didn't mean to, I guess I just felt wronged in a sense. And I thought you of all people would've told me about Kai and Ida."

She sighs out and reaches to brush her hair back. "I can understand that. I just, I didn't want to cause anything between you two. Plus, when Kai told me he liked you, he told me that he didn't want me mentioning anything. It wasn't really my place."

I nod my head slowly, registering what she says. If I'd just been calm at the luau, it wouldn't have been such a problem for Becca and I.

"You still think I'm cool to be around?" I ask her finally. She taps her chin lightly, before a smile stretches across her face.

"Yeah, yeah I can definitely do that."

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With my leg still in bad condition, I couldn't start surfing right away. So, for the last two weeks, we've done nothing but watch video after video of surfing competitions. Eventually, Kai trusted that the wound on my knee had healed well enough and I could get back into the water.

"You do remember what to do, right?" He asks me as we head down toward the water. It's a pretty warm day. My leg is just a little stiff but it's not that bad. It doesn't hurt like it did when the wound was fresh and new.

"Yeah, don't drown this time," I joke with a snort.

"Hey," Kai says as he stops, his hand holding me back by the shoulder. "Don't joke like that." I blush some as we meet each other's eyes.

"You're right. Just, trust me okay? You're not giving yourself that much credit." I offer Kai a smile before continuing toward the ocean.

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We're laying out on the warm sand. My eyes are closed and for the first time since the whol luau incidence, I feel this bliss. I think back to how it felt to get back in the ocean, back into the motion of surfing.

I think of the sea. How she he wrapped her arms around me, each kiss leaving the taste of salt against my skin. She rocked me, cradled me, and protected me. I never felt more safe, more clear headed, than how I felt then.

"Taylor?" Kai's voice was soft.

"Yeah?" I respond as I peek at him. He still has his eyes closed.

"Before . . . Before what happened at the luau, did you mind me kissing you?" My stomach clenches at this. It's not exactly something that I expected Kai to come out and discuss. I open my eyes fully and turn my head to look at him. Kai finally opens his eyes after me and he sits up, waiting for my answer.

"No," I respond truthfully and I didn't. In fact I liked it.

"Are you still mad about Ida?" I shake my head, my hands playing with the sand, watching as the tiny grands roam through the spaces of my fingers.

"I don't have anything to be mad about. I kind of . . . went overboard I admit." I chuckle a little halfheartedly.

"Yeah, well I played my part too. He ducks his head ebfore looking up at me. "I'm going to be real with you Taylor. I like you, I like you a lot." My cheeks burn with embarassment. Any girl would want to hear those words and Kai is saying them to me.

"So?" He says with a look of worry on his face.

"So," I drawl out and giggle a little. "So I like you too. I like you a lot Kai."

"Really?" Kai asks me.

"Yeah," I say and sit up. "You don't believe me or something?" I shove his shoulder playfully.

"Well, I do. I mean, unless you can show me and explain it better." Kai is giving me that look, the same one from the luau, eyes low and a playful smirk playing on his lips. We both share a look, knowing what we want.

Leaning forth I press my lips against Kai's. My hand reaches up and presses against his cheek as the kiss deepens. Laying me back, all I can focus on is the warmth of the sun and the feeling of Kai's lips.

His tongue folds against the inside of my lips. My hands tangle in his before falling down and over his back, warm and ripped with pure muscle.

When he pulls them away, we're both breathing hard and staring into each other's eyes. Laughs tumble from our lips.

"This is how our first kiss should've been," Kai says softly and I can't help but nod in agreement.