Koda hated going home, it was a bane of her existence but eventually she would have to turn up. So Poppy dropped her off.

With a deep breath Koda started to the door which opened before she even crossed half the yard. "Where were you?" Her mom demanded, hands planted firmly on her hips. To most it would sound like a concerned mother but Koda knew better then to think that. "I was at a party." She didn't see any use in lying about her whereabouts.

"Well did you eat anything?" The woman demanded but she seemed less tense then before. With a roll of her eyes, luckily hidden by the night, Koda replied. "Nope, not a thing."

"At least your good for something, get your ass inside!" She moved out of the doorway, walking into the house more. Koda stared at the empty archway, debating momentarily what to do. Sighing she walked in with her head low, at least tomorrow she would be out again on the waves. "Also, Molly called and you have  photoshoot at Byron Bay coming up." Abigail told her daughter. Kods frowning at that. "Don't worry it won't mess up your stupid little surfing thing."

"It's Nationals, it's not stupid it's important." She grumbled under her breath as she closed the door.

The next morning, Koda woke up early and threw on some clothes as she rushed out the door. She looked forward to today, surfing and being with the team. She started her walk towrads the beach, Poppy wouldn't be able to pick her up today but Koda was glad her best friend could carry her board there for her. So that was one less thing the girl had to carry to make the walk enjoyable.

"Hey there." A voice called behind her, the sound of a bike getting closer. She looked over her shoulder to see the pink haired boy grinning at her. "Hi." Her smile was soft, edging on timid but she wasn't afraid of him..she didn't think he was the type of guy anyone could be scared of.

Pulling off to the side some, slowing down to where he fell into pace with her. "Where you going?" He questioned, swerving side to side. "I'm assuming the same place you are." She laughed a bit at that. He now fully stopped the bike, looking at her like she was insane.

"You are going to walk eight miles just to work out again with surfing?" He asked her, a pink tint crossing Koda's face. "I know shortcuts. I'll be okay." She reassured him as she started back the trek, not wanting to be late.

"Let me give you a ride, jump on little bear." He gestured to the spokes on the back wheel. Koda looked unsure before looking towards him,  his face while he wore his usual smirk had a gentle look to it. Biting the inside of her lip she finally moved to get on the spokes. Her arms wrapping loosely around his shoulders.

He couldn't help the smile that filled his face as he started peddling, for once a small blush crossing his face. Normally he wasn't the type to get attached to a girl so easily. Yet here Koda was, he barely knew her and she seemed so shy around him, yet she had a hold on him. It was enchanting and terrifying. 

He glanced over his shoulder to see her eyes closed as she just felt the wind against her face, hitting a bump, the girls hold on him tightened and her head went down against his neck. Baxter chuckled softly. "You're okay, I won't let anything bad happen to you." He promised.

They finally reached the beach, Baxter offering a hand back to help her off. The sound of the waves calling to the two hearts. So they started the decent down the sandy hill, holding each other's hand for support as she started laughing when Baxter slipped.

He chuckled as well, his eyes turning up to look at her. She has seemed to come along way from the girl who almost fell off a short garden bench because he frightened her.

With a smirk on his face, he grabbed her leg pulling it out from under her. Bringing her to the ground with him, a small groan left her from hitting the group but she soon started laughing again. Baxter turning to look at her with a smile. Their faces close together and the tender look he was giving her almost got her walls completely down.

He reached out, gently brushing his fingers along her cheek. The girl smiling at him, leaning closer. "Nice try." She whispered softly before standing up, offering him a hand. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean." He chuckled as he was placed his hand in hers, the smaller girl helping him to his feet. "Sure." She laughed as they continued down.

Ari and Summer were walking into the beach. Summer looking towrads the sand, smiling some. "What?" He asked the girl as he followed her look. He was shocked seeing Koda and Baxter hand in hand heading to the beach. "That's...wow." He couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. Koda was the type of girl who you wanted to care for and look after. "When did that happen?"

"Well at the end of the party, you know with the fire?" At that comment summer rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah I vaugly recall." She said  with a small laugh. "Well she comforted him due to his past. But knowing our Koda they are just friends."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Summer asked as she turned to look at Ari with a arched eyebrow.

Ari gave a slightly confused and amused smile. "I'm just saying Koda's not ready for that sort of emotional intimacy. She's still working through some things and I don't think she is quite at the point to let other people into her life and so close to her." Summer crossed her arms as she looked towards the girl who had no idea the conversation was even happening. "I think she's more ready then you or Poppy or even Marlon are aware. If you treat her like a broken  doll she'll think she is a broken doll. He treats her different and maybe that's what she needs."

Ari looked back towrads Koda, Baxter's arms going around her stomach from behind and picking her up. He gave her a small spin making her burst into another fit of laughter. "Maybe..but what if he breaks her more?"
"And what if he heals her? There's too many ifs in life to dwell on them. Now give me those tips you said you would." She pulled his  attention away from Koda, not wanting him to linger on the thought since he might do something he will regret and that Koda possibly won't forgive him for.

Ari looked back towrads Summer before looking out at the waves, seeing a older man surfing. "Take a look at old mate. At this break, the third wave of the set's usually the biggest. But if it's too big, it closes out. Right? So the wave after is the go." He told her as they looked out at the water.

Summer turned to face him fully. "So you gotta wait for the right wave."She said with a smile on her face. "Exactly." Ari returned the smile as he looked towards her now. "Cause you would never just take the first good looking wave that comes along." Ari was starting to catch on when she said that, his head tilting to the side some. "Well..sometimes you can wait too long for the perfect wave and it never comes." He countered.

"But what if it eventually does come, just not when you were expecting?" The slight smile has yet to leave her face as she looked up at him. "Too late. Heat's over, everyone's gone home." He told her with a matching sort of smile. Summer shrugged. "I think I got a couple minutes left on the clock." Unsure what to say Ari smiled some and shook his head. "Let's get our there." He picked up his board, running towards the water. Summer watching after him before picking up her own board.

Koda jumped slightly when Summer and Ari ran past them. "So you want to go in the water, cub?" Baxter asked with a smile. She looked at him with a slight roll of her hazel eyes. "Sure Pinkiepie, let's go." She walked towrads the water, the two without boards since Elo will be bring Baxter's and Poppy would bring Koda's.

The two spent less time in the water then Summer and Ari did,  heading back to the tent where they saw the others arriving.

Summer and Ari where walking out of the water, towards where Wren and Elo where. "Ari, I didn't mean to ghost you. It's, like, once I decided I wanted to be a legit surfer, I just didn't want to be talked out of it." She told him truthfully. Ari gave her a slight smile. "Summer, I promise, I wouldn't have tried to talk you out of it."

"So, have you forgiven me for breaking your heart?" She teased as she gently hit his chest. Ari pushing her slightly, making the girl laugh. "Have you heard the Aussie phrase, up yourself?" He asked in a laughing tone. Summer laughed softly before looking at him. "No. I haven't."

Elo was wrapping up Wren's foot. Koda's face sceptical as her and Baxter reached the tent "It's feeling so much better," Wren told her older sister. "Good." Wren looked over when she heard Summer laugh, noticing how close her and Ari were walking, forcing a smile the blonde girl waved to the two.

"I'm gonna go talk to Summer." Koda had her eyes turned up to Baxter who still had a arm around her. It seemed since she was okay with him touching her, he would find any little way to do that. "Okay." Baxter nodded with a soft smile, letting his arm fall as she walked away.

"Since when are the two of you so chummy?" Wren asked with a arched eyebrow, Elo walking away from the two younger siblings. Baxter's smile fell when he heard her talk. "Leave her out of this, she's a good girl. Whatever you have with Summer, she is not a part of it." He stated firmly.

Wren sat up straighter to look at him. "You're right. Koda's a good girl. A sweet, shy girl so what do you think she would do when she learns of why we had to leave Queensland?" She threatened but Baxter shot her a cocky smirk. "She knows about that and she doesn't care, just please don't ruin this Wren." The Radic girl sighed. "Why her?" That question made his smirk be replaced by a genuine smile. "Why anyone else when she exists?"

"You can feel the tension in the air as the Blu Gravity Talent Search kicks off." The announcer said over the intercom. A interview stood in front of Tuscany, the camera man off to the side to film, Koda looking towrads there as she walked towards her friends.

"Tuscany Bray, you have been on a hot steal up north. Now you've come south to show up the locals?" That made Tuscany laugh softly as she leaned towards the mic. "Oh, don't say that. I want the locals to like me." Tuscany looked towards Bodhi as the interviewer laughed. "I'm sure they will."

Bodhi was looking at Tuscany, giving her a smile. Summer placed her hand on Bodhi's arm. "So she really used the word date?" She asked excitedly, Poppy right behind her, Bodhi turned her attention to her friends. "Date?" Koda questioned with a grin as she walked up. "I know, I couldn't believe it. And, of course, it just made me more nervous, but...she was just, like, so amazing." Bodhi said, Marlon playing his ukulele in the background.

Poppy leaned towards Bodhi, pushing her arm gently. "You're blushing! Look at your crush face." The girl teased. "Look." Summer said with a laugh, touching Bodhi's cheek before pointing at her own. "Aww, that's so cute Bodes!" Koda gushed teasingly. Little did Koda know Sumner was planning on it soon being Koda's turn to be blushing.

"No, okay. I mean, I don't know what's gonna happen.  We both live in different states, so..I'm just trying not to overthink it." Wren was walking up to the three. "Right." Summer said with a small laugh before noticing Wren. Koda's face shifted slightly but looking behind Wren she saw Baxter, his eyes already on her. She smiled softly as her face heated up, the boy happily returning the smile. 

"Wait, did you and Tuscany catch  up?  I didn't know that was happening in real life." Wren said, glancing towards where Tuscany was. "Oh, yeah, no, I just..I don't know, I didn't want to make a big deal about it, in case I crashed and burned. But, um..she's super cool. I don't know why you guys didn't hang out more in Queensland."Bodhi said with a smile on her face.

"Diffrent circles..yeah." Wren reasoned as she glanced over again. Summer slung her arm around Bodhi's shoulder. "Nice you know one of us is getting some action. Or two of us?" She teased, Bodhi smiling brightly as she glanced over at Tuscany. The last part she said questioningly.

Griff walked over, putting his arm around Poppy. "Yeah, I don't think she's the only one, hey?" He said with a grin on his face.  "Griff! Could you not?" Poppy complained, Marlon looking over at them with a saddened look. "Could you not?" She said that time with a almost forced laugh, pushing his arm off. He raised his hand in surrender. "Just being friendly."

That's when it clicked in Poppy's head what Summer said. "Wait..two who else?" She asked in a slightly demanding voice, her eyes wide as she looked towards each friend. Poppy looked back towrads Summer, noticing the American girl's eyes drifting towrads Koda.

Poppy's intense gaze going to Koda, now that caught Marlon's attention. "Koko! Who?" She asked excitedly. A dark blush crossing Koda's face, the girl slightly shrinking back from everyone looking at her. "W-what do you mean?" She tried to blow them off.

Griff's gaze was the most intense, wondering who she moved on with. "Don't play games, I saw you holding Bax's hand." Summer said as she poked Koda's side. Wren cared about her brother in a way so she decided to help out. "Yeah and when you walked up to the tent he had his arm around you." Summer looked shocked that Wren was actually with her on this.

"Wait what, since when can he do that?" Marlon asked now fully Intrested in the conversation, his dark brown eyes on Koda. "Are you and Baxter a thing?!" Poppy practically squealed. "No!" Koda was growing more flustered, hating being put on the spot.

"Gang, why do I get the felling that you're all getting distracted?" Elo asked as she walked over, catching their attention, Koda thankful but from her friends looks she knew this was far from the end of that conversation. "Listen, this is our last chance before Nationals to see some of your interstate rivals in action, yeah?"

Baxter walked up to where he was between Elo and Koda. "Yeah. Spoiler alert. They're better than you guys." He said with his eyes on the water. "Gee thanks for the confidence boost." Koda grumbled, face still red. Baxter heard her and looked at her with a slight smile. "And not to mention all the big sponsors are here watching. So every comp, every heat, is an opportunity. Don't waste it." Elo finished as the siren blared. "Alright, let's go, let's do this!" The crowd around clapping and cheering at it starting.

Baxter, Marlon and Griff were getting ready to head out for the first men's heat. Koda standing away from the group some as she tried to get the warmth from her face to calm down but that's when she noticed Poppy and Summer walking closer to her.

"Hey guys." She said with a soft smile on her face as she avoided eye contact. Poppy looked at her bewildered. "Don't hey guys us. Why didn't you say anything about you and Bax? It's so clear you are into each other!" The girl almost sounded hurt that this information was withheld from her.

"There is no me and Bax, he's sweet. He's a friend." Koda said dismissivly with a blush on her face. "Well, just wanted to say Koda bear. A friend doesn't look at you like that." Summer said with a smirk resting on her face.