When (he)arts Prevail

1

The sky was still waking up, a light blue that merged with shades of pink and orange in the horizon. Kaylee sighed, content, slipping her eyes closed as the salty breeze of Huntington Beach, California stirred her long blond hair. It was warm enough not to bring goosebumps to her naked skin, signs that Summer was finally here.

She inhaled deeply and let her body take in that moment.

When she opened her eyes again, an inner excitement grew within. Despite the sea being a bit chaotic today, Kaylee could not wait to meet those waves.

As Kaylee was about to take off into the water, someone smacked her bottom hard.

She yelped, turning around. Alyssa, of course.

Laughing, her best friend stepped beside Kaylee, doing some stretches.

"Are you ready or what?" Alyssa asked with a smirk, glancing sideways at Kaylee.

Kaylee pushed Alyssa on the side playfully, saying, "I've been ready for hours!"

After Alyssa picked up her board from the sand, they ran into the ocean, laughing. They threw their boards over the waves, jumping in, ready to ride them.

Alyssa had been Kaylee's best friend since high school, probably her only real friend from those days. They had met each other during detention, after realizing they had both skipped classes to watch a surf championship. From that day on, they became inseparable.

After two hours surfing, sometimes being rolled-around underwater, Kaylee and Alyssa made it back to the pier, adrenaline still pumping their veins.

Alyssa had to go to work, this morning at a shop downtown, and Kaylee had to prepare her surf classes with the kids for later that afternoon.

"You sure you don't want a ride," Kaylee asked again.

Alyssa sighed. Her words carried a hint of annoyance. "For the third time, no."

Kaylee raised her hands in defense.

They said their goodbyes, and as Kaylee walked to her car, surf suit halfway down and board under her arm, she saw a familiar figure waiting for her, arms crossed, a bag hanging from one of his wrists.

Brian. One of her brother's lifelong friend, and up to recent years, one of Kaylee's closest friends.

Brian's dark hair was hidden beneath a cap turned backwards, yet the small smile tainting his lips was unmistakable. Somehow, that sparked Kaylee's heart a little.

She approached him slowly, trying to hide the true feelings that assaulted her by finding him there. "What are you doing here?", she asked, dropping her surf board and belongings on the floor near her car. "I thought you couldn't make it." Brian went in for a hug. Kaylee tried not to wet him with her suit, making the hug a bit awkward. She always felt small when hugging Brian, her face coming just barely above his chest.

"I had to prepare stuff before going to the studio. I didn't have time to surf. But," he said, tightening his arms around her a bit more before finally stepping away. "I had to see you and say congratulations."

Kaylee ran a hand through her hair, trying to sort it right, suddenly self conscious of how she might look after two hours surfing. "You didn't have to," she told him, her eyes dropping to the bag in Brian's hand. "It's fine." Yet a smile inevitably tugged at Kaylee's lips at the gesture.

Brian noticed her glance and his hand disappeared inside the bag, only to come out with a plushie of the Statue of Liberty. He waved it in the air. "Congratulations!"

Kaylee's burst of laughter came out graced with confusion. "What the fuck is that?", she asked between chuckles, taking the toy in her hands and turning it this way and that. It was cute, she had to admit.

Brian's shoulder jolted in a shrug. "Just a silly gift." He seemed a bit embarrassed, probably due to Kaylee's outburst.

"It is very cute," she told him softly.

"I forbid you to show that to any of the guys," he stated only half-jokingly. The mischievous glint in his eye gave him away.

She hugged the stuffed Statue to her chest. "What will you do if I show it around?" she tested.

At that Brian laughed, "Don't you dare!"

Kaylee joined in for a moment, both laughing, as she took another look at the toy. "I'll see what I can do," she grinned.

"Well, we can sort out an agreement which will favor both parties."

Lifting an eyebrow in question, Kaylee's gaze settled back on Brian. "What sort of agreement is that?"

He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

"Stop!" Kaylee smacked his arm with the plushie. "I'm leaving now," she chuckled, pushing Brian a little out of the way so she could open the door to her side.

"I gotta go, too," he said.

After Kaylee loaded the car with her surf board, she found Brian checking out his reflection and adjusting his ball cap in her passenger window.

"You look beautiful," she joked.

Brian's head snapped in her direction as he straightened up, a smirk curling on his mouth. He took the few steps that separated them and gave Kaylee a quick kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you later. Don't cause any trouble in the meantime."

She scoffed, feigning offense. "Who do you take me for?"

He grinned sheepishly.

As soon as he was away, Kaylee took a picture of the stuffed Statue of Liberty with her phone and sent it to Alyssa, giggling the whole time.