Hey, hope your feeling better. Have you decided what you want to do today? I'll pick you up around 10. Looking forward to it! xoxo

I read the text from Hunter and groan, I'd forgotten about today. Hunter wants to hang out all day and I just want to curl up under the covers.

But I can't bail without arousing suspicion, if I use the headache excuse again he'll just come here to check on and annoy me and then he'd realise I'm fine.

I guess I have to face him sooner or later, although later would've been preferable.

It's only eight in the morning, so I go take a shower and get ready.

When I walk out into the kitchen to have breakfast Hunter is already there feeding his face and chatting away to mum.

"I thought you were coming at ten." The annoyance clear in my voice.

"Um...I was up early and got bored, so I thought I'd just come early, I didn't think you'd mind," he says looking at me a little puzzled.

I can tell already, it's going to be a long day!

"Don't mind me, I didn't get much sleep last night......." (thinking about you and your girlfriend having sex.)

"Are you feeling ok honey?"

Mum puts her arm around my shoulder and puts her hand on my forehead.

"Mum!" I say in my best whiney voice.

"I'm fine, it's nothing."

She raises her eyebrow at me and I look away. Why can't I just hide away in my room so I can wallow in self-pity? I always feel like I have to put on a mask and hide how I'm really feeling and to be honest, I'm starting to get really tired of it.

I scold myself! I need to shut that shit down if I'm going to get through today. It's just two friends hanging out. I got this!

The mask goes back on and I sit down to have breakfast.

"Really I'm fine, my head was just a bit sore last night, but I'm fine now that I've had a bit of sleep."

I smile through the unpleasant emotions that keep trying to pull me back down.

"Great, so what are we doing today?" Hunter asks.

Something where we don't have to talk much, I think to myself.

"I haven't been surfing much lately with all the extra hours I've been doing at the cafe."

"And I haven't been out much since you've been too busy working, so I'm super keen!"

"Great, it's settled then," I say.

As we swim back beyond the break, I notice the weather is starting to turn.

This was actually a really good idea, when I surf autopilot takes over and I can just switch off and enjoy the rush. Plus, I've been so focused on trying to catch every wave I can, I've barely said two words to Hunter.

I can see in the distance, dark clouds that look possibly thunderous. Hunter doesn't like surfing in thunderstorms. I, on the other hand, would find it pretty freaking awesome, but I know he's going to make me swim back in with him.

And today is like any other, as soon as Hunter notices the clouds, he waves at me to come in.

I decide to ignore him, he can go back but I want to stay right where I am.

When he gets to the shore he looks around for me.

Damn it! He looks so freaking sexy in his rash vest and board shorts. His messy wet hair pushed back off his face.

I'm so freaking angry with him! With the way he looks so sexy all the time, with the way he's always looking after me, that he has a girlfriend who isn't me, that they're getting serious enough to sleep together and especially with the fact that I have no right to be angry at all!

Why does life have to be so sucky sometimes?

I'm snapped back to reality by Hunter's voice yelling at me. He's coming back for me and he doesn't look happy.

"Maddie, what are you doing? You know how I feel about surfing when there's lightning!"

"It's not a big deal, I think it'll be fun to surf through a thunderstorm."

"Uh uh, not happening. I will drag you back to shore if I have too!"

I wonder for a second if he really would, then I notice the look he's giving me and realise, yes! He definitely would.

"Ok, ok I'm coming."

"Wise decision," he says, annoyance written all over his face.

Oh, how the tables have turned from this morning.

When we reach the shore it starts to rain and I can hear the thunder in the distance. We start to make a run for Hunter's place, then just before we make it to the gate that leads to their property, the wind picks up, the temperature drops and it begins to pour.

The small shed we wax the boards in is close, so we make a mad dash for it.

Once inside we shut the door against the cold wind.

"So what was all that about?" Hunter is giving me his best stern look.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you've been weird all morning, what's going on?"

I stay silent and look at the floor, what do I say to that?

Hunter takes a step closer to me and puts his hand under my chin, lifting it so we are face to face.

"You know you can tell me anything."

No, I can't, not this!

I wish he would stop looking at me like that, my self-control is about to fly out the window if he keeps giving me that, loving, concerned, sexy look!

I can feel the tears trying to escape.

Don't cry...don't cry...don't cry!

"Please Maddie, just talk to me."

I stare into Hunter's eyes and a single tear escapes.

The next minute I feel the soft pad of his thumb stroking my cheek to catch the tear before it can go any further.

Hunter then leans his forehead against mine.

"You're really starting to worry me, Maddie, please don't shut me out."

I pull away to look him in the eyes again.

"I...I....." I don't know what to say.

Then a shiver runs down my entire body as I feel Hunter's thumb move across my bottom lip, at an excruciatingly slow pace and I close my eyes.