Wednesday, January 17th. 1:45pm.

"And so, the theory is, if life can exist on Earth, then Mars might be able to sustain life even better, because of the un-violent weather conditions there. What do you think?" The professor of the 'theory and philosophy of science' class asked his small class of about 25 students. He pointed to the girl in the front row with her hand raised.

"Yes, Alexandria?"

Alex shifted her position in her chair and looked at her professor questionably. "But if there aren't any weather conditions like hurricanes and tornadoes or whatever, how can the balance of life be preserved. First of all, if humans went to Mars we would have to basically live in a plastic bubble because we'd be sucking in toxic air..." A few chuckles were heard around the class. "...but who would WANT to live on a planet where day in day out, it was the same thing. No snow, no storms, no lightening, no tornadoes, no excitement! We wouldn't even be having a class like this, and natural weather disasters maintain some sort of balance in the ecosystem, even though they are devastating."

The professor took in what she had to said and nodded. "Nicely said, Miss Smith. Anyone else?...Yes, Matthew?" Alex turned in her seat to look behind her at the smartest guy in her class. He was often in a lot of her science classes, and kinda ticked her off because well, he was basically a smart-ass.

"The theory is not what would be more exciting, it was which would be able to sustain better life. And clearly, if the weather was predictable and the same, life could better be prepared and could take measures to prolong itself in those conditions."

"Good Point, Matt! On that note, I want each of you to keep in mind you have your project due in 3 weeks, if you have any questions, please see me after class. You are dismissed." The professor stepped away from his lectern and walked to his small desk.

Alex turned to Jen, who was sitting beside her. "Why did I let you talk me into taking this class. All of that, STRAIGHT over my head." Jen giggled.

Alex stuffed her text and papers in her satchel and stood up out of her seat. "I'll help you out. God, Matthew pisses me OFF! HE ALWAYS has to be right."

Jen and her began to walk side by side, glaring at Matt who went to go talk to the professor. "I know, personally I liked your answer better."

"Why thank you, Jen." Alex turned and smiled at the short girl.

"Sure. Hey, do you want to go get some coffee with me?" They reached outside of the large building and Jen pointed to the campus library.

"Actually, I don't have anymore classes and I have to be somewhere, but I'll see you tomorrow in Astrology class, and what are you doing this weekend?"

She squinted her eyes in thought, then shook her head. "Umm, nothing I don't think."

"Well, give me a call and we will do something." Alex smiled.

"Ok. Bye Lex." Jen waved and turned to walk away.

"Bye Jen." Alex smiled and fished for her keys in her bookbag and began walking across the short distance to the parking lot where her car was. The more time Jen and her spent class together, the more she seemed to like Jen. She was happy to have the afternoon off from baby-sitting Jon. He was at a friend's house or something, and she was going to the beach, to clear her head, read a book, and think. Her internship started the next day and she was quite nervous about it.

Her mind had been so cluttered she needed some time to sort everything out, and that was exactly what she planned on doing.

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The wind whipped her hair in front of her face, and she brought up her hand to tuck the stray strands, behind her ear. Her hand came across the book she was reading in front of her to flip a page and she continued reading.

Nothing could ruin this moment in Alex's mind. The sun's heat was being slightly cooled by the passing clouds. The sea was calm and made a lulling noise as it crashed onto the shore.

A seagull flew down and began to pick at the apple core she had tossed onto the sand a few moments before. She reached to her right and unscrewed the Snapple bottle resting there, and at the same time, struggled with trying to keep the wind from turning her books page. She finally got the bottle cap open and tilted her head back, almost popping her neck, as she chugged down the last of the drink. She sighed and tossed empty bottle on the plaid blanket she was laying stomach down on.

She kept reading her book, until she heard the faint sound of a car motor and tires against a dirt pathway. The sound got closer and closer. Alex sat up, stunned, wondering whom else would be coming to her beach.

The owners of the private beach were an elderly couple that was in Alex's church, and they rarely came, or she had never seen them there.

She sat there on her blanket, staring, not even blinking, at the gravel road that led back to the main road. Soon enough, a blue convertible with its top down appeared behind the tall dunes and bushes.

Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped to the ground when she saw who it was. She looked around her blanket, and back up at the BMW that was parked beside her Jeep, thinking this was a dream.

HE finally opened his car door and stepped out, sunglasses covering his eyes, jeans on, and a long-sleeve red abercrombie shirt, with the sleeve pushed up to his elbows. "Hey!" He said loudly as he made his way over to her.

"Uhh, hi. What are you doing here?" She questioned as he reached her blanket. She looked up at him, and squinted her eyes and put a hand over her eyes to shield the sun.

"Well, I uhh, I wanted to talk to you about some things, and I didn't know if you would be here or not. But I took the chance. Do you mind?" He asked pointing to the blanket. She shook her head and scooted over.

Alex searched her small bag for her sunglasses and a twisty to pull back her hair. She slipped on the glasses and sat up, pulling her wind-blown hair back and quickly putting it in a sloppy ponytail. "So, what's on your mind?" She asked, slouching back into a comfortable position, facing him as he stretched out his legs on the blanket, using his arms behind him as support.

"A lot." He chuckled. "A whole lot."

"I know how you feel. I start my internship at NSSL tomorrow. I'm so excited and nervous at the same time." Justin noticed the eagerness in her voice and smiled at it.

After a few moments of silence Justin cleared his throat and drew in his legs, to sit Indian style. He tugged at his shoelaces as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Lexia. I'm so sorry for the mixed signals I've been giving you. I don't know what it is about you, but I can't help myself, ya know? And I know what I'm doing is wrong, to you, to Britney, to Jon, to myself, but I can't stop it. And I don't know what that means just yet."

Alex looked at him stunned for a moment, until he looked up, over the rim of his sunglasses at her. Their eyes locked and he smiled brightly at her. "Don't looked so stunned Lexia."

She shook her head and began to blush. "Sorry, I just, wow. I'm actually grateful you said that. For a while I didn't know if you were just really flirty or trying to play me or what."

He leaned towards her slightly and looked at her concerned. "I would never play you, Lexia. Never."

She laughed slightly and looked at him shyly. "Why do you call me that? No one has ever called me that."

He shrugged and reached over uninterested to pick up her open book. "I don't know, just my nickname for you. What do you not like it?" He smirked at her. She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, I like it. In fact, I like it a whole lot."

She didn't mean for it to come out that way, but he began to blush, she just looked away almost ashamed. "Stormy Weather, eh?"

Alex turned her head and looked back at him. "Huh?" He held the book up at her. "Ohh yeah, that's my favorite book."

"What's it about?" He asked, looking at the blank cover of the worn hardback book.

"Its about a girl who is obsessed with the weather, and just talks about her hardships and loves and life, stuff like that. It was written by one of my mom's friends in Alaska. My moms one of those real artsy people."

Justin just nodded and ran his finger over the pages. "So, it's about you, huh?"

Alex grinned. "No, it was written before I was born, but it's my favorite book. I've read it about 8 times."

Justin looked at her shocked. "Wow, it must be good."

"Yeah, well I like it." She sighed and looked out at the ocean. So peaceful and calm, yet strong and fierce. It kinda reminded her of herself.

"Well, do you mind if I stay out here for a few minutes. I won't bother you, but this is a good place to think. In fact I came here last Saturday by myself."

She tilted her head to the side. "Really? Wow. Well, make yourself at home. I'm just going to keep reading, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." He smiled and leaned back on the blanket, looking up at the sky. She returned to her position on her stomach and began reading the book again. It took her a while to start concentrating on it, because of the civility that had happened between them.

It was the calm of a storm, and they seemed to have just made peace with each other. A few pages had gone past in her book and Justin spoke up.

"Hey Lexia?"

She placed her hand on the book, so as not to lose her page and looked over her shoulder at him. "Yeah?"

"What's that cloud right there?" He asked, pointing to the sky. She looked up and smiled at the similarities he had with his brother.

"That's a cumulus. The ones that people consider the cotton-ball or the fluffy clouds are cumulus. If you want to be specific then it a cumulus humulis. But, that's just if you are picky." She looked back down at him and he was staring at her, still lying back on the blanket. Finally he shook his head

"Some people like music, some like movies, others like sports. But you Lexia, you like clouds." He chuckled and bent his arms behind his head and rested his head on his palms.

"Well, sorry for being a dork." She mumbled, and turned back to her book.

"No, no. It doesn't make you a dork. At least not to me. It makes you different, it makes you special. And that's a very good thing. You are the first person I've ever met that likes weather as much as you do. That's refreshing, Lexia. It's neat to meet someone who doesn't just like the usual stuff."

She turned her head to look over her shoulder at his relaxed position. "Thanks. That means a lot Justin."

"Well, I just speak the truth." He grinned and looked at her out of his sunglasses as she turned back around and continued with her book.

He hadn't really known the reason that he was at the beach, but he was there. And now, he was really glad he came. He looked at her back. She had on khaki shorts and a long sleeve deep blue shirt that made her black hair stand out. Her knees were bent, having her barefoot swing in the air. He was happy. For the first time, the awkwardness between them had disappeared. And even though they were silent, and weren't really conversing with each other, it didn't matter. They didn't need words. Not now at least.

On some weird level they had bonded. And from this point forward, there was no turning back, because at that moment, they realized in their own ways, what they both wanted. They discovered there was no use fighting it, so they just gave up, gave in.

In the silence of the beach, they realized they were falling in love with one another.