Prologue*~

I looked at her as she stood in her black two piece XOXO bikini, right outside the double stores. Her body’s silohouette was visible as she stood still watching the sun appear over the horizon. Her long black hair hung over her shoulders, blowing slightly with the warm summer breeze that was coming off of the Pacific this morning. Slowly I watched as she turned to peer at me, her soft brown eyes glowing as she saw me standing behind her.

“Ready sleepy head?”

“Aaliyah, all these years we been friends, have I once not been ready?” I questioned watching as she turned to look at me, laughing as she nodded.

“Well there was that one time when I came early and you…”

I watched as a devilish smile appeared across her face and I shook my head, laughing. “Why you always bring up old stuff?”

“It’s not that old, Justin it just happened last week.” She looked at me, completely amused as I walked out onto the deck with her, wrapping my arms around her small waist and grabbing my surf board as we headed down the stairs and onto the warm sand.

“Still that’s old baby girl, it happened a whole week ago.”

“You are hopeless.” Aaliyah shook her head, her pretty long black hair shaking with her head. “So today you think you can keep up with me?”

“I always keep up with you. You’re the one who thinks that you’re too fast for me.” I looked at her, as we dropped our surfboards on the sand before she looked at me and lifted her arms a bit as she looked at me like bring it.

“Alright then, we’re going 5 miles down the beach and back; if you beat me back here then I pay for lunch, if not well then you owe me lunch and a foot massage.”

“Wait why don’t I get a foot massage if I win?” I asked, laughing as she ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged her shoulders.

“Because your feet look gross and smell like old cheese…” Aaliyah laughed as she dashed off, leaving me speechless for a second before I went running after her.

“Wait! That’s not fair! You didn’t say go!”

“So! If you’re so good, come and catch me!”

For the whole five miles she stayed ahead of me, constantly going a bit faster than me, on the trip back I had caught up to her twice but had fallen back at the end and of course she made it back seconds before me.

“Hey baby…it looks like you owe me…lunch and a foot massage!” She screamed as she tried to catch her breath.

I looked at her, shaking my head. “Man you cheated.”

We laughed as we looked at each other and I grabbed a hold of her hips, pulling her closer to me until we were so close that our skin was touching. I looked down at her as she looked up at me, her brown eyes twinkling as we just looked at each other in the awkward silence. I wanted so badly to kiss her, to tell her how I felt, but I wouldn’t do it…not today, not when I feared rejection. I feared her rejecting me, and I feared that I’d lose my best friend. Then I’d be alone, and there would be no one.

“Jay…lets go catch some waves real quick then lets go get something to eat.” Her soft voice and warm hand on my chest woke me out of my daze as I gazed down at her, her pearly white teeth showing as a smile spread across her lips. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m good…” I nodded my head slowly, running my hand over the top of my head and looking at her. “Lets do this then.”

“Lets,” She grabbed the Hawaiian themed surf board and went running into the water, looking like something from Baywatch, leaving me completely stunned for a moment until I realized I looked very obvious standing there watching her.

“You comin?” She turned to look at me as she stood a few feet out, a questionable look on her face.

“Yeah here I come, don’t have a cow.”

“Wait, does it look like I can have a cow smarty?” She giggled softly, looking at me. “Now come on, lets do this so we can leave and I can get my foot massage!”

“Nuh uh, I ain’t touchin those knives on yo feet.” I laughed as I ran out after her. I loved the girl, what could be more obvious? But how do you tell someone you love them, without being afraid? I didn’t know, but I would have to figure it out soon or else I would lose her to someone else.