Never Say Never

<SFTC: Never Say Never by the Fray>

Chapter 22

"Okay, just push up and stand. Ready? Go!" He pushes the board forward to catch an incoming wave. I brace myself and paddle, silently praying I don't fall off. As soon as it starts to gain speed and catch up to it, I push up and unsteadily balance myself into a crouch, and then a full stand. I hear Tanner cheering behind me and a few onlookers (probably fans) on the beach cheer as well. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how to stop this thing, figuring that surfers on tv just jump off. The thought of jumping off a speeding board doesn't sound very appealing though, I'm half-shaking from what I can tell, now.

"Jump!" I hear someone shout and I follow suit, flailing into the water ungracefully. For a long second, I'm completely submerged, everything around me given a blue-tinted view that feels like I'm miles away from the surface. My board flies out onto the surface along with the waves remnants, pulling my ankle up with it. I struggle to regain my breath by taking several large breaths.

Another second later and Tanner's pulling up next to me, tugging in my surfboard cord along with it.

"You were awesome! How was it?" He shouts over the loud currents of waves. He had effortlessly gone through tons of waves flawlessly and was soaked as well. But his time on the board had dried him off enough for his hair to stick up messily, adorably, however.

"Traumatizing." I laugh, floundering my arms to keep me to the surface. He grabs my arm and lurches me onto my own board so we're both floating on top of our own boards. The beach scene had become more and more crowded as it got later into the afternoon. Finally, at lunch, it was packed and surfers were packed out into the deeper parts. Also, a lot more people have gotten word that I was surfing here and fans almost littered the beach, waiting for me. Thankfully, Tree had also gotten word and somehow sent extra security to hold some people off.

"Lunch? I packed some things," He offers, glancing into the beach toward the crowd of paparazzi taking pictures of us. Ignoring them has been something that I've never been able to become accustomed to. They're always there, whether you see them or not. Its kind've a good thing, I guess. Helps me to not make as many mistakes because I know someone will end up seeing me and ruin my reputation in the end.

"What kind of things? Because it'll take some really great stuff to go back to the real world," I say. Even though every second I spend out here this deep makes me more and more self concious of the things that also live in these waters. That, and the fact that I swear I felt something brush against my leg earlier. Whether that be seaweed or a shark, I don't care, I want out.

"You'll have to see yourself. Lets just say I'm a good cook,"

"Better than your mom?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I don't think anybodies better than my mom," he shrugs, pulling the tip of his board forward so he leans farther back into the air.

"True." I agree, turning my board to face the beach again. I squint in an attempt to make out our blanket down the beach. People seem to have moved along with the current that's pulled us along the beach.

Tanner flips to his stomach and starts paddling, reaching over to squeeze my hand in his, the other paddling while mine does the same.

After an exaggerated amount of time, dragged on by Tanner's insistant need for us to hold hands while we paddle, we finally reach the beach.

"Where even is our blanket?"

The area to both sides of us were guarded by fans and if not fans, beachgoers laying out. I finally find it a little ways down, immediately sprinting after it, shouting "Chocolate strawberries!" Tanner had openly admitted to the single detail of our meal after constant nagging on the swim in.

Tanner sprints right behind me, pushing me up by my waist into the air and over his shoulder before continuing his run to the blanket. I squeal and watch the surfboard that he had dropped distance from us.

He lowers me to the blanket after a few more seconds and smirks above me, particularly glowing with the way the sun hits his extremely tanned, oiled skin.

"You're a jerk." I pout, scowling up at him.

"Aw, will chocolate strawberries make it better?" He teases, mocking a voice taken from an obnoxiously obsessive parent of a baby.

"Maybe," I stretch it out, glancing around at the enclosing press. They all shout things, mostly my fans who beg me to come out. "Babe, while you set up, do you mind if I go meet some of these fans?"

"No, of course, go ahead." He encourages and I stand. I feel bad for just letting them stand there in the sun begging me to come over and take a picture while I drink diet coke and flirt with my boyfriend nonchalantly. They grow unruly as I approach, most of the media trying to squeeze in front of the fans. I murmur a word to the bodyguards to let the fans talk but back up the paps.

A young girl around 14 is the first of the crowd of maybe two dozen I see. She's crying, excessively trying to fit in hundreds of words at once. She hands me a booklet she's been clinging in her hands, "Hi sweetie, how are you? Oh my gosh, thank you, that's so sweet of you."

"C-can I get a picture, please?" She stutters and I quickly agree, taking her phone from her quivering hands and snapping a few different poses of pictures. I continue the process for all the fans before waving, hugging some of them goodbye, and returning to a set-up Tanner. He is propped up on an elbow, smiling at me.

"What?" I ask as I sit down next to him where he had set my place next to him. Between us was a collection of two half-sandwiches, watermelon slices, the infamous chocolate strawberries, cantaloupe, and what looks to be french fries.

"Nothin', you just look beautiful," He shrugs, biting into a strawberry. My cheeks heat up and I look down, busying myself with the unimportant issue of tugging up my bikini top.

"Thanks," I murmur quietly, reaching over near his stomach for a watermelon slice but not quite far enough without falling into our sandwiches. He chuckles, holding a piece over to me except stopping before handing it over.

"Nuh uh uh." he turns his cheek to face me, gazing into the distance dramatically. I roll my eyes and lean in, finding him to turn at the last second to make me kiss him on the lips. I pull from his lips and let my mouth fall open.

"You little.." I slap his chest playfully. He gives me an innocent look and smiles crookedly, waving the watermelon tauntingly in front of me. I scowl and snatch it, carefully eyeing him as I bite into it.

•

"Tanner, listen, you know I love you and all but can you please move?" I plead, desperately trying to maneuver around him to see. As he knows and I very well know, the new episode of Greys' is on tonight and it is the finale, actually featuring my song title at that. He was persistent of the promise I made earlier to continue our kissing where we left off, where to which, I took note as, not today. Not doing Greys' at least.

"Kiss me." He shrugs, sidestepping my attempted views. I swear he is one of the most reluctant people I have ever met. I exaggerate a sigh and push myself up to the limited amount of space he'd provided to where my calves still squish against the couch. My hands go to his cheeks as I press a rough kiss to his lips, pulling apart as quickly as I had began, and sitting back down, pulling him down next to me as I do.

My attention immediately reverts back to the screen. It was an extremely intense part and to have Tanner at my side, still nagging me about how I shouldn't have kissed him like that and then completely block him out to watch my show. Even though it was evident that I only kissed him so he'd move and I could focus in on my show. This was way more important at the moment, especially with all the drama.

"Mer, she's oblivious, isn't she?" Tanner mutters to Meredith who rests up against his and my leg, also gazing at the tv screen. He waves a hand in front of my face but I shoo him off and slap his hand away.

"Oblivious." He confirms, petting her from what I can tell. Meredith had actually taken a liking to Tanner, unlike any of my past boyfriends, who she had despised to the point where she'd hiss everytime they got near her. But Tanner was obviously her favorite. She'd jump into his lap if it was between my mom or his. She'd chose mine over all though, probably because I am her owner and the one she sees the most. She has to deal with me.

"Lets play strip poker," He offers. I barely flinch, knowing he was obviously joking to get my attention. "Truth or dare?" I still watch on. "Make out?"

"Alison. Taylor. Talk to me."

"You know, the longer you keep distracting me, the longer it'll take for me to watch the parts I missed," I murmur, still not acknowledging him.

"So it lives," He smirks. I roll my eyes. I'm suddenly pushed into the cushion of the side of the couch. I issue a loud groan and struggle to get up to watch, almost impossible to move under his weight.

"Tanner, seriously, move," I whine, pushing his head up with no success as it falls back to my stomach. "Tanner! Greys'!"

"I am way more exciting than a show,"

"Well, for one your shirt is not off and his is," I point to the screen.

"Do you want it to be off?" He wiggles his eyebrows in an attempt to make me laugh to no avail.

"What I want is to watch my show," I whine, pushing him up so I can face the tv.

"Fine, fine. But you're making me cookies later,"

"It's already 11,"

"No Greys'," He threatens, already half in a lunge at me.

"Fine! I'll make you cookies, just let me watch!"

••A/N

I didn't really know how to end this chapter so I just let it go there. By the way, take note that they didn't just meet a few weeks ago, it's been over a span of a few months time:) thanks for reading!! I also have no idea why this is rated pg-13 considering I have only said sex and it doesn't have any kind of sexual scenes or cursing. Anyway, thanks again.

-b